Bengals Bytes (3/4): Receiving a partner

Opinion: An open letter to the Bengals

Over in the Cincinnati, there seems to be another off-season of uncertainty in store with so many free agents and real possibilities that a few of our better players could leave. Of course, all teams in the NFL face this prospect, and the way the league is set up encourages regeneration and team-building. But still. Could the Bengals be doing more? Here, Jamie Wroe, has written an open letter to the Bengals.

Combine interview questions can be strange, but Bengals value process

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - While NFL coaches and player personnel people will be getting some measurables from potential draft picks this week and into next at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, they will also be interviewing college players as well.

Notes: Lewis optimistic on Whit; WRs draw attention

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is optimistic they’ll re-sign Andrew Whitworth in the Pro Bowl left tackle’s first foray into free agency in his 12-season career. During a break Friday at the NFL scouting combine, Lewis met the media briefly in the last week before free agents can start talking to other teams. They can start signing with other teams Thursday, but the Bengals are hoping they won’t be outbid for Whitworth and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick.

Vetting a running mate

Here in the capital of conventions the Bengals are looking for a running mate for Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green and the off-season long vetting continued at the NFL scouting combine. From everyone’s No. 1 wide receiver prospect (Clemson’s Mike Williams) to a third-day projection (Texas A&M’s Josh Reynolds), the Bengals are looking. Williams said he had a Friday night appointment with the Bengals for a 15-minute formal interview and Reynolds reported the Bengals put him through the paces on the grease board Thursday night.

Cincinnati Bengals' Giovani Bernard recovering well from torn ACL

Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard's rehab has been progressing well, according to coach Marvin Lewis. Bernard tore his left ACL in late November, which ended his season early. This is the second torn ACL for Bernard, who tore his right ACL as a freshman in college.

Notes: Bengals assess speed at WR

One element the Bengals lost and never truly replaced when Marvin Jones bolted for Detroit was the speed across from A.J. Green to take the top off the offense. They needed more speed. Offensive coordinator Ken Zampese arrives at the Indiana Convention Center for the NFL Scouting Combine this week knowing that’s a missing element.

#TBT: The only player to ever score a perfect 50 on the Wonderlic was a punter

The 2017 NFL Draft Combine is here, and with it all sorts of questions: Does the Combine really matter? Should a star running back be able to do more than 10 reps on the bench press? And is the Wonderlic an outdated method for finding smart football players? On that subject, it might be useful to note that only one player has ever scored a perfect 50 on the Wonderlic: Pat McInally, a punter and wide receiver drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1975 (fifth round, No. 120 overall). Not coincidentally, he went to Harvard.

AFC North Bytes

Report: Steelers T Ryan Harris Is Retiring

Harris, who signed a two year, $3.9 million contract with the Steelers a year ago, was scheduled to earn $1.9 million in 2017. The Steelers gave him a $675,000 signing bonus as part of that deal and it’s unclear at this time if they’ll attempt to recoup some of that money. Harris’ 2016 season was cut short by a leg injury that included him having a hematoma. The Steelers placed him on their Reserve/Injured list in early October as a result of his injury. At the time Harris had dressed for four games with his last being against the Kansas City Chiefs. He played 39 total offensive snaps for the Steelers.

Deshaun Watson explains joke made at Browns' expense

Cleveland Browns fans who might be bugged by a joke Deshaun Watson made at the club's expense might not like the explanation the former Clemson quarterback gave Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine, but they couldn't have asked for a more detailed one. Watson suggested that the Dallas Cowboys make a trade with the Cleveland Browns to acquire him during his acceptance of the Davey O'Brien Award last month.

John Harbaugh: 'I'd play for Jim Harbaugh' if I were a top recruit

ohn Harbaugh may be a little biased. He's related, after all. But the Baltimore Ravens' coach said at the NFL combine today that if he were a high-level college football recruit, he'd want to play for his brother Jim at Michigan.

Random Bytes

NFL combine: Ben Boulware writes on combine, Clemson prank

Ben Boulware opens up about what he expects at the NFL combine, including the extra special motivation behind his bench press.

Reuben Foster Sent Home from NFL Combine After Argument with Hospital Worker

Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reuben Foster was reportedly sent home from the NFL Scouting Combine on Friday evening after he got into a "heated argument with a hospital worker," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Foster was scheduled to interview with teams Friday and do testing Saturday, per Schefter, but he's now slated to fly back to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, following the verbal altercation.

Derek Barnett out of today’s Combine drills with illness

Former Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett is viewed as a likely first-round pick, but he’s not having a great Combine. Barnett weighed in at just 259 pounds, smaller than NFL teams look for from a defensive end. And now he’s sick and will not participate in today’s Combine drills, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

NFL Combine 2017: Winners and Losers from Friday's Workouts

The goal of the NFL Combine's workouts is to see if the prospects' athletic prowess matches up with in-season evaluations. When the offensive linemen and running backs stepped onto the turf Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the workouts matched most of the expectations.

Tony Romo Joins Instagram with Hilarious Video Teaching His Young Kids a Play

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo joined Instagram on Thursday. Talk about an entrance. The 36-year-old signal-caller posted a video of his two young sons, Hawkins and Rivers, running a football play. It was adorable. From Rivers' "I can't [run], I don't have the ball" to Hawk's bullet off his younger brother, this clip could've won big on America's Funniest Home Videos.