The Washington Redskins on Tuesday announced the signing of center Brian de la Puente. The team also placed Kory Lichtensteiger on its Injured Reserve (designated to return) list.
An injury at the center position has led to the signing of a veteran offensive lineman, the Redskins announced on Tuesday.
The Washington Redskins on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2015, announced the signing of center Brian de la Puente.
The team signed free agent center Brian de la Puente, a seven-year veteran out of the University of California, to replace center Kory Lichtensteiger, who has missed the past three games with a neck injury.
Lichtensteiger on Tuesday was placed on the team's Injured Reserve (designated to return) list.
De la Puente, 30, has appeared in 56 regular season games over the course of his career, which has included stops with the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears.
Signed as a college free agent in 2008, de la Puente got his start in the NFL under then-general manager Scot McCloughan in San Francisco.
After being waived during final cuts that season on Aug. 30, de la Puente was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs the next day.
He would spend the 2008 season in Kansas City between the practice squad and active roster, then spending parts of the 2009 and 2010 seasons with the 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks.
De La Puente would catch on with the Saints' practice squad late in the 2010 season before getting his first regular season game action in 2011.
After six-time Pro Bowler Olin Kreutz went down with an injury early that season, de la Puente took over starting duties at center.
He would remain New Orleans' starting center for the next two seasons before joining the Bears on April 6, 2014.
De la Puente would appear in eight games with six starts before being placed on season-ending Injured Reserve last November with an ankle injury.
Lictensteiger has been dealing with a neck injury over the last month and has not played since Week 5, snapping a streak of more than 50 consecutive starts with the Redskins as both a guard and a center.
He only practiced once last week, a limited workload on Friday.
Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said last week that Lichtensteiger has been doing everything he can to get back on the field, but his strength is "just not quite there yet."
In his place, Josh LeRibeus has started the last three games. LeRibeus missed just one play last week against the New England after suffering a gash on his head. Starting left guard Spencer Long played that one rep at center, while rookie Arie Kouandjio took over at left guard.
The team also has 2015 seventh-round pick Austin Reiter – a center out of South Florida – on its practice squad.
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