Bengals News (4/27): Top of the class

Bengals Complete Overhaul To Turn Opening Day Into Moving Day
It turned out that having the top pick in every round in this draft meant you didn't have to move around. You were already back up in the round without having to make a trade that would get you a need. And you didn't have to trade back to get value. Both things were already at the top of the rounds.

The Bengals re-signed S Brandon Wilson to a one-year contract.
Wilson, a fourth-year player in 2020, originally was a Bengals sixth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He has played in 36 career games (two starts), and last season he led the NFL with 31.3-yard kickoff return average on 20 returns, including a 92-yarder for a touchdown in Game 6 at Baltimore. He also recorded 18 tackles and two passes defensed on defense in 2019, as well as six tackles on special teams.

The Bengals received high grades from the media and draft gurus for their 2020 draft class.
The gurus must agree. It looks to be the Bengals' highest graded media draft maybe ever. CBS made them the big winner. The Sporting News gave them an A-plus, while USA Today, Sports Illustrated and SB Nation all weighed in at A-minus.

The story behind the gold chain Joe Burrow wore on NFL draft night
When former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow picked up the phone Thursday night as the Cincinnati Bengals called to officially select him with the top overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, he sported a white gold chain with his No. 9 hanging at the bottom. It was a gift from one Bayou icon to another -- rapper Boosie Badazz.

How the Bengals, Dolphins and Chargers Vetted Their New QBs
With the most unusual draft in memory finally behind us, Cincinnati, Miami and Los Angeles reveal why they picked their new franchise QBs. Plus, Packers GM Brian Gutekunsk explains the Jordan Love pick and we say goodbye to Joe Staley while wrapping up draft week.

Three takeaways from Bengals draft, grading each 2020 pick and an overall grade
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Here are three takeaways from the 2020 Bengals draft, a pick-by-pick grade, the CBSSports.com flash grades for each pick, links to each player's profile on Local12.com and an overall grade for this year's draft at the bottom:

Bengals' draft offered key advantages, improvements to team
After starting the draft with a new quarterback-wide receiver tandem in LSU’s Joe Burrow and Clemson’s Tee Higgins, the Bengals turned to the defense in the middle rounds. They tripled up at linebacker to address the thinnest position group on the roster with the addition of Wyoming’s Logan Wilson in the third round Friday and Appalachian State’s Akeem Davis-Gaither and Purdue’s Markus Bailey in the fourth and seventh rounds, respectively, on Saturday.

Around the league

Dalvin Cook to participate in Vikings' voluntary program
Cook is coming off a career year at an ideal time as he enters the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. The former second-round pick earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019 after rushing for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games as part of a Vikings offense that thrived on keeping the ball on the ground. Cook's two rushing touchdowns and 94 yards helped Minnesota score a postseason upset over the New Orleans Saints on Wild Card Weekend.

TE Cole Kmet: 'I know Bears fans want a winner'
In his junior campaign at Notre Dame, Kmet hauled in 43 receptions for 515 yards and six touchdowns (which all came after recovering from a broken collarbone). That kind of production at tight end would be welcomed for the Bears, who let Trey Burton go this offseason. Despite just five starts, Burton was the team's most productive tight end in 2019 with only 14 catches.

20 teams begin virtual offseason programs today
It will be the second week of virtual offseason programs, which were agreed to by the NFL and NFL Players Association on April 13 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is strictly virtual with on-field work only allowed when all facilities are reopened.

Chiefs GM wants to lock Mahomes, Jones up long-term
According to NFL Network's James Palmer, Veach reiterated on Sunday he doesn't intend to let either of those things happen, noting that, while there's still time to strike long-term deals with the two Pro Bowlers, he hopes to lock up both sooner rather than later.