Bengals Bytes (2/3): Fans keep Cincinnati as one of the top football towns

Cincinnati remains a top football city thanks to Bengals fans
According to one grading system, fans of the Cincinnati Bengals continue to help the city rank as one of the best outright for football. Over at WalletHub, Cincinnati slots 10th behind major destinations such as Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Pittsburgh and Green Bay as a top football city.

Nick Foles has nothing but praise for Bengals OC Bill Lazor
Nick Foles, Super Bowl quarterback, credits Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Bill Lazor for his best season as a pro. Back in 2013, Foles completed 64 percent of his passes with 27 touchdowns against just two interceptions, winning eight of his 10 starts in the process.

Bengals CB Jones has surgery for sports hernia
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones recently underwent sports hernia surgery. Jones posted a video on his Instagram account on Thursday, in which he said: “They tell me I’m going to be better than before.” The veteran cornerback also posted another video on Friday of his rehab work, which basically consisted of walking backward. The 34-year-old Jones saw his 2017 season come to end due to the sports hernia, when he was placed on injured reserve by the Bengals on Dec. 9. He is expected to be ready for the team’s offseason program.

BX: Personnel moves the Cincinnati Bengals should make
There are always improvements to make after a losing season, but the Cincinnati Bengals were two blown leads against Green Bay and Pittsburgh away from reaching the playoffs. That said, here are 10 personnel moves the team should consider making heading into 2018 if they hope to make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. You’ll notice some are holdovers from our list in 2017 – which were not heeded and remain problems a year later.

Former CU Buffs, current Cincinnati Bengals lineman Josh Tupou arrested at bar in Boulder
Current Cincinnati Bengals lineman and former University of Colorado player Josh Tupou has been arrested after reportedly getting kicked out of a bar in downtown Boulder for being too intoxicated despite not being allowed to drink because of his probation. Josh Tupou, 23, was arrested early Thursday on suspicion of violation of a protection order.

AFC North Bytes

Steve Bisciotti Says Ravens Considered Firing John Harbaugh After Season
Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said Friday that he considered firing head coach John Harbaugh at the conclusion of the season. According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Bisciotti said, "It was certainly a consideration, but not one that I was inclined to make this year." Baltimore went 9-7 this season and missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker after losing to the Cincinnati Bengals on a late, fourth-down touchdown in Week 17.

Klemko: Browns Could “Certainly” Sign Cousins And Draft QB At #1
Robert Klemko of the Monday Morning Quarterback and Sports Illustrated previews what the Browns can do at quarterback this offseason with Andy Baskin and Jeff Phelps. Robert also talks about Super Bowl 52 in Minneapolis between the Patriots and the Eagles plus when Tom Brady will hang up his cleats plus on the Thursday edition of Baskin and Phelps.

Hines Ward has interest in coaching; held out hope of joining Steelers' staff
Hines Ward was hoping to receive consideration for the vacancy created on the Steelers' staff when wide receivers coach Richard Mann retired following the 2017 season. Ward had worked with Steelers wideouts earlier in the season and was on the field wearing team-issued garb helping them warm up prior to Pittsburgh's AFC divisional playoff loss to Jacksonville in January.

Random Bytes

Former Texans Employee Suing Team over Sexual Harassment Allegations
Kristen Grimes, who previously worked for the Houston Texans, has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the team. Per Cory McCord of KPRC-TV in Houston, Grimes filed a lawsuit against the Texans for "fostering a work environment that was conducive to sexual harassment." Her lawsuit claims the former Texans director of football operations, Jason Lowrey, "constantly harassed" her from the time she was initially hired by the Texans in May 2013.

Alshon Jeffery: 'We're Bringing That Trophy Back to Philly'
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is oozing confidence ahead of Super Bowl 52. Responding to a question about what would need to happen in order for the Eagles to beat the New England Patriots, Jeffery interjected and made a bold proclamation. "Ain't no 'if,' man. When we win on Sunday, ain't no telling what we're going to do," he said Thursday, per the News Journal's Martin Frank. "But we're probably going to celebrate, have some fun.

Matt Miller's Scouting Notebook: How Do Smith's, Cousins' Futures Impact Draft?
I was sitting in my hotel room near the Mall of America during Super Bowl week Tuesday night, feverishly working through a seven-round mock draft that publishes the morning after the game, and my phone started buzzing like crazy. "Alex Smith traded to Washington," the text read. My first thought was someone was messing with me or predicting a trade that would happen after the league year begins March 14. Surely, there wouldn't be a trade in January.