Bengals Bytes (5/20): 'Dead wrong"

NFL Now Numbers: Bengals
Everything you want to know about the Cincinnati Bengals through unique numbers.

Bengals' Boyd taking first steps in learning slot
Late in the evening on April 29, the second night of the NFL Draft, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, offensive coordinator Ken Zampese and wide receivers coach James Urban sat behind a podium at Paul Brown Stadium and spoke for about 10 minutes on their newest draft pick, University of Pittsburgh wide receiver Tyler Boyd. In those 10 minutes, the coaches sketched an outline of where they saw the rookie fitting in on a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.

Hobson's Choice: tuning it up
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Freeney get a look here at some point in the spring. Under Marvin Lewis the Bengals have made it a habit of looking at aging pass rushers of all kinds. That’s a thread that stretches all the way back to former Steeler sack ace Jason Gildon in Lewis’s second spring of 2004.

Cincinnati Bengals: How 2015 Draft Class Looks Now
One of the better franchises in the league in terms of drafting and stockpiling quality talent at many positions and accumulating depth that fills out the roster and stabilizes the Bengals as one of the most talented teams in the league. Just look for yourself. The Bengals roster is stacked with years of quality drafts. Key names on offense such as AJ Green, Gio Bernard, Jeremy Hill, Tyler Eifert, Andrew Whitworth and Andy Dalton. Add in defenders such as Rey Maualuga, George Iloka, and Geno Atkins, and you have a team that is well-stocked.

Bengals rushers will be motivated to make 2015 look like aberration
Anyone who follows the Cincinnati Bengals knows the value the team's defense places on statistics relative to scoring defense. Forget total defense rankings, which are based on yards allowed, coordinator Paul Guenther has said. To him, it's all about keeping the opposing offense off the scoreboard. That approach paid off in 2015, when the Bengals ranked second in scoring defense, trailing Seattle by an average of 0.1 points.

Random Bytes

ESPN/ABC Set for Best College Football Opening Weekend Schedule Ever
ESPN will begin the 2016 college football season with DICK’s Sporting Goods Kickoff Week, a marquee week 1 slate featuring top teams, ranked squads going head-to-head and games from historic locations. The must-see schedule will feature the defending College Football Playoff National Champion and No. 1 team in ESPN.com’s "way too early top 25" Alabama, in addition to No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Florida State, No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 6 LSU. Overall, the announced schedule to date features at least 12 teams in the top 20, including four games with matchups of ranked teams. The location of games adds to the interest, as Lambeau Field hosts its first college game in more than 30 years and 2016’s first college football Saturday begins in Dublin, Ireland.

ESPN ready for challenges facing network, ‘SportsCenter’
ESPN remains what its self-appointed moniker says it is — the worldwide leader in sports — but in recent months it has come under increasing scrutiny for the challenges it faces in an era of cord-cutting and increasing alternatives for news and highlights.

Bucs OC says he was "dead wrong" about Jamies Winston
It’s rare to get honesty from NFL coaches about player evaluations, even if it’s after the fact and especially if it requires humility. But along with Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter saying he initially preferred quarterback Marcus Mariota to the guy he got, now the Bucs offensive coordinator admits he wasn’t sure about Jamies Winston at first.

Cowboys want to host 2018 draft
At some point, it will be easier to list the NFL teams that don’t want to host the draft. Add Dallas to an ever-expanding collection of cities that aspire to bring to town the annual player-selection process, which currently has no home for 2017 and beyond. According to the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys hope to bring the draft to their new headquarters in Frisco, which will feature a 12,000-seat stadium.

Joe Haden thinks opportunity will bring the best out of young Browns DBs
The Pro Bowl cornerback met with reporters for the first time this offseason and said he’s feeling confident in the direction of the Browns under first-year coach Hue Jackson. Haden, who finds himself on the mend after ankle surgery in March, is also confident Cleveland’s defensive secondary can improve next season after finishing 22nd in the league against the pass in 2015.

Doug Baldwin: 'We're going to miss' Marshawn Lynch
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin made news a couple of weeks ago when he pleaded with coach Pete Carroll to take recently retired Marshawn Lynch's uniform number out of the rotation going forward. General manager John Schneider has since acknowledged that no Seahawks player will wear Lynch's old No. 24 during the 2016 season.

Jalen Ramsey suffers small meniscus tear in right knee
For the second straight year, the Jacksonville Jaguars' first-round pick has suffered an injury in May. Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey suffered a small meniscus tear to his right knee during the second phase of on-field workouts, the team announced Thursday. The No. 5 overall pick will get a second opinion on the injury early next week. If the prognosis is positive, he could be back by the start of training camp.

Fmr. Ravens Star Ray Lewis Explains Why Athletes Go Broke
Nearly two decades in the NFL gave Ray Lewis a firsthand look at how bad investments and wild spending can destroy a player’s finances, no matter how big their signing bonus. Now that his playing days are over, the former Baltimore Ravens linebacker is focused on ensuring long-term financial stability for his family and teaching young athletes the skills they need to avoid becoming another cautionary tale.

Report: Pro Bowl moving to Orlando
Plagued by poor play and poor attendance, the Pro Bowl has been the subject of a great deal of criticism from those who think the game should be scrapped. Instead, the game is being moved, according to a report.

Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott: 'I thought Ohio State fans were crazy, but Dallas Cowboys fans are even more crazy'
Cowboys fourth overall pick Ezekiel Elliott was in Los Angeles Thursday for the NFL's 2016 Rookie Premier. The multi-day event presented by Panini is hosted by the NFLPA and is designed to help rookies secure endorsement deals, create unique brand content and promote various product lines. During a Panini event, Elliott and Cowboys fourth-round pick Dak Prescott signed their rookie cards.