The Bengals are set to have their preferred starting center available when they convene for training camp next month. First-round pick Billy Price tweeted Monday he’s been fully cleared for work.
An offseason injury defined Price’s first NFL offseason. The Ohio State standout tore a pectoral muscle while doing bench press in February, but it didn’t damage his stock much. The Bengals selected him with the No. 21 overall pick.
Price was expected to be ready by the time camp began, and a report last week placed the rookie blocker as being a month ahead of schedule. Being cleared on Monday, more than five weeks from the start of Bengals camp, lines up with that updated timeline.
The Bengals will shift to Price after deploying Russell Bodine as their starting center for the past 64 regular-season games. Bodine started every game as a Bengal in his four years in Cincinnati, but he’s now with the Bills battling for their starting job. Barring something unexpected, Price will join longtime Bills left tackle Cordy Glenn as new Bengals offensive line starters.