Tackle Andre Smith to join Vikings on one-year deal

Published March 17, 2016

Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andre Smith celebrates after his team defeated the Seattle Seahawks. Smith, a free agent, signed will sign with the Minnesota Vikings.

Offensive tackle Andre Smith will sign a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings, he announced on Twitter on Thursday.

Smith, 29, spent the past seven years with the Cincinnati Bengals, playing in 82 regular-season games including 14 in 2015. The 6-foot-4, 325-pound Smith has played in every regular-season game just twice in his career.

Smith, who was a unanimous All-American at Alabama in 2008, was drafted sixth overall by the Bengals in 2009. He joins free-agent guard Alex Boone as the second new signee on the offensive line.

The Vikings had made the line a priority this offseason after quarterback Teddy Bridgewater struggled with pressure last season. They hired a new offensive line coach in Tony Sparano and re-signed right tackle Phil Loadholt, who missed last year with injury. The also picked up the fifth-year option on left tackle Matt Kalil.

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