Bengals Bytes (8/11): Rookie rush

Will the Bengals' New Weapons Hurt A.J. Green's Fantasy Football Value?
Will the Bengals' New Weapons Hurt A.J. Green's Fantasy Football Value?:Does the presence of a healthy Tyler Eifert, first-round pick John Ross, and stud rookie running back Joe Mixon help or hurt Green's fantasy fortunes?

Josh Tupou out of Colorado seeks to fill Peko-sized shoes
With only one player on the defensive line taller than him and no player weighing more than he does at 350 pounds, defensive tackle Josh Tupou still has possibly large shoes to fill in the absence of DT staple of the Bengals – Domata Peko.

Former Bengals player sentenced to six months in jail for bizarre attack
A former Bengals player who attacked his neighbor in Okeana was sentenced to six months in jail for a bizarre attack on a neighbor earlier this year. J.K. Schaffer, 26, pleaded guilty to assault after police said he struck his neighbor several times early this year. Charges for public indecency - for an allegation that he exposed himself to a boy and his father at a nearby church after the attack - and breaking and entering were dropped.

Hobson's Choice Podcasts: John Stofa
The Bengals open the preseason Friday night (7:30-Cincinnati’s Channel 12) against Tampa Bay at Paul Brown Stadium and all we really know is that it’s going to go a lot more smoothly for Andy Dalton than it did for John Stofa. Stofa, the original Bengal, is the subject of the latest Hobson’s Choice podcast in honor of him taking the first Bengals’ snap in their inaugural game during that Whole-World-Is-Watching August of 1968. But it wasn’t watching Paul Brown’s expansion Bengals and the powerful Chiefs showed why in their 38-14 victory at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium.

Bengals hope kicking game reveals speed and depth
The Bengals come out of the first two weeks of the preseason quietly encouraged for a variety of reasons. You can start with the flash and dash of rookies Joe Mixon at running back and Carl Lawson at pass rusher, trace the comeback of one-time Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict, and the steady symbiosis of franchise staples A.J. Green at wide receiver and Andy Dalton at quarterback.

Bengals Debut New Food Lineup and Other Enhancements at PBS
Bengals fans will have a new food lineup to choose from at games this season. Other enhancements include a new retail store, stadium graphics and walk-through metal detectors at all entrances.

Bengals reportedly turn down a big trade offer for backup quarterback AJ McCarron
During the NFL combine back in February, the Bengals made it clear that they value AJ McCarron, and now, we have a good idea of just how much they value their backup quarterback. According to Albert Breer of MMQB.com, the Bengals like McCarron so much that they turned down an offer of a second-round pick for him during the offseason.

Rookie duo of Jordan Willis and Carl Lawson expected to give Bengals defense a big boost
In the aftermath of the NFL draft, the Bengals' new weapons -- wide receiver John Ross and running back Joe Mixon -- got the bulk of the attention from media and fans. That’s understandable. They were the team's No. 1 and No. 2 picks.

5 for Friday: Bengals rookies Lawson, Willis rush for rotation
When Carl Lawson was drafted by the Bengals with the ninth pick of the fourth round in April, he was pissed off. “I got disrespected,” Lawson said, four months after the fact. “Guys went ahead of me who weren't better football players than me. And I'll carry that to my grave.” Lawson brought that belief of being slighted into his rookie season with the Bengals. So, too, has third-round pick Jordan Willis, who also dropped farther in the draft than many, including himself, anticipated.

AFC North Bytes

Redskins vs. Ravens; Ryan Mallett struggles
Ryan Mallett struggled in place of injured quarterback Joe Flacco, throwing for only 58 yards while playing the entire first half, and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Washington Redskins 23-3 on Thursday night in a sloppy preseason opener. The Ravens scored 13 points while Mallett was in the game, including a 2-yard touchdown run by Terrance West following two costly penalties by the Redskins: pass interference for 23 yards on a third-and-8 and an illegal formation on a field goal try that hit the left upright.

What to Watch for in Pittsburgh Steelers' Preseason Week 1 Matchup
The Pittsburgh Steelers have their first preseason game of the summer on Friday night, when the team takes on the New York Giants in a nationally-televised contest on the NFL Network. While multiple starters won't be taking part and others will be doing so only in a limited capacity, there is still much to watch out for and learn from Pittsburgh's first official unofficial game leading up to the 2017 NFL season.

DeShone Kizer's late TD and second half revive Browns' QB debate
DeShone Kizer stepped forward in the Cleveland Browns' quarterback discussion. The rookie second-round draft pick produced a 45-yard winning touchdown pass and enough good throws Thursday night to revive the debate that the Browns should start him in the season opener.

Random Bytes

LaDainian Tomlinson on His Moving Hall of Fame Speech
In a moving final five minutes of his Hall of Fame induction speech, LT drew on the story of his last name, and the slave and slave-owner who shared it, to convey a message of unity, acceptance and renewed purpose for the country. Here, he discusses his reasons, and the reactions he’s gotten.

Marquand Manuel of Miami at home for first shot as Atlanta coordinator
As a kid, Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel remembers staring into the sky while standing in front of his Miami home and seeing plays unfold during Dolphins games.

NFL Preseason Week 1 Roundup: Trubisky Shines as Future of Bears' QB Position
Yes, the Dallas Cowboys played the Arizona Cardinals in last week's Hall of Fame Game, and the Carolina Panthers hosted the Houston Texans to kick off the first full week of preseason football Wednesday night, but the 2017 NFL preseason didn't really get underway in true pro football fashion until 14 teams took to the field in South Florida, Western New York, Foxborough, Baltimore, Cleveland, Chicago and Green Bay on Thursday evening. In case you didn't have time to take it all in or aren't quite sure what to make of it all, we've got you covered with several key takeaways from Thursday night's action.

Ezekiel Elliott Reportedly Expected to Be Suspended by NFL
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is reportedly expected to be suspended, and one league source went as far as to call the impending penalty "definite." On Thursday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk cited the source and reported the news but noted the length of the suspension is not yet known. Florio said the penalty could come Friday or at some point in the coming week but stressed "the prevailing view in league circles" is the running back will be found to have violated the league's Personal Conduct Policy.