Bengals Bytes (4/26): Date night

Blog | Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation
CINCINNATI (April 25, 2017) – Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl quarterback Andy Dalton and his wife, Jordan, hosted parents of seriously ill and special needs children to a quiet, all-expense-paid private dinner by Chef Todd Kelly of Orchids at Palm Court at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza on April 24.

Lewis News Conference Transcript 4/25
Welcome. I missed you guys I guess. Here we are. It’s been a couple months since Indy, but I think the draft process has gone very well as far as the initial process — the meeting with the players, the traveling by the scouts and coaches and all the evaluation done. I really want to commend them and everything they have done. It’s a lot of work that goes into it, a lot of hours and time from trainers, doctors, etc., all the way through to the personnel people and (what) we get involved with as coaches. It will be good to get this over with this weekend, and then we can move on and begin to do real football.

Bengals ponder measurables vs. production
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis did his job expertly Tuesday at his pre-draft news conference, that annual Olympian exercise combining the balance beam and the rings.

He was insightful and pleasant while not tipping where the Bengals are headed in this week’s NFL Draft that begins Thursday at 8 p.m. (ESPN, NFL Network) and runs through Saturday.

But he offered some observations that indicated how it might unfold mechanically.

Bengals draft strategy: Defensive line
Numero uno. The Bengals stockpiled the position in the prime of their playoff runs, but seen pressure fall off in recent years. They’ve ranked in the bottom half of the league in sacks per pass play four consecutive seasons. Carlos Dunlap has been to two consecutive Pro Bowls despite some inconsistency. Michael Johnson struggled to find the same level of effectiveness the last two seasons as his first stint in Cincinnati. There’s almost no depth at either spot.

Daugherty: Bengals Joe Mixon 2017 NFL Draft
If Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon is still on the board Friday night when the Bengals make their No. 2 pick, chances are they will take him. Let’s hope another team beats them to it.

You know Mixon. Thanks to the miracle of video, everyone knows Mixon. He’s the guy who three years ago walked into a restaurant at 2:30 in the morning and broke a woman’s face. The tape shows it clearly. Mike Tyson never threw a more horrific punch.

AFC North Bytes

Ravens drafting Forrest Lamp in first round isn't entirely crazy
My NFL Nation mock draft prediction that the Baltimore Ravens would select Western Kentucky guard Forrest Lamp wasn't very well received.

The reaction on Twitter ranged from someone blocking me to another suggesting I embarrassed the franchise with the choice. Even ESPN analyst and former general manager Bill Polian gave me the dreaded gong for my pick.

Browns Reportedly Spoke to 3 Teams About Trading Up from 12th Pick in NFL Draft
With the 2017 NFL draft just two days away, the Cleveland Browns are trying to trade up into the top eight of the first round, NFL Network's Michael Silver reported.

Martavis Bryant Granted Conditional NFL Reinstatement
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Tuesday the NFL conditionally reinstated wide receiver Martavis Bryant.

"We appreciate that he has taken the necessary steps in an effort to get his personal life in order," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said. "We also understand this is just the beginning as he works to return to the team and meet all of the conditions of his reinstatement."

Random Bytes

Alabama Crimson Tide LB Reuben Foster not invited to NFL draft
Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster was not invited to the NFL draft after an incident at the combine, a source told ESPN. The league declined to comment on Monday.

Report: Gareon Conley accused of sexual assault in Cleveland | ProFootballTalk
The unnamed player facing an accusation of sexual assault in Cleveland has been named. According to TMZ, the first-round prospect is Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley. Conley strongly denies the accusations.

Todd McShay's 2017 NFL draft buzz - Everything I'm hearing
Is Myles Garrett still the favorite to go No. 1 overall? Where could Christian McCaffrey land? Todd McShay details the latest from his sources inside the league as the NFL draft approaches. Barnett could come off the board as high as No. 9 overall to the Bengals, according to one person I spoke to.

Reception Perception: Chris Godwin is the Most Underrated WR in the 2017 NFL Draft - The Fantasy Footballers Podcast
As the 2017 NFL Draft approaches, Reception Perception has once again taken an interest in a Penn State wide receiver. One who simply doesn’t get the recognition he deserves as one of the best prospects in this class. Much like Allen Robinson before him, it doesn’t take the most discerning eye to identify Godwin’s proclivity for making the spectacular play. His Rose Bowl game film against USC is littered with them. That nine-catch, 182-yard dismantling of the Trojans topped with a couple of scores was the best game charted for any wide receiver prospect in this draft class.

NFLPA announces exclusive agreement to deliver continuous biometric monitoring devices to players
The NFL Players Association has reached an exclusive agreement to deliver continuous biometric monitors to its members, the next step in an escalating marketplace for wearable technology. The deal with WHOOP, a company that also provides CBMs to Major League Baseball players, was announced Monday morning.

2017 NFL Mock Draft: Final Four-Round Predictions
The rocket blast-off that is the NFL Draft is just around the corner and we are counting down to it with as much anticipation as everyone else in the football world. NFL franchise fortunes will all change come Thursday as the bright lights shine on Philadelphia this year.

Ranking Each NFL Team's 2017 Schedule From Toughest to Easiest
When the NFL schedule is released each year, we're not learning who teams are playing, but when they're playing them. Given the ebbs and flows of an NFL season, that's still important. I'm sure you've been inundated with schedule takes (or taeks, for your Internet-savvy people) already, with analysts telling you which team is going to go 13-3, and which one is going to poop itself after making the playoffs last season.

Peter Schrager's seven-round 2017 NFL mock draft | FOX Sports
Who wants a seven-round NFL mock draft? Who doesn’t? I foresee a ton of trades at the top of this year’s draft, and am going with a big one at No. 5. I think the Browns trade back into the top five and get their quarterback in Mitchell Trubisky. The work below is an annual labor of love. The insight comes from hours and hours of conversations with NFL decision-makers right up until it was published. A lot can change between now and Thursday night, but dig in.

RSP Film Room No. 115: OLB Haason Reddick (Temple) – The Rookie Scouting Portfolio (RSP)
Reddick, a high-upside edge defender in the 2017 NFL Draft, earns a look in this RSP Film Room episode with Dan Hatman and Matt Waldman. Reddick is a projected pick within the first 10-15 spots of the 2017 NFL Draft.