Bengals Bites (6/10)

Vontaze Burfict contract demands: Cincinnati Bengals LB could demand $9M per year | Audibles - SI.com
The Cincinnati Bengals have some big contract decisions looming, with quarterback Andy Dalton and linebacker Vontaze Burfict both deserving raises. For Burfict, the contract situation may be more urgent.

Bengals trying to determine what their stars are worth | Zanesville Times Recorder | zanesvilletimesrecorder.com
The six-year contract signed by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick this past week has left teams across the NFL talking about structure. Today’s NFL places the onus on teams to find and develop franchise quarterbacks, and if a coach or general manager can’t do that, people will be fired. The increasing importance of quarterbacks and skyrocketing salary cap numbers have created interesting conversations between players’ agents and teams. The dynamic undeniably lands at the center of the negotiations between Andy Dalton’s camp and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Andy Dalton, Alex Smith facing uncertain financial futures - NFL.com
Two-and-a-half months ago, without much fanfare, Cincinnati Bengals owner and general manager Mike Brown detailed the dilemma his team is facing this offseason. Cincy could sign Andy Dalton, who has started all 51 games of his NFL career heading into the final season of his rookie contract, to an extension and settle the quarterback question that so many other clubs scuffle to answer. Or the Bengals could dive into 2014 without a new deal for Dalton, giving them added flexibility to keep a loaded young core together -- but leaving them vulnerable at the most important position on the field.

A quick look at the Cincinnati Bengals' rookie cap space - ESPN
Since we've already broken down the contracts of every Cincinnati Bengals rookie who has so far signed, we'll make this brief. Below is a quick look at the cap space the Bengals' drafted rookies will eat up with their contracts from now through 2017, when they'll be eligible to negotiate their second NFL deals. Keep in mind, these numbers only include draft picks from Rounds 2-7. First-round pick Darqueze Dennard remains unsigned, although we already have an idea of what his cap value will be across the life of his first contract.

Bengals factoid: Nugent from beyond 40 - Cincinnati Bengals Blog - ESPN

Since getting selected by the Jets in the second round of the 2005 draft, Nugent has nailed 73.4 percent of his field goals between 40-49 yards. That number includes regular season and postseason field goals attempted. Among kickers with 100 or more field goal attempts since 2005, Nugent ranks 27th in his success rate between those distances.

Steelers to wear patch commemorating first championship | ProFootballTalk

It took the Steelers 42 years to win an NFL championship.  It's been 40 years since that happened. The Steelers have announced that the team will wear a patch to commemorate the victory in Super Bowl IX by wearing a patch against the Saints on Sunday, November 30.

Brandon Weeden: Dez Bryant is same ‘freak’ on the field, but he has ‘grown a whole lot’ since college | Dallas Morning News

Dez Bryant and Brandon Weeden joined the Oklahoma State football program in 2007. Weeden redshirted that year. Bryant played in 12 games, catching 43 passes for 622 yards and six touchdowns. Bryant was 18 at the time, a year removed from starring at Lufkin High School. Weeden turned 24 during that season, a year removed from playing pro baseball.