Bengals News (4/15): Behind the stripes

Behind the scenes at the two-and-a-half year journey at the redesign of the Cincinnati Bengals uniforms
Or, as Monty Montague, the Bengals merchandise manager observes, when a tweak to the helmet was suggested early in the project the team pushed back because, "You can always tweak the current just for the sake of doing it, but it just didn't tie into what we wanted to accomplish with the jerseys."

Evolution of the Bengals Uniform
Presented by Tide, from iconic stripes on the helmet to the black, orange and white jerseys, take a look back at the evolution of the Cincinnati Bengals uniforms from 1968 to the present.

Former Cincinnati Bengals Running back Giovani Bernard Already Feels a 'Difference' Inside Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Facilities
"You can already feel the difference," Bernard said. "I'm just really excited to join this organization, just to be here. As soon as I walked into the building, whether that's facility staff, or whether that's the cooks, or whether that's the guys in the training room, to the, just to everybody here, you can tell there's an excitement still buzzing."

Reasons the Bengals may not draft Penei Sewell that have nothing to do with Ja'marr Chase
It could be determined by the Atlanta Falcons owning the fourth pick in the draft. There is a sense from the talking heads that the Falcons might draft a quarterback. But what if they don’t? According to Draftkings, the non-QB who has the best odds of being drafted by Atlanta is Sewell.

Around the league

2021 NFL Draft: Best team fits for top quarterbacks? Five analytics-based pairings
Leading up to Round 1, I'm looking to find ideal NFL homes for my top five wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks. The goal for each pairing: maximizing the draftee's 2021 win share, factoring in what we know about each team's personnel, coaches and strategy right now. And of course, I'm aiming to present realistic matches, ones that could actually come to fruition on draft day.

NFL announces offseason plans in memo sent to teams
The league's offseason program for 2021 will be nine weeks in total length, with all portions of it voluntary except for one mandatory minicamp, which will take place in the third phase of the program in a date range between May 24 and June 18, per the memo obtained by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The NFL Players Association did not agree to the new plan, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported, but the league holds the right to unilaterally implement rules as permitted under its collective bargaining agreement with the players' union.

2021 NFL Mock Draft: Patriots trade up to No. 4, creating an unprecedented run on quarterbacks
I couldn't wait to get involved in mock draft season any longer. After spending the past two months since Super Bowl LV talking to scouts and executives about the prospects, and especially after seeing the holes plugged by teams in free agency, I'm ready to throw my hat into the mock ring led by Ryan Wilson.

Colin Cowherd says the Browns have 3rd best roster in NFL
“In my opinion, Tampa’s the best, Kansas City second. I’d put Cleveland third,” Cowherd said. “Especially if they sign Jadeveon Clowney tomorrow, which is expected. Best offensive line, best running back tandem, great tight end and wide receiver, major upgrade in the secondary with Troy Hill and John Johnson II. That was their weakness…They’re loaded and they have a competent head coach.”