Bengals activate D’Ante Smith and Trae Waynes off IR

The Bengals also made three practice squad elevations for their Week 15 matchup with the Broncos.

The Cincinnati Bengals have activated cornerback Trae Waynes and offensive guard D’Ante Smith from injured reserve, the team announced Saturday.

Waynes, a seventh-year player out of Michigan State, had been on IR with a hamstring injury since Oct. 12. He has played in two games (both starts) this season and has five tackles. He figures to play significant snaps this week with Chidobe Awuzie on the COVID-19 list.

Smith, a rookie out of East Carolina University, had been on IR with a knee injury since Oct. 16. He has played in one game this season.

Additionally, the Bengals have elevated linebacker Austin Calitro, wide receiver Trent Taylor and linebacker Keandre Jones to the active roster for Sunday’s game vs. the Denver Broncos.

Calitro and Taylor are classified as COVID-19 replacements, and Jones is a standard elevation. As practice squad players being elevated to the active roster for the game, all three players will revert to the practice squad on Monday.