Bengals Bytes (4/6): The best of times and the worst of times

Ranking the 51 No. 1 overall picks of the common-draft era
If you're scoring at home, the 2018 NFL Draft will be the league's 52nd since the great college marketplace was turned into a single venture. Prior to 1967, the NFL and the AFL were employing their own drafts. That lasted until bidding wars for prospects with two suitors got too pricey. Thus, we now have one prime, combined NFL draft. For the Bengals, they’ve had a forgettable run when holding the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Best and worst draft picks for every NFL team over the past 10 years
For every Antonio Brown or Russell Wilson, there's a Kevin White or Sergio Kindle. We look at the biggest draft hits and misses over the past decade. For the Bengals, you can probably guess who the best pick was, but the worst one may surprise you.

Bengals mailbag: On trading down and Pacman’s future
Cincinnati Bengals mailbag: Answering questions about trading down in the 2018 NFL Draft and the future of Adam Jones. If the Bengals were to line up to play today, T.J. Johnson is the starting center. That's not ideal.

TDBH: Boomer returns to back up Blake
Four years after the Bengals ship home Super Bowl quarterback Boomer Esiason to the Jets, the most popular player in franchise history returns today for a news conference announcing his two-year deal to back up Jeff Blake. It sounds like Esiason has also learned some things since he left.

AFC North Bytes

GREG HUSTON: It's time for the Steelers to move on from Bell |
The Steelers and Bell, as everyone knows, are locked in a stalemate, with the Steelers refusing to meet Bell’s ridiculous demands, which call for him to make more than twice what any other running back in the league is currently making. The Steelers have franchised Bell for the second year in a row, meaning he’ll make about $14.5 million once he signs, but also ensures he’ll skip training camp for the second time in two seasons.

Ozzie Newsome hints at surprise first-round pick for Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson? An Alabama defensive player? Someone from Iowa? There's no telling which way Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome will go in the NFL draft. The ultimate jaw-dropper would be a quarterback. The Ravens can part ways with quarterback Joe Flacco as early as next season, and Louisville's Lamar Jackson should be available in the middle of the first round.

NFL Draft 2018: 5 possible first-round picks for the Steelers
Taking a closer look at five players experts consider potential first round picks for the Steelers in the 2018 NFL Draft. Linebacker looks like a major need heading into the draft, but don't count out running back.

Report: QB Kevin Hogan asked Browns for permission to seek a trade
The entire quarterback room from 2017 is about to be cleared. It makes sense from Hogan’s standpoint. The team is not going to put him ahead of QB Tyrod Taylor or QB Drew Stanton, and they’ll also be drafting a quarterback at No. 1 overall. It’s very possible they’ll draft a second quarterback in 2018 too.

Giants sign former Steelers CB William Gay
The Giants on Thursday signed longtime Steelers defensive back William Gay, per his agent, Jerrold Colton. Gay has played in 176 consecutive regular season games, the longest active streak in the NFL among defensive players.

Random Bytes

Patriots’ Julian Edelman May Have Thwarted a School Shooting - The New York Times
“I’m going to shoot my school up watch the news.” A 14-year-old boy was arrested after police said he made the comment on one of Edelman’s Instagram posts. Back in Boston, Moen said she is relieved a potential crisis was averted. “When I told Julian, he was in shock,” Moen said. “We’re very lucky the Boston cops were all over it, very lucky the Michigan cops were all over it.”

2018 San Diego Graybeards: Free agents find a home!
In the second month of the new league year, a bunch of free agents are still looking for work. Fortunately, Dan Hanzus is hiring! Introducing the 2018 San Diego Graybeards, an all-star team of available vets.

Titans unveil new uniforms ahead of 2018 season
The Tennessee Titans unveiled their new uniforms at a fan event held in the streets of downtown Nashville Wednesday night. Titans general manager Jon Robinson said the new uniforms are "fierce."

NFL draft: Carson Wentz tops ranking of recent first-round QBs
On April 26, a handful of teams will likely attempt to solve their quarterback problems in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. But for now, Gil Brandt ranks the quarterbacks taken in the first round of the past five drafts. Can anyone top Carson Wentz? Where does Blake Bortles land?

William Hill US offers 31 prop bets on 2018 NFL draft
William Hill US was the first sportsbook in Nevada to open NFL draft prop bets after receiving approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board. In a QB-heavy draft, the most action will likely come on quarterback-related props, which include the total number of QBs in Round 1 (over/under 5), Rounds 1 and 2 (O/U 5.5) and specific QB prop bet matchups (Baker Mayfield drafted O/U 7.5 spots before Lamar Jackson).

Bob McNair on inmates in prison comment: “The main thing I regret is apologizing”
Texans owner Bob McNair is not sorry he compared NFL players to "inmates running the prison" last year. He is sorry for apologizing for that comment. McNair told the Wall Street Journal that he doesn't think he did anything wrong and doesn't think he should have been pressured into saying he was sorry.