If you could pick one player on the Cincinnati Bengals roster that you'd build a team around, which player would it be? Carson Palmer seems the most logical choice. However, is age a factor? Should we weigh that Palmer is only as good as the talent around him, as opposed to being the type of quarterback that makes players around him better? Not that there's anything wrong with that; only a few players in NFL history have that quality. Would you take an offensive lineman? What about one of the team's running backs, or wide receivers? Defensively, who do you have? Domata Peko, Rey Maualuga, Leon Hall, Johnathan Joseph?
Question of the Day: If you could take one player to build your franchise from the Cincinnati Bengals, which player would that be?
+ Pat Kirwin calls the Bengals a Tier 2 Team. He breaks it down like this: "Teams in Tier 1 (1-6) look like locks to make the playoffs. Tier 2 (7-12) consists of teams that should make the playoffs. Teams that could be in contention for a playoff spot are in Tier 3 (13-18)."
+ OTAs resume this week. The Bengals will hit the field twice this week on Tuesday and Thursday with today's session open to reporters.
+ Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson takes a look at the team's secondary heading into OTAs.
+ Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe is impressed by "watching more than 20 of his teammates show up last Saturday for his community event."
“The culture of this team is a lot different than it was when I first got here way back when,” Ndukwe says. “When you’ve got guys that actually come out and support their teammates that shows you something. And it was guys from all across the board. Offensive linemen. Tight ends. Everybody.”
+ The NFL was denied antitrust law protection Monday when the Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling, saying:
"Although NFL teams have common interests such as promoting the NFL brand, they are still separate, profit-maximizing entities, and their interests in licensing team trademarks are not necessarily aligned," said retiring Justice John Paul Stevens, writing for an unanimous court.
It's arguable, depending on whom you talk to, that this could impact Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.
+ The Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 Monday Night and are now only one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the best record in the National League. Yes, you totally read that right, dude!