Bengals News (4/26): B.J. Hill looks to take next step

Quick Hits: Bengals' B.J. Hill Looks To Top Career Year And Fellow Third-Rounder Could Help
Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill, who last season's career year saw him knock down the quarterback more than Aaron Donald and Jeffery Simmons and have as many batted passes as Chris Jones while taking more snaps than Javon Hargrave and Jarran Reed (courtesy of Pro Football Reference), thinks he could be even better this year.

Bengals Exercise 2024 Option of Joe Burrow: A Procedural Step as Work Toward Extension Continues
Burrow, a fourth-year player in 2023, has completed 1044 of 1530 passes (68.2 percent) for 11,774 yards and 82 TDs in 42 regular-season starts. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl and voted the FedEx Air Player of the Year in 2022, when he ranked second in the NFL in completion percentage (68.3), tied for second in passing TDs (35), fifth in completions (414), fifth in passing yards (4475), and sixth in passer rating (100.8).

Bengals big board ranking 1st-round targets ahead of 2023 NFL draft
Those Bengals enter the fray with no major needs and can take a best-player-available approach. Conventional wisdom says they will attack offensive tackle, cornerback or pass-rusher in Round 1, with tight end and even running back possibilities, though those are non-premium positions that early.

Why a first round running back is a bad idea: Bengals Wednesday morning briefing
Operating under the presumption that Bijan Robinson will not be available for the Bengals to select 28th overall, and that they would not trade up for him (another bad idea), the Bengals should have running back scratched off on their draft board for the first 28 picks.

Quick Hits: Logan Wilson Turns Out To Be Worth Bengals' Torturous Draft Wait
"When you ask the question the first thing that comes to mind is Tee and Logan, both of those guys," Taylor said in his Monday draft news conference. "We think highly of them because we have high grades on them. Maybe nobody else did. Obviously it's paid off for us so we can pat ourselves on the back, but you always have higher grades than anyone else, seemingly, when you pick a player in a certain spot. Everybody else passed on that player. Those are two guys that stand out when you really didn't think they would be there and suddenly they were and you feel great about it."

Why is Gold Star no longer the official chili of the Cincinnati Bengals?
After 21 years, Gold Star is no longer the official chili of the Cincinnati Bengals. Here's everything you need to know.

Bengals pull off stunning trade for Bijan Robinson in PFF mock draft
“The Bengals send Pick Nos. 28 and 163 to the Giants to move past the Cowboys and Bills and draft Robinson. This would allow Cincinnati to cut Joe Mixon and build out one of the NFL’s most exciting offenses for the 2023 season.”

Cincinnati Bengals 2023 NFL Draft Checklist | The Wright Way Network
The 2023 NFL Draft is this week! Each team has started to narrow down their draft boards and should know roughly which positions are the top ones for them. Typically, the first three rounds are the most important with getting the prospects that will be immediate impact players. Heading into the draft, these are the top three positions that should be on the Cincinnati Bengals checklist to address in the first three rounds.

Look: Betting Odds Released For Cincinnati Bengals First Round Choice, Position
All of the different directions have sportsbooks slotting no player with a chance over 25% to be a Bengal. The positions are also a toss-up, with tight end (+125, 42% implied probability) sitting as the most likely position.

Bengals Draft: 5 players fans should hope fall to Cincinnati on Day 2
Oregon State's Luke Musgrave falling in the draft could also be a dream scenario for the Bengals. With his playstyle and overall technique, he has the ability to quickly become a threat at the next level.

Around the league

Bucky Brooks 2023 NFL mock draft 4.0: Patriots nab Bijan Robinson; Ravens select Anthony Richardson
It's draft week! Finally. The waiting game is nearly over. But as we hurtle toward the real thing in Kansas City, Missouri, allow me to squeeze in one last attempt at predicting the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

QB Aaron Rodgers pens heartfelt goodbye to Packers, city of Green Bay before joining Jets
With his move to New York expected to be finalized in the next few days, Rodgers took to Instagram to write a long goodbye letter to all those involved with his storied tenure with Green Bay. His words were accompanied by photos of major moments in his career, such as when he was drafted, and snapshots with some of his most notable teammates and friends, including Marcedes Lewis, Randall Cobb, and Mason Crosby.

2023 NFL Draft takes: Five QBs will go in Round 1; Jonathan Mingo is this year's George Pickens
There's no question Carter boasts immense football talent. Shoot, the Georgia defensive tackle could be the best player in this entire draft class. But there's also no question character concerns surround the 22-year-old who plead no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. In a surreal scene at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, Carter was forced to briefly depart Indianapolis to face an arrest warrant back in Athens, Georgia, with the charges stemming from a car accident that killed Carter's Georgia teammate and a UGA recruiting analyst. Serious stuff. Then Carter showed up at the Bulldogs' pro day heavier than he'd been in Indy and apparently struggled to finish some field drills.

Panthers head coach Frank Reich: 'There is consensus' for No. 1 overall pick
"He came into my office yesterday at some point, and asked the question," Reich said. "It was kind of like a proposal of sorts. And I said yes (laughs). There is consensus, and we're excited."