Bengals News (4/8): To trade or not to trade

Through The Years | Best Images of Who Dey
Who Dey is the coolest cat in the NFL. Check out some of the best images of the Bengals mascot in action.

Hobson's Choice: Bengals.com Senor Writer Geoff Hobson answers questions from fans about free agency and the draft
Certainly signing eight free agents has opened up the board at No. 33 and you have to believe they'll take the best player and not reach for a backer, unless a top one is there deserving the pick. I do think their approach in free agency was impacted by how the scouts saw those two worlds. I think they saw good defensive linemen and defensive backs in free agency, but a thin linebacker crop. By contrast, the scouts see a good and deep linebacker draft, so the personnel guys tried to match up strength with strength, and I suspect that a linebacker or two will come off the board at some point during the draft.

Bengals chaplain has COVID-19: "I thought I was going to die"
At a time when far too many NFL players are still getting together to work out, oblivious to the dangers of COVID-19, perhaps it will help for them to hear from someone they might come in contact with who had the disease.

Bengals chaplain LaMorris Crawford recovering after coronavirus scare
Cincinnati Bengals’ team chaplain LaMorris Crawford contracted coronavirus in mid-March and required multiple hospital visits during his battle writ the ongoing pandemic.

Bengals Chaplain LaMorris Crawford Recovering After Coronavirus Diagnosis
LaMorris Crawford, the Cincinnati Bengals' team chaplain, said he thought he was "going to die" after contracting the coronavirus in March and experiencing extreme symptoms.

Bengals Won't Rule Out Keeping Andy Dalton
“Every option is on the table,” Taylor said. “We’re trying to put ourselves in the best position to make sure we’re prepared for next season and we have the best assets we can have. We think the world of Andy, obviously.”

Bengals coach Zac Taylor says 'every option' concerning Andy Dalton is on the table
While drafting Burrow seems like a sure thing, what happens with the Bengals' current signal-caller, Andy Dalton? The 32-year-old was benched for rookie Ryan Finley after Cincinnati lost its first eight games last season, but he was reinserted into the starting lineup just three games later. Dalton ended up winning two out of the Bengals' last five games, but he was thought to be on the trade block entering this offseason. Now, we are just a couple of weeks away from the draft and Dalton still remains a Bengal. Head coach Zac Taylor said in a recent interview that all options are on the table when it comes to Cincinnati's longtime starter.

Trae Waynes pleased with new contract, optimistic about Bengals' future
“It works for me, sh--,” Waynes said with a laugh on the Rapsheet and Friends podcast. “The cornerback market was interesting this year. What did Byron (Jones) get, like $16 [million] or something? And then (James) Bradbury — what’d he get, like $14.5 [million]? It’s interesting. I just wanted to get somewhere close to those guys. I can’t complain. It all worked out.”

Podcast: Being aggressive in free agency, drafting Joe Burrow and excitement surrounding the Bengals
I joined Mo Egger on ESPN 1530 to discuss the Bengals' offseason moves, which included being aggressive in free agency for the first time in a long time and the anticipation around drafting Joe Burrow with the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Around the league

NFL likely to conduct virtual mock draft ahead of draft
The draft -- which takes place April 23-25 -- will proceed with no potential pauses in the process, or timeouts, despite some concerns about technical difficulties as it's been determined there are multiple ways to communicate during the draft, including an open conference call line between every team, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday.

Falcons unveil new uniforms, helmet ahead of 2020
The Atlanta Falcons went back to black on Wednesday morning, unveiling a new look that includes modernized uniforms and a matte-black helmet.

Kingsbury expects Murray to take 'big step' in 2020
The production might not have been there on a weekly basis, especially during a six-game midseason losing streak, behind a sieve offensive line. Still, the traits and flashes suggest Murray's on a high trajectory in Kliff Kingsbury's offense.

Rivera: Redskins chased Cooper 'up to the very end'
Washington has a significant need at receiver, with Terry McLaurin existing as the only legitimate threat. The Redskins' push for Cooper was twofold: It would address the No. 1 receiver void, and it would steal a weapon from a division rival. That combination was worth "substantial" money. When Cooper decided to stay in Dallas -- to the tune of five years and $100 million -- the Redskins were left only to regroup, eventually signing Cody Latimer and leaving empty the No. 1 role.