Bengals News (9/30): Ring of Honor unveiling

Bengals Ring Of Honor Game Is One Week Away Versus Jacksonville Jaguars
The inaugural class of Ken Anderson, Paul Brown, Anthony Muñoz and Ken Riley will be inducted during a halftime ceremony featuring a video tribute, the official unveiling of the names of the inductees on the stadium's east facade and a special jacket presentation. The Bengals teamed up with Over-the-Rhine retailer and suit brand Pursuit to create a custom Ring of Honor jacket that will be given to each inductee. For more information on the Ring of Honor, visit bengals.com/ringofhonor.

Matchup Of The Game: Battle Of Two Overall No. 1 QBs On Ring Of Honor Night To Electrify PBS
Paul Brown Stadium hosts a game pitting two overall No. 1 quarterbacks for the seventh time, but it's the first one that is going national (8:20 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 5 and NFL Network) and Thursday's prime time audience can only hope it matches the last time it happened.

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase Named AFC Rookie Of The Month For September
Chase is one of just nine rookies ever to record at least one TD catch in each of their first three career games. He's also one of just three players ever to catch TDs of at least 25 yards in each of his first three career games. Additionally, Chase's two TDs on Sept. 26 at Pittsburgh made him the youngest player ever — and the first 21-year old — with four receiving TDs through their first three career games, edging out Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss' three TDs through three games in 1998.

No. 1 overall picks Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence and Bengals' Joe Burrow share bond with Urban Meyer
Lawrence, on the other hand, was a phenomenon long before he went to Clemson, where he lived up to the billing of being one of the country's top prospects, which was codified when the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him first overall last April.

NFL DFS, Jaguars vs. Bengals: Best DraftKings, FanDuel daily Fantasy picks for Thursday Night Football
The Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars have been frequent cellar-dwellers in their respective divisions. Both franchises are hoping better days lie ahead after using No. 1 overall picks to draft franchise quarterbacks. Things haven't gone smoothly for Trevor Lawrence through three weeks, but he's still shown flashes of impressive playmaking ability in Jacksonville. Can you trust him with your NFL DFS picks? The Bengals' Joe Burrow looks confident in an offense loaded with playmakers like Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon. Should you target Burrow as part of your NFL DFS strategy?

Bengals will be without two key players for Thursday night's game against Jaguars
There was good and bad news in the Cincinnati Bengals' final Week 4 injury report in preparation for Thursday night's home game against the winless Jacksonville Jaguars. The bad news is that receiver Tee Higgins (shoulder) and safety Jessie Bates III (neck) will be inactive for Thursday night's game. Higgins, who didn't play in Cincinnati's Week 3 win in Pittsburgh, did not practice this week. Bates also did not practice after recording eight tackles in the Bengals' 24-10 win over the Steelers.

Next Woman Up: Katie Blackburn, executive vice president of the Cincinnati Bengals
I do remember the very first thing I ever did with the team was in high school. I was literally handing out player rosters to the media at training camp. I was lucky, because once I started working with the team, I would get to sit in with my dad (owner Mike Brown). Back then, some of the player negotiations were done over the phone, so I could only hear what he was saying, not the entire conversation, but I had some involvement in that at an early stage. I went on to work in the ticket department and the finance department after that.

Around the league

NFL QB Index, Week 4: Dak Prescott and Derek Carr fly up rankings, while rookies continue to struggle
While this year's quintet of first-round picks swam with ease in smooth August waters, the group has flailed its way through September. Trey Lance enjoyed the best Week 3 by playing just three snaps. This shouldn't be that much of a surprise, but the regular-season level of difficulty for Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Mac Jones has been a cold splash of water to the face.

Melvin Gordon: Broncos 'know we can be special' after 3-0 start
"We believe that we can be special. We're not just saying it," Gordon said of the 2021 Broncos during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "You know, I think that's the difference: We were just saying it last year. We actually believe that we can be special. We know we can be special."

Before Tom Brady takes on Patriots, former NFL players share homecoming memories
In three years (with the Falcons), I made two Pro Bowls and was one of the best young corners in the league. I outplayed my rookie contract, and the plan was to get a new deal done two years early. It didn't get done, and I played my fourth season. We weren't very good that year (2007), so (head coach Bobby) Petrino left and (Thomas) Dimitroff came in (as general manager in January of 2008). I heard whispers that Dimitroff was trying to trade me. ... The line was drawn in the sand, so I went to the (NFL Scouting) Combine to meet with teams. (NFL Network colleague) Mike Garafolo always jokes about how I pulled up there that year.

Giants sign former first-round tackle Isaiah Wilson to practice squad
The Titans selected Wilson with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, but a myriad of issues -- two stints on the reserve/COVID-19 list, a team suspension, and off-field concerns -- marred his rookie campaign. Wilson famously played just three offensive snaps in one appearance with the Titans.