Updated: 6:10 p.m.
In the wake of Jacob Bell's retirement and the release of rookie free-agent guard Ben Bojicic, the Bengals padded their offensive line depth Monday when they re-signed former Bengal Reggie Stephens and claimed Matt Murphy from the Colts.
The 6-3, 325-pound Stephens, Cincinnati's seventh-round pick in 2010 out of Iowa State who plays center and guard, made the roster as a rookie and was inactive for every game before the Bengals cut him a day after the 2011 cut to 53 when they picked up Mike McGlynn on waivers. Stephens was with the Bears last season.
The 6-4, 307-pound Murphy is listed as a guard, but he played tackle in college at Nevada-Las Vegas and can play center. He spent 13 games on the Colts practice squad last year as a rookie and is classified as a first-year NFL player. Atlanta signed him after last year's draft waived him at the end of the preseason.
The roster is already jammed with guards and centers. First-round pick Kevin Zeitler, the projected right guard starter, and 2011 fourth-rounder Clint Boling seem to be penciled in as backup centers. It's another move that seems to indicate the Bengals are moving on from veteran Bobbie Williams, their starting right guard since 2004.
The signings put the roster at 87 players, three under the limit.
