Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is starting to get pumped up. Hearing the criticism about the Bengals opting not to take a safety in the draft, he offered Thursday, "They just wanted a name. If I took your name off the board they would have been happy, they didn’t care. But I know you can’t play. So why do it? Don’t worry. We’ll get a safety."

He’s also getting ready for the on-field camps that begin May 11 and is planning to play defensive end Michael Johnson at outside linebacker for the spring while also working in SAM backer Rey Maualuga at middle linebacker in some packages.