The Cincinnati Bengals are in developmental mode as a playoff-less season winds down, so the latest roster move coming out of Paycor Stadium seems like a welcome one. 

Wednesday, the Bengals announced that center Matt Lee has been designated to return from injured reserve. 

Lee originally went to injured reserve in late October due to a knee injury. He’s now free to practice within his 21-day return window without counting against the 53-man roster. 

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Undrafted in 2024, Lee was hyped by Bengals fans as a possible long-term solution at center. He started one game as a rookie and showed some of those flashes that continued to drive optimism. 

This year, Lee spent time on special teams before going to IR. He’s one option for the long-term behind Ted Karras, who just signed an extension at the start of the season that keeps him in Cincinnati through 2026. 

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