Bengals Bytes (6/21): Top 5 plays of the past 30 years

Not so old school in session
Jim McNally, the godfather of NFL offensive line play, had an offer he couldn’t refuse. At the wonderfully ripe age of 74, he could be new Bengals offensive line coach Frank Pollack’s father and center-guard Trey Hopkins’ grandfather. But when Pollack wanted him to join him on the field this spring to help him implement his battery of techniques, McNally became the proverbial kid in the candy store.

Pick Six Podcast: Why Joe Mixon could be set up for a special season behind Bengals OL
Somehow, some way, Marvin Lewis is still the coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. After a late-season surge, Lewis, who was expected to be relieved of his duties, ended up securing a two-year deal from owner Mike Brown. The Bengals then shook things up considerably this offseason, making moves in the draft to improve the offensive line and letting Jeremy Hill walk.

Which incredible Bengals plays in last 30 years will make the top 5?
The play. The one moment when execution, skill spontaneity and a whole lot of magic can mix together to create legend. Over the last 30 years there have been hundreds of incredible individual plays by Bengals players. We wanted to pinpoint the top five. Everyone has an opinion. We have criteria.

Bengals ranked poorly in pass protection efficiency
This one won’t come as much of a surprise: the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t check in with a respectable number in pass protection efficiency last season. No kidding, right? The Bengals made an aggressive trade to acquire left tackle Cordy Glenn, then used a first-round pick on center Billy Price. Those moves were aimed at fixing one of the league’s worst offensive lines after curious losses in free agency the year prior.

Bengals training camp questions: Can Andy Dalton bounce back?
The group has deteriorated since 2015 and Andy Dalton has been sacked 80 times the past two seasons. The club essentially traded the No. 12 overall pick in the draft to Buffalo for a new starting left tackle (Cordy Glenn) and starting center (Ohio State's Billy Price, selected No. 21 overall). They are counting on Glenn to be healthy and regain the near Pro Bowl form he showed with the Bills from 2013 to 2015. There are no concerns over Price's pectoral injury suffered at the NFL scouting combine, and he is expected to be the first first-round pick to start in Week 1 for the Bengals since 2012.

AFC North Bytes

David Njoku made strides this spring from raw prospect to player Browns believe he can become
David Njoku was just 20 years old when the Browns traded two picks to move back into the first round to select him in 2017. Words like "freak" have followed him around since his college days. Draft analyst Dane Brugler tweeted in the run-up to the draft last year:

Steelers defensive roster predictions, post-minicamp
The countdown to Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is on. Soon, the team will get back together and the process of trimming the roster down to 53 for the start of the regular season will begin. We already offered our projections for the offensive side of the football and now it is time to do the same for the defense.

Random Bytes

Players respond to President Trump’s pardon recommendation request
Earlier this month, President Trump addressed protests by NFL players by saying that they’ve seen “a lot of abuse” and unfairness before asking players to recommend names of people they would like to see considered for pardons.

Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: Terrell Owens Isn't Brainwashing Julio Jones
There are three facts we need to get straight before we dive into this story about Julio Jones and Terrell Owens. First: Jones wants more money, and he skipped minicamp to get more money. This is a fact.

Report: Jameis Winston Bracing for NFL to Suspend Him for Up to 3 Games
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers open the 2018 NFL season against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 9, they could be doing so without their franchise quarterback under center. According to ESPN Tallahassee radio host Jeff Cameron (h/t JoeBucsFan.com), Winston is bracing for the league to suspend him for an alleged incident with an Uber driver in March 2016