Bengals Bytes (2/11): Hot seat already

Bernie Stowe: a Bengals' appreciation
If Tony Perez was the Mayor of Riverfront Stadium, then Bernie Stowe was the Sage of Cinergy Field who tucked away Riverfront and Crosley Field into eternity with the same tender loving care he christened Great American Ball Park. When Stowe, the Reds’ long-time clubhouse man, died at age 80 earlier this week it was a blow felt on both sides of The Banks, where in a galaxy far, far away his team and the Bengals once shared a stadium.

Cincinnati Bengals' CB depth could catch up to free-agent Leon Hall
Free agency officially begins March 9 as the 2016 league year begins. Which of the Cincinnati Bengals' 15 unrestricted free agents will be back under their control that day? It's a question both the players and the team will spend the next four weeks scrambling to answer. Before we get too deep into the offseason, let's take a daily look at each of Cincinnati's free agents. On Wednesday, we start with: CB Leon Hall

Bengals QB Andy Dalton still hasn't thrown since December injury
Even if the Cincinnati Bengals had made it to Super Bowl 50, there's a good chance they would not have had their starting quarterback. Andy Dalton told ESPN on Wednesday that he still hasn't thrown a football since breaking the thumb on his throwing hand in the first quarter of the Bengals' Dec. 13 loss to the Steelers. It was while attempting to tackle Pittsburgh defensive end Stephon Tuitt following an interception that Dalton hurt his right thumb. The injury didn't require surgery, but Dalton had a cast on his thumb immediately and received regular treatments in order to try to return before the season ended.

Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton's #bagsearch2016 is officially over
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton had a rough morning. Dalton took to Twitter early Wednesday after he lost two suitcases while driving in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Bengals Beat podcast: Post-Super Bowl outlook
Bengals beat writers Paul Dehner Jr. and Jim Owczarski reconvene following Paul's week spent in San Francisco for the Super Bowl. They discuss the hot national topic of the Bengals, particularly linebacker Vontaze Burfict. They also delve into free agency developments, franchise tag and veteran cut possibilities. Hear from Boomer Esiason on Burfict and the Bengals-Steelers rivalry, Carlos Dunlap on playoff defeats and Andrew Hawkins on the state of the AFC North.

Chad Johnson Said He Used Teammates' Urine to Help Recover from Sprained Ankles
Former Cincinnati Bengals star Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson did a lot of crazy things during his NFL career, but nothing will top his bizarre rehab process. Johnson made the rounds at ESPN on Wednesday with his buddy Terrell Owens. It was during his appearance on Mike & Mike that the six-time Pro Bowler told the world how he used to recover from a sprained ankle.

Vontaze Burfict, Bengals should embrace the villain role
Embracing the role as the "bad boys" of the NFL could actually be very beneficial for the Vontaze Burfict and the Cincinnati Bengals. A heartbreaking Wild Card loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers saw the media and fans labelling the Cincinnati Bengals as "a bunch of thugs," "classless" and many other negative names, but embracing the villain role could be good for Cincinnati.

7 NFL coaches already on the hot seat for next season
The NFL’s hiring season for head coaches is over, but that doesn’t mean all of them should be resting easy. Here are the top seven names who remain on the hot seat heading into the 2016 season.

Random Bytes

What it's like to get cut in the NFL
The phone calls start coming this time of year. You know, the ones that NFL veterans don't want to answer. Let it go to voicemail? I've done that. Deal with it later, I guess. But once you see the area code on the caller ID, you know: Dang, they got me.

10 sleeper NFL free agents for 2016
Free agency is one of the crazy periods in the NFL calendar. Teams have a rare opportunity to add talent and patch holes in an instant, but the catch is they are in direct competition with every other team in the league. Need a tight end with upside (Dwayne Allen), or a solid short-term option at corner (Adam Jones)? Sam Monson identifies 10 lower-profile free agents who could make a big impact.

Super Bowl 50 is history, so why not predict next 25 Super Bowl winners?
Congratulations to the Denver Broncos, who shocked experts and oddsmakers alike by manhandling the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. But in this world of instant gratification, that's already old news. In a nod to short attention spans, it's time to predict the next 25 Super Bowl champions. Please suspend your disbelief at the door.

Mike Mayock's 2016 NFL Draft position rankings
With the NFL Scouting Combine just around the corner, NFL Media draft analyst Mike Mayock unveils his initial position-by-position rankings for the 2016 NFL Draft. Carson Wentz, Jared Goff and Paxton Lynch headline the quarterback position.

Taking a closer look at Roger Goodell and a possible NFL yellow card system
Roger Goodell has every reason to publically espouse a desire for two personal foul penalties to trigger an automatic ejection. It serves many purposes -- all fervently in line with the NFL's push to be seen at the vanguard of any health and safety issues -- and puts the commissioner in precisely the light he wants to be seen in. But is also strikes me as the kind of proclamation that sounds better in theory than practice.

Former Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett pleads guilty to DUI

Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett has pleaded guilty to DUI charges stemming from his arrest on Jan. 3, reports Dean Narciso of the Columbus Dispatch. Clarett, 32, could face up to 60 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for the charges. However, the punishment will be reduced to three days and $400 upon completion of a two-year probation and a driver intervention program.

Former Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett pleads guilty to DUI
Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett has pleaded guilty to DUI charges stemming from his arrest on Jan. 3, reports Dean Narciso of the Columbus Dispatch. Clarett, 32, could face up to 60 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for the charges. However, the punishment will be reduced to three days and $400 upon completion of a two-year probation and a driver intervention program.