Tyler Eifert “methodically moving forward” after back surgery
Wide receiver John Ross is doing 11-on-11 work for the Bengals during OTAs, but another player the Bengals are hoping to see play a big role in their offense isn’t quite that far along yet. Tight end Tyler Eifert played just two games last season before having back surgery and has played in only 24 games over the last four seasons because of injuries, which has the team taking things slowly despite Eifert’s insistence that he could handle a full workload. Eifert is watching 11-on-11 work right now and says he’s on track for a full workload come training camp.
Tyler Eifert on the mend but Bengals can't trust injury-prone tight end
When healthy, Tyler Eifert is one of the top pass-catching tight ends in all of football. He has a great ability to get open down the seam and use his long arms to bring down tough catches. Unfortunately for Marvin Lewis and the Bengals, they can’t afford to count on Eifert to stay healthy.
Bengals offensive line isn’t worried about new rules
New Cincinnati Bengals offensive line coach Frank Pollack doesn’t see a reason to panic over the NFL’s new rules this offseason pertaining to the helmet. The new rule that says “Lowering the head to initiate contact with the helmet is a foul” remains vague, especially when it comes to the idea officials will enforce something about the crown of the helmet in the trenches.
Bengals positions to feel confident about
The Cincinnati Bengals have a good look at what their roster will look like going into the 2018 regular season. With free agency and the 2018 NFL Draft finally come and gone, we can now start looking at each positional group and figuring out where the Bengals should feel confident and where they should still be concerned. We already wrote a piece on where Cincinnati has significant question marks, and now it’s time to look at the areas they should feel confident about.
BX: Looking ahead to a healthy Eifert and Ross; Draft in Queen City
The immediate result was the second-year wide receiver being fed the ball on a variety of routes in offensive coordinator Bill Lazor’s new offense, resulting in several tough, contested catches and a few drops. But his mere presence following season-ending labrum surgery was a huge positive for the opening week of full-team work.
AFC North Bytes
Jabrill Peppers expecting better things in second season
Peppers had 57 tackles and an interception in 13 games and part of the reason he didn’t produce as hoped was because the Browns put him all the way at the back end of the defense. Lining up so far behind the line of scrimmage became fodder for jokes, which Peppers heard but he doesn’t put all the blame on defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ alignment.
Le'Veon Bell Calls out Critics of Contract Demands in Rap Song 'Target'
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell took to the mic to address his critics, releasing a rap song Saturday, "Target," to vent his feelings regarding his offseason contract stalemate with the Steelers. According to ESPN.com, Bell "references ... being tagged, the way his critics have turned on him during his contract dispute, people saying he's out of shape by skipping team workouts, and his drug suspensions."
Random Bytes
New York Congressman Blasts Jets Owner's Pledge to Pay Fines for Anthem Protests
United States House of Representatives member Pete King blasted New York Jets chairman Christopher Johnson on Saturday for his stance on protests by players during the national anthem. King—a Republican who represents New York's second congressional district—said the following regarding the organization
NFL Minicamp Roundup: Giant Offensive Changes Are Coming to New York
Pat Shurmur showed how flexible he can be with his offensive system when he tweaked it to maximize quarterback Case Keenum's skill set last season with the Minnesota Vikings. He needs a different approach as head coach of the New York Giants, and he's already taking it.
Report: Some NFL Players Consider Sitting Out Season Until Kaepernick, Reid Sign
Some NFL players are considering sitting out until free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick and free-agent safety Eric Reid sign with new teams, The Intercept's Shaun King reported Sunday. According to King, those throwing around the idea are hoping to get engagement from 25 percent of their fellow players across the league.