Kieft Done for the Year

[ArmyBengal]

Kieft feared lost for year

8/7/2005 - 8-7-05, 9:10 p.m.

BY GEOFF HOBSON

GEORGETOWN, Ky. _ The agent for Bengals tackle Adam Kieft said Sunday night that his client’s promising rookie season looks to be finished just as he had emerged as one of the top young players of training camp.

Dave Butz said initial reports show Kieft tore the medial collateral ligament and the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee here during Saturday’s Mock Game, but there looks to be no reason he won’t be ready for the next training camp.

The 6-7, 330-pound Kieft, a fifth-rounder, played left tackle at Central Michigan before moving to right fairly seamlessly during the spring camps after the draft. Then he had an impressive stretch last week for a few days replacing left tackle Levi Jones in displaying his quick feet and hands.

Kieft, playing left tackle for the Orange team Saturday, was working on defensive end Duane Clemons in pass protection when Butz said he appeared to catch his foot in the ground and then twisted the knee.

“He’s obviously disappointed, but the good thing is that the rest of the knee looks to be intact,” Butz said. “He shouldn’t have any problems coming back for next season. The Bengals have told him that this is going to be his red-shirt year and they want to keep him around, have him go to meetings, and keep lifting, and he should still get a lot out of it.”

Kieft had been a roster lock for what looks to be nine spots on the offensive line. The injury would appear to clinch the back-up left tackle spot for staring left guard Eric Steinbach. But Pete Lougheed and Scott Kooistra, who play several different spots, may now get some more snaps at left tackle.

OFFENSIVE LINE AT A GLANCE:

Starters: RT Willie Anderson, RG Bobbie Williams, C Rich Braham, LG Eric Steinbach, LT Levi Jones.

Returning backups: RT Stacy Andrews, G-T Scott Kooistra.

Center of future: Eric Ghiaciuc.

Backup coming off injury: C-G Larry Moore.

Practice squad vet: G-T Pete Lougheed.

Free-agent rookies and first-year players: T Reece Hicks, G Dan Lynch, G Kyle Takavitz.

Injured veteran: T Belton Johnson (calf).

Injured rookie: C Ben Wilkerson (knee).

Injured rookies possibly lost for season: T Adam Kieft (knee), G Steven Vieira (foot).

[ArmyBengal]

Per Bengals.com as it wouldn't let me type anymore on the first post...

Not WHODEY at all !!!

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Wow completely blew his knee out, that sucks.

[derekshank]

Looks like we are pretty weak at backup if anyone on the left side goes down for a significant period of time. That's pretty disappointing. Maybe Stacy could fill in at LT if Levi goes down. I've been hearing nothing but good about him.

If not, I might be forced to utter the famous George Clooney line from "O Brother Where Art Thou":

"Damn, we're in a tight spot!"

[NJ29]

Looks like we are pretty weak at backup if anyone on the left side goes down for a significant period of time. That's pretty disappointing. Maybe Stacy could fill in at LT if Levi goes down. I've been hearing nothing but good about him.

If not, I might be forced to utter the famous George Clooney line from "O Brother Where Art Thou":

"Damn, we're in a tight spot!"

I love that movie.

[bengalsLB]

well that sucks.....

[Kazkal]

poor guy

[BlainThePain]

Andrews was the first tackle off of the bench anyway. Losing Kieft sucks, but we are still good. We still have Andrews and Steinbach. If Willie's knee doesn't start getting better, then we should panic.

[bengalboomer7]

There was a lot of positive talk about hin too. Too bad. Now the man child becomes that much more important. He will definitely get some reps this year.