Bengals draft pick undergoes thumb surgery, will miss Week 1

Kevin Hickey

Bengals draft pick undergoes thumb surgery, will miss Week 1 image

The Cincinnati Bengals will be without second-round pick Kris Jenkins for the Week 1 opener against the New England Patriots.

Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters following Friday's practice that Jenkins will undergo surgery to repair a thumb injury and was ruled out for the opener.

While Taylor didn't put a timeline on Jenkins' potential return, he seemed unconcerned that this would be a long-term injury resulting in a stint on the Reserve/Injured list.

Taylor said they will re-evaluate Jenkins next week following the procedure.

The Bengals selected Jenkins in the second round (No. 49 overall) out of Michigan in order to add some depth to the defensive line.

With Jenkins set to miss at least Week 1, the Bengals will rely on B.J. Hill, Sheldon Rankins, Zach Carter and Jay Tufele as the interior defenders Sunday.

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Kevin Hickey

Kevin Hickey Photo

Hickey was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Colts Wire. His work is also featured as a fantasy football analyst for The Huddle. A career .232 hitter, he is an avid reader of Spider-Man comics, an admirer of the James Webb Space Telescope, and a keen enthusiast of Ma’s sauce. You can find him on Twitter/X @KevinHickey11