Bengals News (5/20): Jordan Battle already impressing coaches

Mike Brown Remembers Jim Brown: 'The Best Runner I Ever Saw'
"The best runner I ever saw," said Mike Brown, the Bengals president who has seen all of them before and after. "He was an extraordinary athlete. He was a big man. But very fast. He was 228 (pounds), 232 maybe later on. But sculpted. The thing people just don't give him credit for is how fast he was."

A Coach's Son, Bengals Rookie Safety Jordan Battle Arrives Well-Schooled
"I kind of felt like he snuck in there and watched it already," recalls Livingston. "It was clear this guy knew ball. I looked around at everybody else and I'm thinking, 'OK. I think we're probably good here, bud. So tell us about how you are. What about you?"

Look: Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Ja'Marr Chase Responds To Isaiah McKenzie's 'Different Game' Comments About Buffalo Bills AFC Divisional Loss
Odds are the Bengals and Bills will have to go through one another in the playoffs again this season to win the Super Bowl.

Several Bengals players get Army experience at Fort Knox
"I have a huge amount of respect for these people out here and across the world that put their lives on the line," Bengals halfback Jacob Saylors said.

B.J. Hill honors Germaine Pratt bet, shaves head
Now Hill has done so as Bengals players report to voluntary workouts, posting a funny message on Twitter with his shiny new look. The team’s official social media accounts also caught some footage of the big cosmetic change for Hill.

Sports Illustrated Ranks Cincinnati Bengals Roster Best in The AFC North
"Looking at the Bengals, where are the weaknesses?" Verderame wrote. Corner isn’t great, with Chidobe Awuzie coming off a knee injury and Eli Apple remaining an annual liability, but linebackers Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson are excellent. Plus, the front four is loaded with Sam Hubbard, Trey Hendrickson, and first-round rookie Myles Murphy.

Around the league

Confidence rankings on nine quarterbacks in make-or-break year: Jared Goff, Jimmy Garoppolo to shine
Take Russell Wilson, for instance. After a spectacular decade in Seattle that saw him earn nine Pro Bowl bids and win a Super Bowl, Russ' play dropped off in a disappointing Denver debut. Now there are serious concerns about his age, athleticism and playmaking potential. Moreover, his subpar performance in 2022 has led people to ask if the Broncos would cut bait should he continue to struggle in 2023. Not so fast. Considering the five-year, $245 million extension Wilson signed last September carries $85 million in dead cap next year, he'll be wearing a Broncos uniform for the foreseeable future.

Jim Brown dies at 87: Browns Hall of Famer, movie star and civil rights icon lived extraordinary life
"On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Monique and their family," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement on Friday. "Jim Brown was a gifted athlete -- one of the most dominant players to ever step on any athletic field -- but also a cultural figure who helped promote change.

Christian McCaffrey: 49ers trade comments were 'nothing against' Panthers
"I was very fortunate to come into a team that built a culture and had taken time to build a culture. To add on top of the roster, in my opinion, some of the best coaches in the NFL and guys who know how to use players like myself and have been doing it for so long. I just felt very fortunate to be a part of something that was already so developed so to say and like I said a culture that was established.

NFL's most vulnerable reigning division champions in 2023: Bills, Buccaneers facing biggest challenge?
The Jacksonville Jaguars went from worst to first in the AFC South last season, claiming their first division title since 2017. Meanwhile, three NFC divisions had a different champion in 2022 than in '21: the East (Philadelphia Eagles), North (Minnesota Vikings) and West (San Francisco 49ers).