Bengals Bytes (4/15): Setting the tone

Bengals return in offseason of Green pastures

The stream-lined, stripped-down Bengals, minus some cornerstone veterans and replete with leadership candidates, are back in town Monday for off-season workouts. And one of those emerging leaders, the marvelously gifted A.J. Green, seems to have set the tone for a talented team looking to rebound from last season’s bruising six-win disappointment in which he missed the last seven games with a partially torn hamstring.

Jeremy Hill welcomes Cincinnati Bengals drafting a RB: 'Bring 'em on'

Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill has certainly noticed the team's interest in running backs during the draft process. But if he's bothered by it, he's not showing it.

Bengals at 9: Barnett case of tape vs. talent

Two schools of thought love to bicker in college scouting: Talent vs. tape, production vs projection. Sure, a player made an impact at the college level, but does his game translate to the speed and athleticism mandated by the NFL? Sure, you can use words like quick twitch and compare three-cone times, but if the athletic freak doesn’t know how to play football, what does it matter?

AFC North Bytes

Heart of a Raven

Mary Reuland still remembers the day almost 20 years ago that her son Konrad came home from school after meeting Hall of Fame baseball player Rod Carew. Konrad, who was 11 at the time, couldn’t stop talking about it. "‘You know I met Rod Carew!’" Mary recalls him saying over and over again. "That’s how it was the whole rest of the day. It was really kind of cute." Like most kids, Konrad had hopes of becoming a professional athlete, and meeting a former Major League Baseball star made the dream seem just a little more feasible. "For him to meet a pro athlete at that age, it was like the best thing that could happen to him," Mary said. Carew made an impact on Konrad in that one brief encounter. Konrad would go on to become a standout football star who shined in high school, then played at Stanford and for four NFL teams. But nobody could imagine the difference that 11-year-old boy would one day make in the life of the Hall of Fame baseball player.

If Browns want Myles Garrett and Mitch Trubisky, they can get it done

If the Cleveland Browns aren't sure whether they should draft defensive end Myles Garrett or quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the first overall pick in the NFL draft, there is a solution. There is a way to get both.

Todd McShay’s latest mock draft has the Steelers going all defense in first three rounds, again

When the 2016 NFL Draft concluded, fans were stunned by the amount of defensive players who were selected. Artie Burns in the first round, Sean Davis in the second round, Javon Hargrave in the third, Travis Feeney in the 6th and Tyler Matakevich in the 7th.

Random Bytes

6 NFL draft predictions that will surprise you early

Twists and turns happen every year: players sliding out of the first round, big trades, and kickers getting picked early. Here are a few curveballs to watch for on draft night.

All quiet on top available free agent Ryan Clady

Ryan Clady is the best player available in free agency, but there’s been surprisingly little talk about his next NFL home. Clady visited the Seahawks a month ago but if he’s had any discussions with any teams since then, those discussions have been kept quiet.

Todd Heap Accidentally Hits, Kills 3-Year-Old Daughter with Truck in Driveway

Police in Mesa, Arizona, confirmed Friday that former Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals tight end Todd Heap accidentally hit and killed his three-year-old daughter with his truck, according to ABC 15's Clayton Klapper and Joe Bartels. The accident reportedly occurred on Heap's driveway. Per Fox 10 in Phoenix, the victim "was taken to a local hospital, where she later died."

Marshawn Lynch Comments on Raiders Rumors After Reported Contract Agreement

On Friday afternoon, NFL Network's Michael Silver reported quasi-retired Marshawn Lynch and the Oakland Raiders agreed to terms on a contract. Less than two hours later, Lynch sent a NSFW tweet that appeared to be referencing his reported commitment to the Silver and Black