After finally signing his first contract in the NFL, Cincinnati Bengals top draft pick Andre Smith has been forced to the sidelines.
According to the Bengals, the 6-4, 335-pound offensive lineman who missed the entire training camp due to a contract dispute, suffered a fracture in his left foot during practice on Tuesday.
Coach Marvin Lewis released the following statement on Tuesday:
"Andre suffered a small fracture in his left foot during a non-contact drill. Our medical staff tells me the injury will not require surgery. It's too soon to predict how long it will be before he can return to practice, but it looks like he's going to miss a few weeks."The injury happened the same day a report surfaced from
Profootballtalk.com stating that the contract both sides agreed to contains a provision that slashes in half Smith's pay for each game in which he weighs in at more than 350 pounds or higher and is not on the active game day 45-man roster.
Smith, the sixth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, agreed to a four-year deal with the Bengals on Sunday. He told reporters that he was in good shape but not football shape. Whether that disparity contributed to the broken foot Smith suffered Tuesday is anyone's guess.
