Bengals Bytes (5/11): Setting the lines

Breech toasts a fifth
Even before the MVP of Super Bowl ¾ XXIII had the card in his hand, the 153rd pick in last month’s draft, Jim Breech thought it might be a kicker. After all, it was the fifth round when special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons urged the Bengals to take punter Kevin Huber eight years ago and Huber is still here alive and kicking.

NFL - Full odds for 2017 Cincinnati Bengals games
Cantor Technology released the spreads for every NFL game in Weeks 1-16. Below are the lines for Cincinnati's games. Week 17 is excluded because of high variance caused by potential playoff seeding, QBs sitting out the final week or playing partial games, etc.

Bengals’ Adam Jones goes off on 911 operator after fender bender
Bengals cornerback Adam Jones went off on a 911 operator after getting into a minor traffic accident on Tuesday. The cornerback known as Pacman called 911 when he and another driver had a collision that police described as “very minor.”

Bovada sets win total line for Cincinnati Bengals
Depending on how you look at it, the Cincinnati Bengals either are trending up or down. Sportsbook Bovada recently released its win total projections for the 2017 season, and the Bengals are set at 8.5.

Bengals schedule: Predicting Cincinnati's 2017 record
Here’s another AFC North team with a coach who could be on the hot seat. Marvin Lewis is the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL today, but he won’t be able to afford missing the playoffs in consecutive years on top of five years of wild-card futility.

Bengals' Stanley Williams: Signs with Cincinnati as UDFA
Williams signed a contract Wednesday with the Bengals, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reports.

Williams, who went undrafted out of Kentucky, joins a crowded Cincinnati backfield in his move to the pro ranks. Standing at just 5-foot-7, Williams is a small, elusive back that managed to run for 1,170 yards for the Wildcats lat season.

AFC North Bytes

Mel Kiper points to 'Smoke' as an undrafted Ravens rookie to watch
An undrafted Baltimore Ravens rookie to watch isn't just one of the top pass-catching running backs in college football. He also has one of the cooler nicknames.

Virginia's Taquan "Smoke" Mizzell was among the 25 players listed on Mel Kiper Jr.'s top undrafted rookies. He was given that nickname when he was younger because would-be tacklers said it was like trying to grab smoke.

Isaiah Crowell signs tender with Browns
Running back Isaiah Crowell signed his restricted free agent tender with the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday. His agency announced the signing on Twitter.

Crowell was given a second-round tender by the Browns prior to the start of free agency in March.

Colbert Not Averse To Adding More Players With Compensatory Deadline Now Passed
Tuesday was a very important day when it comes to the NFL calendar as it was the deadline for any free agent signings to affect next year’s compensatory pick total. In short, teams may now sign unrestricted free agents from other teams without those signings being counted against them in the compensatory formula.

Random Bytes

Patriots issue rarely used tender on LeGarrette Blount
The New England Patriots exercised a seldom-used tender on running back LeGarrette Blount. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport broke down the move Wednesday on Up To The Minute Live

Ex-Cards, Pats WR Michael Floyd signs with Vikings
Michael Floyd's short foray into unemployment has ended.

The maligned former first-round pick signed with the Minnesota Vikings after a quiet free agency, the team announced Wednesday. Floyd, 27, most recently played with the New England Patriots. He was dismissed from the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 14 -- two days after he was arrested on drunken driving charges in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Blaine Gabbert Reportedly to Sign 1-Year Contract with Cardinals
After a rough season with the San Francisco 49ers, quarterback Blaine Gabbert will now look for another opportunity with the Arizona Cardinals. ESPN's Adam Schefter provided news of the free-agent signing.

Tajae Sharpe, Sebastian Tretola Accused of Assault in Civil Lawsuit
Tennessee Titans receiver Tajae Sharpe and offensive lineman Sebastian Tretola have been accused of assault in a civil lawsuit, per Stacey Barchenger of the Tennessean. Nashville's Dante R. Satterfield filed the lawsuit, alleging Sharpe beat him up while Tretola served as a lookout in an altercation in April.