Bengals News (2/23): Tag or not to tag

Bengals Salute Inspiration Of Cincinnati Innovator Candice Matthews Brackeen
She doesn't like the "sidebar," conversations because it distracts from her watching quarterback Joe Burrow's accomplices at work. She built the Cincinnati-based Lightship Foundation from the ground up with the help of an old Bengals middle linebacker, but she eyes the ball instead of the trenches.

Future arrived early for cornerback room: Bengals 2022 position reviews
It was initially a worrying turn of events given Taylor-Britt’s inexperience and the extended practice time he missed with an abdominal injury and the struggles Apple went through during the first half of the season.

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Is Texas RB Bijan Robinson a Good Fit For Cincinnati Bengals' Offense?
He’s a former 5-star recruit from Arizona who played his college ball at the University of Texas. He started 28 games over three seasons, won the 2022 Doak Walker Award, finished fourth in Longhorns history for rushing yards, and was a unanimous All-American.

Bengals 2023 mock draft: Tight end could be top priority depending on free agency
Free agency and the NFL Scouting Combine are yet to arrive to shake up the draft expectations for the Bengals, but that doesn’t mean we can’t drop a first mock (rough) draft in to set the stage.

Bengals: Two more mock drafts have Bengals going TE in Round 1
In fact, it seems to be the most commonly mocked position to those Bengals in the first round. And given that the team’s top three names on the depth chart head to free agency this summer — Hayden Hurst, Drew Sample and Mitchell Wilcox — it makes some sense.

Should Bengals target Taylor Lewan after Titans released OT?
The Cincinnati Bengals have an obvious need along the offensive line heading into the offseason and the Tennessee Titans just upped the number of names available in free agency.

Will the Bengals use the franchise tag this offseason?
Second is linebacker Germaine Pratt. The Bengals would probably love to employ this method if they can’t agree to an extension. But the LB tag number is dramatically over-inflated due to pass-rushers, costing $20.9 million, so it’s an extension or nothing with Pratt.

Around the league

Restructure or release? Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott headlines NFC players to keep an eye on
As we approach free agency and the NFL draft, coaches and front office executives are hard at work on their team-building strategies for the 2023 season and beyond. With the salary cap increasing by $16.6 million to $224.8 million per club, some teams are sitting pretty (the Bears, Falcons and Raiders are flush with cash), while others have tough decisions to make (the Buccaneers and Saints are deep in the red).

Free-agent WR Allen Lazard will be 'bougie' in picking next team after being 'spoiled' by time with Packers
"I've been very spoiled the past four or five years to be in the Packers organization," Lazard said. "I think they're obviously a first-class organization just how they go about their relationship with the fans, how they treat the players. Just the whole experience there. Having coach (Matt) LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett there the past few years and obviously having Aaron (Rodgers) as the quarterback, I'm almost sort of bougie, I feel like, in what I'm going to be wanting out of an organization. I have such high expectations. But that's only because I've seen that and I've experienced that, and I think the record -- minus last year, the three years before that -- it kind of shows you why they're able to have that success."

Titans releasing three-time Pro Bowler LT Taylor Lewan, WR Robert Woods, K Randy Bullock
Lewan, a three-time Pro Bowler, initially announced his release on Twitter. The team later confirmed the offensive lineman's release along with his three former teammates, including labeling Cunningham's release with a failed physical designation.

Michael Bidwill: Cardinals need to 'figure out' QB room with Murray, McCoy recovering from injuries
"Colt is coming back from an injury that is going to limit him in the offseason," Bidwill said, via the team's official website. "It's another set of dynamics that (offensive coordinator) Drew (Petzing) and JG (Jonathan Gannon) have to work through, and (general manager) Monti (Ossenfort).