Big-wingspan lineman has played in every Bengals game since 2009 ... Lines up as “move tight end” when offense employs formations with an extra blocker ... Helped RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis lead NFL in third-and-one rushing conversions (14), with Green-Ellis failing to convert only once ... Part of run-blocking effort for Green-Ellis to gain at least 100 yards four times in a five-game stretch (Games 10-12 and 14), with 168.2 team average in that span ... In starting RT role for much of 2009-10 ... Has logged 68 games and 31 starts (including postseason) since entering NFL in 2006 as a college free agent with Dallas.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed with Dallas as college free agent on 5-4-06 ... Waived by Cowboys on 9-2-06 ... Signed 9-3-06 to Tampa Bay practice squad ... Signed 1-1-07 to Tampa Bay offseason roster ... Waived by Tampa Bay on 9-1-07, and signed 9-2-07 to Bucs practice squad ... Signed to Bucs active roster on 10-3-07 ... Waived by Bucs on 10-20-07, and signed to practice squad on 10-24-07 ... Signed to Bucs offseason roster on 1-8-08 ... Waived on 8-30-08 ... Signed to Bengals practice squad on 9-3-08 ... Released on 9-11-08, and re-signed to Bengals practice squad on 9-16-08 ... Signed to Bengals active roster on 11-19-08 ... Re-signed with Bengals as exclusive rights player on 3-29-10 ... Became unrestricted free agent on 3-13-12, and re-signed 4-10-12 with Bengals.
2012 RECAP: Played in all 16 games, with two starts (Games 5 and 7) when team opened game in rushing formation ... Also played in Wild Card playoff ... On Sept. 16 vs. Cleveland, helped lead blocking effort for offensive output that netted 375 yards and 34 points ... Supported blocking effort Sept. 23 at Washington that netted season highs in yards (478) and points (38) ... Contributed to 382-yard output Sept. 30 at Jacksonville, with offense allowing no sacks ... Supported blocking effort Oct. 14 at Cleveland that paved way for 438 yards of total offense ... On Nov. 11 vs. N.Y. Giants, helped offense allow no sacks for third game on the season ... Supported 189 team rushing yards Nov. 18 at Kansas City ... Supported season-best 221 rushing yards Nov. 25 vs. Oakland, with 6.5-yard average ... On Dec. 2 at San Diego, supported third straight 100-yard rushing game for BenJarvus Green-Ellis (25-118) and helped lead pass protection that allowed only one sack for zero yards ... On Dec. 9 vs. Dallas, helped support blocking effort for team’s 146 net yards rushing ... In Thursday night win Dec. 13 at Philadelphia, aided rushing effort of 41-for-157 (3.8) and season-best 37:40 possession time, with Green-Ellis (106) becoming only second player in Bengals history to get four 100-yard rushing totals in span of five team games.
PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2006 - Spent preseason with Dallas, then was signed to Tampa Bay’s practice squad, where he spent the full season.
2007 - Opened training camp with Tampa Bay ... On Bucs roster for two games, Oct. 7 at Indianapolis and Oct. 14 vs. Tennessee, between stints on Bucs practice squad.
2008 - Opened preseason with Tampa Bay ... Waived during final cuts, then spent Games 1-10 on Bengals practice squad ... Signed to Bengals active roster and was active-DNP for Games 11-14 ... Made NFL debut Dec. 21 at Cleveland, subbing in fourth quarter for injured Stacy Andrews at RT ... Started in place of Andrews on Dec. 28 vs. Kansas City, and in the victory, he aided season-best team totals of 204 rushing yards and 37:39 possession time.
2009 - Played in every Bengals game with 12 starts (nine at RT; three at TE), and also started Wild Card playoff ... Helped AFC North champions finish ninth in NFL rushing (128.5 yards per game), including a team-record of eight games of 100 or more yards by individual backs ... On Oct. 11 at Baltimore, helped RB Cedric Benson (27-for-120) become first player in 40 games to rush for 100 yards against Ravens ... Helped Benson rush for a career-high 189 yards Oct. 25 vs. Chicago, while also aiding a sack-free performance ... Supported Benson for Bengals postseason-record 169 rushing yards in Wild Card playoff 1-9-10 vs. N.Y. Jets.
2010 - Played in every Bengals game, with 12 starts (nine at RT and three as second TE) ... Helped offense allow no sacks over final three games ... Supported 144 rushing yards by Cedric Benson on Oct. 10 vs. Tampa Bay, and helped Benson rush for 124 Nov. 21 vs. Buffalo ... Aided 38:03 possession time and 188-yard team rushing output Dec. 19 vs. Cleveland, both season bests.
2011 - Played in all 16 games and in Wild Card playoff ... Helped offense rank tied for fourth in NFL in fewest sacks allowed (25) ... Saw action with first offense on selected plays as an extra TE, and also played on special teams ... Credited with three starts (Games 6, 9 and 11), when team opened game in rushing formation ... On Oct. 16 vs. Indianapolis, supported pass-protection effort that held Colts for the first time on the season without a sack.
COLLEGE: Played all 25 games and started 24 over his final two seasons at Georgia ... Named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his play as a senior vs. South Carolina ... Started SEC Championship Game and Capital One Bowl as a sophomore.
PERSONAL: Hometown is Bolivar, Mo. ... Attended Bolivar High School, where he earned All-Central Ozark Conference honors on offense and defense ... Also lettered in basketball as a prep junior ... Married (wife Kristy), with two sons, Hayden and Caleb ... Earned sociology degree from Georgia ... Has worked with underprivileged youth at Gatorade Junior Training Camp ... Hobbies include golfing, fishing and reading.
