Bengals News (3/2): Rumors heating up

Bengals to hold an open house on Saturday, March 7 for those interested in season tickets
The Bengals Ticket Hotline and ticket office hours are from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fans can call to schedule an appointment to view available seats. Tickets may be purchased 24/7 through Bengals.com. Fans also can chat with a ticket representative online if they have any questions.

Bengals plan to use franchise tag on receiver A.J. Green
Green, who turns 32 in July, has been one of the NFL's most productive receivers since the Bengals drafted him in 2011. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Green's 8,907 receiving yards rank fourth since he entered the league. He is second in Cincinnati history in total receptions (602), receiving yards (8,907) and receiving touchdowns (63).

Does Andy Dalton make sense for Bears as challenger to Mitch Trubisky?
The Bears are an attractive situation for any veteran quarterback seeking a new home. They’ve had a Super Bowl-caliber defense the last two seasons to go along with a host of impressive skill players and former quarterback Matt Nagy running the show. They also just hired Bill Lazor, Dalton’s former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, as their offensive coordinator.

Report: Bears have spoken to Bengals about Andy Dalton trade
With the Bengals expected to pick a quarterback first overall, Andy Dalton is at the top of the list of players that could be dealt this offseason. Paul Dehner of TheAthletic.com reports that the Bears have spoken to the team about a deal.

NFL rumors: Bengals to use franchise tag on WR A.J. Green
Green did not play during the 2019 season after he tore ligaments in his left ankle during Cincinnati's first preseason practice. The Bengals are reportedly intent on keeping him during the 2020 season, whether through the tag or a longer deal.

Andy Dalton Trade Rumors: Patriots, Colts, Bears Linked to Deal for Bengals QB
Andy Dalton has been with the Cincinnati Bengals since they selected him in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft, but that could change as the team presumably heads into the Joe Burrow era with the No. 1 pick in this year's draft.

Bengals: 2020 shaping up to be all about Zac Taylor
It sounds like A.J. Green will be back, although that isn’t certain. Last year’s first-round pick, Jonah Williams, will finally see the field in 2020. He could fortify an offensive line that improved late in 2019. Joe Mixon is a stud that has posted consecutive 1,100+ yard rushing seasons. Tyler Boyd has 166 total catches in the last two years. Guys like John Ross and Auden Tate have shown flashes of brilliance.

Billy Price’s future with Bengals remains a question mark
“Billy had moments that were good, bad,” Callahan said. “Billy is competing at the guard spots. We have guards we feel good about. Billy is part of the mix in the competition. What that means for him between now and Opening Day, I can’t tell you specifically. He has to come in and compete. We expect him to get better, too, because he has to.”

Cincinnati Bengals aim to get it right with top pick in draft
Coaches and executives spent time at the NFL Combine this past week scouting and interviewing players, collecting as much research as they could on prospects they might consider at any round. But they’re already on the clock, holding the only spot without any wonder of who will be available, and it’s not something to take lightly.

Cincinnati Bengals: Vontaze Burfict is back, and should be
Former Bengals player Vontaze Burfict is back, almost, in the National Football League. Love him or hate him, he’s a player who elicits all kinds of reactions, both good and bad. In Oakland, the 2019 Raiders rolled the dice on the highly volatile, often maligned defensive back. As is usual, teammates loved him, and a highly critical NFL media did not.

Around the league

2020 NFL Scouting Combine winners/losers: C.J. Henderson zips
The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up on Sunday with impressive defensive backs running and jumping as part of their crucial job interviews. Given the lack of "scoutable" plays that most defensive backs see in a typical college football game, the workouts in Indy become a valuable tool to evaluate their overall movement skills and ability to catch passes.

Daniel Jeremiah's 2020 NFL Scouting Combine takeaways
"Phenomenal. Phenomenally explosive athlete. You watch him, you saw the jumps but, at Lenoir-Rhyne, I mean he hits guys and they go flying. He's got ball skills, he's an outstanding kick returner. And how in the world did he end up at Lenoir-Rhyne? Look at him right now, he was 5-6 as a freshman in high school. Did not start until his senior year of high school. So, that is the definition of a late bloomer. You watch him as a punt returner, it is electric, it's fun to watch."

Top 10 40-yard dash times from the 2020 combine
Ruggs and Guidry were the only two participants to break 4.3, but were well off the combine record of 4.22 seconds, set by John Ross of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017. While Ruggs was considered not only one of the fastest players in college football but also a first-round selection in April's draft, his clocking can only do so much to boost his draft status. By contrast, Guidry might have helped himself more significantly -- he received a prospect grade of 5.46 from NFL Network's Lance Zierlein, which projects him as a fringe prospect who could make a practice squad and perhaps go undrafted.

Top CB Jeff Okudah suffers injury during NFL combine workout
Okudah, considered the draft's top prospect at his position, clocked an official 4.48 40-yard dash and, earlier in the week, posted 11 bench-press reps. Okudah did return after the drills to participate in the vertical and broad jumps, posting impressive marks in both events (41-inch vertical and 11-foot-3 broad jump). He will have several weeks to prepare again for drills he didn't participate in, as Ohio State's pro day workout is scheduled for March 25. Fortunately, he took to Twitter after the cornerbacks worked out on Sunday to indicate he's OK.

Isaiah Simmons' unreal potential; Jerry Jeudy vs. CeeDee Lamb
In recent years, we've seen guys like Minkah Fitzpatrick (picked 11th overall in 2018) and Haason Reddick (picked 13th overall in 2017) earn first-round grades due to their explosive athleticism and versatility as blue-chip college players. Each flashed disruptive potential at a number of spots at their respective schools, and the scouting community expected each player to create havoc as hybrid defensive playmakers. The jury remains out as to whether Fitzpatrick and Reddick's coaches will ever truly max out their versatility at this level; Fitzpatrick was so-so in Miami, then came to life after a mid-season trade to the Steelers in 2019, while Reddick has yet to break out with the Cardinals. Nevertheless, that won't stop the scouting community from valuing potential hybrids on draft day.