During ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that Cincinnati Bengals president and owner and general manager Mike Brown favored Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett during the 2011 NFL Draft. Schefter reported that the Bengals coaching staff, specifically offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, were "instrumental" in convincing Brown to take TCU quarterback Andy Dalton over Mallett, which eventually the team did.
If you think you've heard this story before, you have.
Roughly around the 2011 NFL Draft, the same ESPN NFL Insider reported that Brown wanted to draft Mallett, but was convinced by the coaches to select Dalton. So we're not sure why the same story is being rehashed six months later, other than specifically pointing out Gruden's involvement; though that was also pointed out in April.
The larger significance Bengals fans should take from this is that Brown is allowing much more knowledgeable personnel, such as the coaching staff, convince him on how to build the team with personnel they favor. As Marvin Lewis always says, "that's a good thing."