Bengals Bytes (4/30): Competition to revive the offensive line

College Sports: 3 takeaways from the Cincinnati Bengals drafting Malik Jefferson: Will the former Texas LB start?
Jefferson was the 11th linebacker taken overall, and the second Longhorn picked tonight. Offensive lineman Connor Williams was selected by the Cowboys with the No. 50 overall. His third-round selection marks the highest a defensive Longhorn has been picked since Jordan Hicks in 2015.

Bengals must have faith in offensive line potential
The Cincinnati Bengals went into the offseason with some significant needs along the offensive line. The unit ranked 28th among all offensive lines in the NFL last season giving up 158 pressures. Left tackle was the most exceptional need along the line entering the offseason.

Bengals hope Woodside brings competition at backup quarterback
Entering the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals needed a quarterback. Not as a starter, but to replace the hole left behind by former Bengals backup A.J. McCarron who left for the Buffalo Bills this offseason. The team signed quarterback Matt Barkley but are looking for competition at the backup role behind Dalton.

Here's how a Chiefs-Bengals trade earned one NFL Draft pick free pizza for a year
The Bengals training staff is probably going to want to keep a close eye on the weight of rookie Malik Jefferson over the next 12 months, and that's mainly because he just won a year's worth of free pizza, which is the kind of prize that would likely cause a normal person to gain roughly 40 pounds.

Notes: visits and voyages
Three rookies checked in to Paul Brown Stadium Saturday, but head coach Marvin Lewis is keeping their jersey numbers close to the vest. So for the obligatory introductory photo they displayed the jersey with their name and number of the round they were drafted.

Draft Recap: 5 Things You Need to Know
The Bengals love their Buckeyes, but for the first time since they took Dan Wilkinson No. 1 overall 24 years ago they took one in the first round Thursday night when they snapped up Ohio State center Billy Price with the 21st pick. The 6-3, 305-pound Price also became the first center taken by Cincinnati No. 1 since Nebraska’s Dave Rimington in 1983, which works out just right since they’re look to spearhead the overhaul of their offensive line with the winner of the Rimington Award as the nation’s best center.

Competition opens on O-line
The Bengals get on the field for the first time Monday for walk-through and drills and that means the offensive line is going to get another jolt of the change in culture new offensive line coach Frank Pollack is introducing to the position. In this offseason geared to revive the NFL’s worst offense the effort has started up front. Pollack’s efforts have been just as fundamental His practices are said to be busy and exacting. Ever since he arrived from Dallas his players have heard all about the gadgets he likes to deploy during the workouts in a change of focus with what some would say heightens the intensity.

AFC North Bytes

A tearful goodbye for Ozzie Newsome after final draft
The sixth-round defensive lineman from Ferris State was the 193rd pick in the draft, but the final pick for Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome. “It was emotional,” Newsome said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “The kid told me that he was going to make me proud.”

Browns draft 2018: How John Dorsey's Kansas City formula showed up in his latest draft picks
Why the vertical and broad jumps? Both measure explosiveness from a stand-still position and the power a player can generate with his legs. The Chiefs drafted 38 players during Dorsey’s tenure, and 28 of them participated at the annual combine. Take out the quarterbacks (they’re scouted differently than other positions), and players who just went for the team interviews or only competed in the 40-yard dash and/or bench press, and you’re left with 21 combine players.

Random Bytes

Mike Rogers: 'I'm Not a Psychopath' After Threatening Tweet to Bucs' Jason Licht
Tampa Bay Buccaneers security is investigating the actions of a fan who appeared to threaten the life of general manager Jason Licht during the 2018 NFL draft. However, the fan has since called it a "tasteless tweet" and said he was not threatening actual physical harm.

NFL Teams That Improved the Most Through the 2018 NFL Draft
The draft was a fickle beast for 32 teams with moving parts and a board of 300-plus prospects. Following Saturday's conclusion, we'll look at six teams that improved the most based on a combination of short- and long-term value. Teams who were able to hit on big needs with prospects ready to start right away certainly improved. But so did teams who made upside picks with long-term development in mind.

2018 NFL Draft: Immediate Do-Overs We Would Love to See
After reflecting on first two days of the 2018 NFL draft, we'd love to see eight immediate do-overs to help teams improve their draft hauls. Some of the do-overs are a result of overvaluing certain positions and skill sets. Others simply stand out as panic decisions.