Friday links and notes; Carson Palmer is better than Tom Brady?

Great article by Geoff Hobson about Kim Wood; the Bengals former strength coach who "answered when Paul Brown called in the early 1970s and built the NFL's first full-time strength program. Since they quickly found themselves on the dirt ground floor of what was then pro football's steroids era, Wood became a leading figure in the anti-juice movement with his Ph.D grasp of the body and his tenacious University of Wisconsin fullback hold on fundamentals."

Even though Tom Brady is a "greater" quarterback, Carson Palmer is a better quarterback. Look, I have a man-crush on Palmer. However, even I struggle to make the argument.

The Bengals are having contract talks with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stacy Andrews, Cedric Benson and Chris Crocker. You can assume that one wide receiver is already gone because "they have indicated they don't feel out of the T.J. Houshmandzadeh derby." As for Fitzpatrick, the problem with signing him back is that David Carr signed a $2.1 million deal for one season to be Eli Manning's backup quarterback in New York; believing that it sets a standard.

However, the free agency class for quarterbacks is weak, considering the teams that need a quarterback. Fitzpatrick could find an opportunity that he wouldn't have in Cincinnati.

Anquan Boldin is in a similar situation as Chad Johnson was last year.

I think if they're not going to use the Franchise Tag on T.J. Houshmandzadeh, that they shouldn't use the tag on anyone. Big C says the Bengals aren't going to use it, at least on T.J.

James Walker correctly points out that the Bengals need to nail this draft, unlike previous drafts during the Marvin Lewis era, or build a scouting department that's somewhat respectable.

Someone thinks highly of the Cincinnati Bengals, calling them the poor man's version of the Indianapolis Colts.

I actually don't think that the NFL is ahead of any professional sport on their fight against steroids. I just think that people care less about it in the NFL as opposed to MLB.

Q and A on the A-11 offense.