Bengals Bytes (3/18): Is Cincinnati done?

Prospect Spotlight: Isaiah Wynn
He is that good. While he played out of position as a tackle in college, he is the furthest thing from being a ‘fish out of water’. He possesses the solid lower body, although he could stand to gain a little mass. His core strength is adequate, though he should gain more as displayed in his occasional lapse of balance.

Cincinnati Bengals sign backup quarterback
The Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday quickly filled the need left open by the departure of AJ McCarron to Buffalo. They signed former USC quarterback Matt Barkley in a deal to compete to backup Andy Dalton. Barkley was drafted in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. This will mark his fifth team in six seasons.

BX: Are Bengals done in free agency?
Prior to the final moments of the Friday news dump when Vontaze Burfict suspension news made its annual pilgrimage into the Bengals' news cycle, the team couldn't have drawn up a much better free agency opening. This offseason was always going to be about fixing what’s wrong with an offense that finished 32nd last year, particularly an offensive line in need of an overhaul.

JuJu Smith-Schuster trolls Vontaze Burfict after news of LB’s suspension
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is facing a four-game suspension for allegedly violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. As part of his appeal, Burfict will apparently argue the failed test on December 27 popped up as a result of a prescription assigned to him while he dealt with concussion and shoulder injuries, the former coming from a hit laid on him by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

QB Matt Barkley signs two-year deal with Cincinnati Bengals
Barkley, 27, was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. The USC product most recently played for the Chicago Bears in 2016, but he was with the San Francisco 49ers in training camp last year and was signed midseason by the Arizona Cardinals but never played. The Bengals were in the market for a backup after losing quarterback AJ McCarron to the Bills in free agency. McCarron was Dalton's primary backup from 2015-2017 and started three regular-season games and an 18-16 loss to the Steelers in the AFC wild-card game after Dalton got hurt in 2015.

Bengals take a step back after six busy days
We said when this week began anything goes. But the Bengals had no idea the first week of free agency would work out like this. It was so good that they’re all but turning the open sign to close after going over their free-agent budget by about $10 million with a series of uncharacteristic moves spearheaded by the trade for Bills left tackle Cordy Glenn.

Back-up QB Barkley finds slice of Philly in Cincy
Matt Barkley's deal to back up quarterback Andy Dalton seemed to be a foregone conclusion even though Saturday’s two-year contract was struck as the first week of free agency wound down. Bengals offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was the Eagles quarterbacks coach in 2013 when Philadelphia drafted him in the fourth round out of USC and Bengals receivers coach Bob Bicknell had the same job in Philly. When Bengals back-up AJ McCarron surfaced with a tight Achilles’ one week last season, Barkley was one of three quarterbacks they brought in to work out before they decided McCarron was good to go.

AFC North Bytes

Every NFL Division's Biggest Winner Through Early Free Agency
Free-agent signings provide hope. Nothing is more important in a league that stresses parity and feeds off the notion of "any given Sunday." Winning the offseason is only important if a team can translate its transactions into regular-season victories. Otherwise, the process is pointless.

Report: New England Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater visting Steelers
Slater, who turns 33 in September, has spent the past 10 seasons in a New England. The special teams captain and one of the leaders in the locker room signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract extension in 2016. The Patriots lost special teamer Johnson Bademosi to the Texans in free agency on Friday but signed special teamers Brandon Bolden and Brandon King just before the free agency period began.

Random Bytes

Jets Trade Multiple Draft Picks to Acquire No. 3 Overall Pick from Colts
The New York Jets announced Saturday that they acquired the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft from the Indianapolis Colts for multiple selections. New York will send Indy picks No. 6, 37 and 49 in 2018 and its second-round pick in 2019. The Jets' bold move suggests they are interested in selecting a franchise quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick.

Odell Beckham Jr. Reportedly Misidentified in Atlanta Club Fight Video
A video posted by Black Sports Online on Saturday allegedly showed New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the midst of a brawl at Atlanta's Gold Room club, but Beckham was reportedly misidentified. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweeted: "Just received a call that this video is a FRAUD and that it's not Beckham."

Vinny Curry Reportedly Agrees to Contract with Buccaneers After Eagles Release
Defensive end Vinny Curry has found a new home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, agreeing to a three-year deal, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. The contract is reportedly worth up to $27 million with $11.5 million guaranteed in case of injury.