Bengals News (6/15): Cincinnati’s new offensive line makes presence felt

Joe Burrow leads Bengals into working summer vacation
An all-expense paid trip to watch him play Tom Brady in Tampa in December is fetching $20,000 at charity auctions. He's going to be on the cover of S.I.'s NFL issue on the eve of the season. He's ranked No. 4 in the Chris Simms quarterback poll behind only Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

Bengals Notes: Burrow plans to keep working after OTAs
"It's go time … We're locked in," Burrow said after Tuesday's workout. "I'm thinking about football every day. This month leading up to camp, it's more intense in practice, more intense in the meeting rooms and my workouts and all of the above. It's go time."

Bengals Sign Cordell Volson
Volson (6-6, 315), a two-time team captain at North Dakota State University, played in a school-record 65 career games for the Bison, including 41 consecutive starts over his final three seasons. He was part of four FCS national championships and five conference titles at North Dakota State, and he twice was named to the Associated Press FCS All-America first team.

Bengals' Joe Burrow Speaks on Need for Gun Reform After Recent Shootings
"With everything that's going on, if you're not gonna outlaw everything, you gotta at least make it harder to get those crazy guns that everybody's using," he told reporters Tuesday. "I don't think you should be able to just walk in there and buy one. You gotta be able to go through a rigorous process to be able to buy something like that, I think. Hopefully the people that get paid to make those decisions figure that out. My job is to play football, but hopefully the politicians can figure that one out."

Cincinnati Bengals 2022 offseason and what we learned
The Cincinnati Bengals wrap up their voluntary offseason program this week and when head coach Zac Taylor and his players return form summer break, training camp and preseason begins. Taylor approached this offseason different than he has in year’s past opting to give his players and coaches more time before officially starting the offseason program due to the length of the 2021 season.

Ja’Marr Chase rocked hoodie at Bengals OTAs in 90-plus degree heat
Case in point? Tuesday at Bengals OTAs, Chase showed up rocking a hoodie underneath his jersey despite the temperature sitting at right around 90 degrees and projected to hit 94-plus — while at times feeling like 108 degrees.

Bengals teammates keeping Larry Ogunjobi’s jersey number available
Much has to go right for Ogunjobi to wind up back with the Bengals. He signed a deal in free agency worth $40 million that fell through due to medical issues. The team made it sound like a reunion wasn’t likely and added Zach Carter in the draft to shore up the depth with B.J. Hill. Ogunjobi most recently visited the Jets.

Bengals coach raves about OL’s big three feeling different
As the Cincinnati Bengals wrap up their spring workouts and prepare for training camp next month, more and more we’re hearing about how their new-look offensive line is coming along nicely and going to make a major impact on the Bengals’ offense and the continuing growth of QB Joe Burrow.

Around the league

Ten best new veteran QB-WR combos heading into the 2022 NFL season
Seismic changes came at quarterback with Russell Wilson moving from Seattle to Denver. Matt Ryan traded from the only organization he'd known for 14 seasons, becoming the Indianapolis Colts' latest shot at QB stability. Carson Wentz joins a third team in three seasons, attempting to save a career careening into the abyss.

Richard Sherman joins Amazon Prime Video's 'TNF' coverage, leaves door open for NFL return
"No, no, I'm still leaving that door open as long as I can," Sherman told Wyche. "I'm obviously going to keep training and staying in shape, but gotta take the opportunities when they're there, and this is an amazing opportunity with Amazon, so I couldn't pass it up.

Jets rookie Sauce Gardner says he paid $50,000 to D.J. Reed for No. 1 jersey
In hindsight, the $50,000 Reed received from Gardner is a pseudo signing bonus. The veteran defensive back signed a free-agent contract with the Jets this offseason and chose No. 1 one month before Gardner was drafted by the team. Reed had worn No. 2 with the Seahawks last season, which was the first year number selections were expanded around the league.

Chargers' Joey Bosa: 'It's amazing' playing alongside Khalil Mack in Los Angeles
"It's amazing," Bosa said, via the team's official transcript. "Just to have another guy like that to lean on, to look at -- I was just talking to, I can remember who, today about it. Just getting to know him, he's a really nice guy. I was talking to [OLBs coach] Giff [Smith] about how he reminds me of [former Chargers DL Brandon] Mebane a little bit; his temperament, he's a chill dude. He's great to talk to. Along with that, he's obviously an unbelievable player, so having a guy like that on the other side is going to be really fun."

Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman doesn't feel 'pressure' to help fill Tyreek Hill void
"I don't feel no pressure," he said Tuesday, via Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star. "I just think it's one of those things, it's like a next-man-up mentality. As far as like pressure-wise, I really don't feel it. I think it's just me having to step up and be a better overall player than I've been the last three years. I don't feel no pressure."