Cincinnati Bengals Video | Features

It's the "Sharp Dressed Man" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast with Elizabeth Blackburn, the Bengals Director of Strategy and Engagement, on Monday's unveiling of new uniforms. Also, insight about two 2021 NFL Draft prospects, Oregon tackle Penei Sewell and LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase from their college coaches.

This week the Bengals announced the unveiling of their new uniforms will take place Monday, April 19. Also, a retrospective about the Bengals founder Paul Brown and his influence on the team today, why cornerback Trae Waynes is back and better than ever and the latest edition of Hobson's Choice looking at the 2021 NFL Draft.

Trae Waynes still remembers the rep. He still remembers the set. He still remembers the weight.

He still can't believe his shoulder exploded, blowing up his season with surgery that wiped out his 2020 season before it even began. But what he can believe is that whenever the Bengals get back on the practice field, he'll be out there.

The quest to design the Bengals' new uniforms, a two-and-a-half-year journey that ends with Monday's unveiling, began at the top. Team founder Paul Brown's iconic black striped helmet, still relevant and riveting 40 years later, has ushered in the next generation of football fashion.

From the corner office of Bengals president Mike Brown, the man that ran the club with his father during the first 23 seasons of the franchise, all the way down the food chain to the press box, there are people at Paul Brown Stadium that knew Paul Brown when he was a man and not a stadium.

Tight End Thaddeus Moss (6-3, 249), a second-year player out of Louisiana State University, originally was a college free agent signee of Washington in 2020. 

Available for iOS and Android devices, the Official Bengals App provides a customized experience using single sign on. Fans can personalize their mobile experience by selecting which types of content they want to surface on their home screen, while they show their new stripes with a Bengals background and icon of their choosing (iOS only) to match.

It's the "It's Time" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as the team announced a Ring of Honor to Paul Brown Stadium. Listen to interviews with Elizabeth Blackburn, the Bengals Director of Strategy and Engagement and Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz about the Ring of Honor.

As the draft heats up, so does the discussion. The password in Bengaldom these days seems to be one of three names.

Leave it to the conscience of Bengaldom, the team's long-time radio analyst and Super Bowl guard Dave Lapham, to sum up Thursday's unveiling of the Bengals Ring of Honor. Two guys who figure to be in there sooner rather than later, the Andersons, agree.

Cioffi, who brings 22 years of NFL coaching experience, previously was a Bengals assistant from 1997-2010.

It was a busy week for the Bengals as the franchise announced the formation of a Ring of Honor to recognize former players, coaches and individuals who have played a significant role in the franchise's history and tradition. Also this week, Duke Tobin keeps all his options open with the No. 5 overall pick and a look at the progress center Trey Hopkins has made in his injury recovery.

When it comes to football, Bengals president Mike Brown can tell a Pro Bowl story. Last month he gave Anthony Munoz, his Pro Football Hall of Fame left tackle, a tale worthy of the new Bengals Ring of Honor that was unveiled Thursday.

The Ring of Honor will be a recurring tradition. The first two members of the inaugural class are Paul Brown and Anthony Muñoz. Season Ticket Members and Suite Owners will select the remaining two members from a ballot that will be released in May.

Giovani Bernard's Bengals career began with a thank you note to club president Mike Brown eight years ago and it is probably going end with one Wednesday night when Bernard gets a chance to get away from the phone to write one.

Three weeks after moving on from their most tenured player on defense, the Bengals continued to revamp their roster Wednesday when they released running back Giovani Bernard, their most tenured offensive player. Last month's release of defensive tackle Geno Atkins and Wednesday's move with Bernard leaves linebacker Jordan Evans' 60 games and wide receiver Tyler Boyd 's 71 games the most Bengals games on defense and offense, respectively.

A ninth-year player out of the University of North Carolina, Bernard originally was a second-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2013. 

Even though he tore his ACL in the season finale back on Jan. 3, Bengals center Trey Hopkins calls his injured knee the last gift of a malevolent 2020. But he's spent the early part of 2021 turning the calendar back to the good old days as he embraces a smooth rehab and the return of offensive line coach Frank Pollack.

Duke Tobin says the Bengals are going to have a chance at one of the NFL Draft's top players with the fifth pick later this month and aren't interested in losing a premier prospect with a trade. But in Monday's Bengals Booth podcast with play-by-play announcer Dan Hoard and an interview with Bengals.com, Tobin, the club's director of player personnel, said they'll listen to all trade offers. Tobin also addressed a raft of issues including how well free agency has set up the draft, the length of Penei Sewell's arm and the option of re-signing Geno Atkins.

On a day people couldn't stop talking about Penei Sewell's arms, franchise legend and offensive line guru Willie Anderson praised his ankles. And pretty much everything else.

Welcome to the second Bengals.com Media Mock Draft of the year, but the first one with a trade.

The Bengals continued to fill out their 2021 roster with a bevvy of veteran free agent signings this week. Also, a mock draft round up, the latest edition of Hobson's Choice about free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft and the NFL adding a 17th regular season game.

Take a look at which players media outlets are predicting the Bengals select in their most recent mock drafts. Oregon tackle Penei Sewell, LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts headline the potential selections with the No. 5 overall pick. 

Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase did Wednesday what Joe Burrow didn't have the chance to do last year when he did everything but swipe Superman's cape at the LSU pro day with a sub 4.4-second 40-yard dash, a vertical leap north of 40 inches and an 11-foot broad jump longer than sane. And old friend Kevin Coyle says you haven't seen anything yet.

The Bengals turned to a familiar face Tuesday when they signed fan favorite Mike Daniels for another year-long hitch on the defensive front. But any similarities to that defense and his off-season preparation are strictly coincidental.

The defensive end played in 14 games with four starts for the Bengals in 2020 and totaled 17 tackles and two PDs.

Last season for the Bengals, defensive tackle Mike Daniels played and started 11 games and totaled 17 tackles. For his career, he has played in 122 games (85 starts) and totaled 252 tackles, 30 sacks, an INT, five PDs, two FFs and three FRs (including one returned for a TD).

The Bengals 17th game will be against the San Francisco 49ers at Paul Brown Stadium. The move to a 17-game season marks the first change to the season structure since the 1978 campaign ushered in an era of 16 regular-season and four preseason games. 

The Bengals signed unrestricted free agent G Quinton Spain to a one-year contract for the 2021 season. Spain last season signed with Cincinnati as a free agent on Oct. 30 and went on to play in each of the Bengals' final nine games, making eight starts at three different positions (RG, LG and ROT).

Newest Bengal Ricardo Allen is an example of the class of player the Bengals sensed would be on the market in the year of a league-wide salary cap crunch. An accomplished, experienced yet still fairly young player with 76 NFL starts.

Safety Ricardo Allen, a seventh-year player out of Purdue University, originally was a fifth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2014. He has played in 77 career games (all with Atlanta), and has 321 tackles, a sack, 26 PDs, 11 INTs and a FR. 

Linebacker Jordan Evans, a fifth-year player out of the University of Oklahoma, originally was a sixth-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2017. He has spent his entire career with Cincinnati and played in 60 games.

It's the "Moneytalk" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham and Geoff Hobson discuss the Bengals moves in free agency and answer questions from fans.

After securing five new starters and seven new players in free agency, will the Bengals trade out of No. 5 in the NFL Draft? They had to smile on Friday when the Dolphins made a trade in front of them as a dream scenario continues to beckon. Maybe they get a shot at the top non-quarterback?

As the Bengals continued to make moves during free agency, a look at how those moves will help the pass rush and playmaking ability on the defense. Also, how quarterback Joe Burrow put his stamp on the roster and why safety Jessie Bates III is taking on a more significant leadership role.

Thomas played in 14 games for Cincinnati last season and caught 13 passes for 132 yards and a TD. For his career, he has 23 catches for 276 yards and a TD.

After the first 10 revolving-door days of NFL free agency, here is one person's roster reset and pure speculation on what could be next at each position.

The Baseball Player from Grimsley High School and The Extra Large Kid from Ragsdale High back in the day in Greensboro, N.C., finally find themselves together in the revamped middle of a reconstituted Bengals defense.

The Baseball Player, the incumbent nose tackle D.J. Reader, has been sending texts to The Extra Large Kid since about the time Larry Ogunjobi followed Reader into the NFL Draft a year later. But this text, sent last week in the early hours of NFL free agency, was different.

Last season for the Bengals, he played in all 16 games (one start) and rushed 63 times for 301 yards (4.8) and three TDs.

The Bengals are hoping cornerback Eli Apple's enormous talents find a home after reports have them welcoming back guard Quinton Spain.

Cornerback Eli Apple has played in 57 career games for the Giants, Saints and Panthers, and has 219 tackles, 33 PDs, three INTs, three FFs and five FRs.

Free safety Jessie Bates III is flexing his leadership muscles as he joins fellow veterans Vonn Bell and D.J. Reader to get their new look defense in focus.

Off his career year and a 17-game season away from tying Ken Riley as the Bengals' all-time leader in games played, Cincinnati's own Kevin Huber agreed to come back to the Bengals Monday for a 13th season as their punter. "He's like a fine bourbon," says special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. "He gets better with age."

Kevin Huber stands as the team's career leader in every significant punting category, including total (914), yards (41,362), gross average (45.25), net average (40.22) and inside-20s (315).

The concert was scheduled for May 1, 2021, the new date will now be September 18, 2021. All tickets will be honored.

After the Bengals signed four defensive starters in last week's first and most costly week of free agency, the defense had a younger, bigger play-making look.

It's the "You Better Shop Around" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham discuss free agency and answer the fans' #AskLap questions. Plus, a tribute to A.J. Green after a memorable decade in Cincinnati.

The author on the next book about the Bengals is going to have to circle March 19, 2021. It's the day the Bengals officially became the team of quarterback Joe Burrow in his second season in the second year of the second decade of the Zooming '20s. He could have lit a cigar like he did to celebrate LSU's national championship. But his new right tackle, battle-tested vet Riley Reiff fresh from old friend Mike Zimmer's NFC wars in Minnesota, got the stogy instead. 

Larry Ogunjobi made a tough day at Paul Brown Stadium a little easier Friday. It's not many days in the history of a franchise you say good-bye to a potential first ballot Hall-of-Famer, but the Bengals had to do it to get the things done they need to get done when they released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins. But, the guy they brought into replace Atkins is a Geno protégé.

The Bengals have agreed to trade QB Ryan Finley to the Houston Texans and terminated the contracts of DT Geno Atkins and OT Bobby Hart.

The Bengals announced the signing of five free agents: CB Chidobe Awuzie, DE Trey Hendrickson, CB Mike Hilton, DT Larry Ogunjobi and OT Riley Reiff.

In order free up salary cap room after committing about $130 million on five new starters in free agency, the Bengals on Friday released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins.

The Bengals added their fifth starter during a whirlwind Friday morning in free agency when they hosted, signed and introduced veteran tackle Riley Reiff via Zoom at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Bengals are adding exciting new benefits in 2021 that provide additional value to Season Ticket Members as part of the team's #NewStripes campaign.

It was a busy week for the Bengals as the start of free agency began with the team signing playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. Also, a tribute and thank you to wide receiver A.J. Green and how Tee Higgins is ready to step into the No. 1 role.

Mike Hilton, one of the new Bengals to be introduced Friday morning via Zoom when they visit Paul Brown Stadium to sign their deals, has already been here and had a front-row seat back on a Monday night in December when his new strong safety made a hit they hope sets the tone for the coming years.

A.J. Green's final play as a Bengal shows you why he's one of the most significant people in franchise history. Far removed from one of his spectacular sleight-of-hand bits that made geometry invisible when the show was at its apex, it is a simple gesture of respect and kindness. A mere trip up the stairs to Paul Brown Stadium and the corner office, where Green had an idea Bengals president Mike Brown wouldn't be surprised to see him.

The Bengals today re-signed free agent CB Tony Brown to a one-year contract for the 2021 season.

A.J. Green officially passed the torch to Tee Higgins Wednesday when reports had the Bengals seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver signing a one-year deal in Arizona. Higgins plans to take it and run with it.

"I'm obsessed with quarterbacks," says Trey Hendrickson, reportedly one of the newest Bengals. "If I'm not sacking them, they're my water break. It's a lifestyle. For a defensive end, everything has to do with quarterbacks. I'm fortunate to have such a great quarterback at the helm for us." His old teammate in New Orleans, Bengals' strong safety Vonn Bell, offers a ringing endorsement.

During one of the greatest and classiest careers in Bengals history, A.J. Green always modeled himself after the stately Larry Fitzgerald. Now he may replace Fitzgerald in Arizona. Or, two of the greatest wide receivers of the NFL's Madden generation could be teammates, according to reports.

As reports surged through the first 30 hours or so of NFL free agency, the Bengals not only turned out to be as active as they were last year but also as defensive-minded when reports had them agreeing to terms with three new starters on that side of the ball by committing more than $100 million.

Safety Brandon Wilson, a fifth-year player in 2021, originally was a sixth-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2017. He has played in 51 career games (two starts) and has 24 tackles and three forced fumbles on defense, along with 29 tackles on special teams.

The Bengals finished off the revamping of their starting secondary that began last year in free agency when they added their second starting cornerback in four hours Tuesday as they reportedly agreed to terms with one of the league's best slot men and a respected division foe in the Steelers' Mike Hilton.

A day after securing one of the NFL's more prolific pass rushers, the Bengals added a solid starting cornerback in the Cowboys' Chidobe Awuzie. 

The Bengals went into free agency looking to beef up their pass rush and according to multiple reports Monday night they came out of the first day locking up one of the league's hottest young pass rushers for the next four years in the Saints' Trey Hendrickson.

The big buzz sizzling around the Bengals as they head into the beginning of the NFL new year is if they have an encore up their sleeve after last year's record spending in free agency. The only answer is wait and see. That's what Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said when he vowed his team would get involved in an effort to upgrade a variety of positions.

Free agency launches when the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 17. Here is a full list of Bengals players scheduled to become free agents.

If John Thornton were hitting the market next week like he did at the turn of the century when he became one of the most important free-agent signings in Bengals history, he figures he'd be getting on a Zoom call instead of an airplane. The former defensive tackle-turned agent tells the Old School Scribe Podcast of free agency then and now  and how he helped turn Chad Johnson into a social media pioneer. And other topics.

In the latest "Week In Review," the Bengals prepare for the start of free agency as director of player personnel Duke Tobin said the team will not shy away from making news when free agency starts next week. Also, a look at the importance of re-signing quarterback Brandon Allen and Zac Taylor talked about his excitement for next season.

The one-year deal Brandon Allen signed this week may even come with a space in the main locker room after he appeared to cap his rise from Bengals quarantine quarterback to primary back-up quarterback during Joe Burrow's rehab. Allen won't go that far, but it certainly looks to be a promotion. "I definitely don't want to be the COVID-stand-in-the-back-watch guy anymore."

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor hasn't seen any video of Joe Burrow running or throwing, but he says franchise quarterback is on pace during his rehab for a reconstructed knee.

Brandon Allen, a fifth-year player in 2021, originally joined the Bengals last August as a free agent. He went on to play in five games (all starts) and complete 90 of 142 passes for 925 yards, five TDs and four INTs (82.0 rating). 

The Bengals showed a glimpse of the cards they're going to play in free agency next week when Tuesday's deadline to issue the franchise designation came and went. They didn't use it as they cemented rare financial flexibility in a league facing a reduced salary cap for the first time in history.

With pro days beginning in earnest this week, this year's version of campus workouts signal the Bengals are entering the next phase of the biggest unknown draft in the 50 years of the NFL merger and Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin is vowing to find the age-old answers despite the limits of a pandemic-laced process.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin didn't drop any Oprah bombshells in his first media availability of the offseason, but he also made it clear Monday that they aren't going to shy away from making news when free agency starts next week.

With many NFL teams strapped under a slashed salary cap and his team possessing financial flexibility, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said Monday his team hopes to get involved when free agency begins next week. 

With free agency in a week, Bengaldom is poised.

It's the "Big Decisions" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dave Lapham joins Dan Hoard to answer the fans #AskLap questions about the draft, free agency and salary cap.

One of the reasons Clark Harris just signed up for another year as the Bengals long snapper is because he says he still has the mindset of a teenager. Which is about right because the kids who were born when the Packers took him in the seventh round of the 2007 draft are now teenagers.

It's the "Sharp Dressed Man" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast with Elizabeth Blackburn, the Bengals Director of Strategy and Engagement, on Monday's unveiling of new uniforms. Also, insight about two 2021 NFL Draft prospects, Oregon tackle Penei Sewell and LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase from their college coaches.

This week the Bengals announced the unveiling of their new uniforms will take place Monday, April 19. Also, a retrospective about the Bengals founder Paul Brown and his influence on the team today, why cornerback Trae Waynes is back and better than ever and the latest edition of Hobson's Choice looking at the 2021 NFL Draft.

Trae Waynes still remembers the rep. He still remembers the set. He still remembers the weight.

He still can't believe his shoulder exploded, blowing up his season with surgery that wiped out his 2020 season before it even began. But what he can believe is that whenever the Bengals get back on the practice field, he'll be out there.

The quest to design the Bengals' new uniforms, a two-and-a-half-year journey that ends with Monday's unveiling, began at the top. Team founder Paul Brown's iconic black striped helmet, still relevant and riveting 40 years later, has ushered in the next generation of football fashion.

From the corner office of Bengals president Mike Brown, the man that ran the club with his father during the first 23 seasons of the franchise, all the way down the food chain to the press box, there are people at Paul Brown Stadium that knew Paul Brown when he was a man and not a stadium.

Tight End Thaddeus Moss (6-3, 249), a second-year player out of Louisiana State University, originally was a college free agent signee of Washington in 2020. 

Available for iOS and Android devices, the Official Bengals App provides a customized experience using single sign on. Fans can personalize their mobile experience by selecting which types of content they want to surface on their home screen, while they show their new stripes with a Bengals background and icon of their choosing (iOS only) to match.

It's the "It's Time" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as the team announced a Ring of Honor to Paul Brown Stadium. Listen to interviews with Elizabeth Blackburn, the Bengals Director of Strategy and Engagement and Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz about the Ring of Honor.

As the draft heats up, so does the discussion. The password in Bengaldom these days seems to be one of three names.

Leave it to the conscience of Bengaldom, the team's long-time radio analyst and Super Bowl guard Dave Lapham, to sum up Thursday's unveiling of the Bengals Ring of Honor. Two guys who figure to be in there sooner rather than later, the Andersons, agree.

Cioffi, who brings 22 years of NFL coaching experience, previously was a Bengals assistant from 1997-2010.

It was a busy week for the Bengals as the franchise announced the formation of a Ring of Honor to recognize former players, coaches and individuals who have played a significant role in the franchise's history and tradition. Also this week, Duke Tobin keeps all his options open with the No. 5 overall pick and a look at the progress center Trey Hopkins has made in his injury recovery.

When it comes to football, Bengals president Mike Brown can tell a Pro Bowl story. Last month he gave Anthony Munoz, his Pro Football Hall of Fame left tackle, a tale worthy of the new Bengals Ring of Honor that was unveiled Thursday.

The Ring of Honor will be a recurring tradition. The first two members of the inaugural class are Paul Brown and Anthony Muñoz. Season Ticket Members and Suite Owners will select the remaining two members from a ballot that will be released in May.

Giovani Bernard's Bengals career began with a thank you note to club president Mike Brown eight years ago and it is probably going end with one Wednesday night when Bernard gets a chance to get away from the phone to write one.

Three weeks after moving on from their most tenured player on defense, the Bengals continued to revamp their roster Wednesday when they released running back Giovani Bernard, their most tenured offensive player. Last month's release of defensive tackle Geno Atkins and Wednesday's move with Bernard leaves linebacker Jordan Evans' 60 games and wide receiver Tyler Boyd 's 71 games the most Bengals games on defense and offense, respectively.

A ninth-year player out of the University of North Carolina, Bernard originally was a second-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2013. 

Even though he tore his ACL in the season finale back on Jan. 3, Bengals center Trey Hopkins calls his injured knee the last gift of a malevolent 2020. But he's spent the early part of 2021 turning the calendar back to the good old days as he embraces a smooth rehab and the return of offensive line coach Frank Pollack.

Duke Tobin says the Bengals are going to have a chance at one of the NFL Draft's top players with the fifth pick later this month and aren't interested in losing a premier prospect with a trade. But in Monday's Bengals Booth podcast with play-by-play announcer Dan Hoard and an interview with Bengals.com, Tobin, the club's director of player personnel, said they'll listen to all trade offers. Tobin also addressed a raft of issues including how well free agency has set up the draft, the length of Penei Sewell's arm and the option of re-signing Geno Atkins.

On a day people couldn't stop talking about Penei Sewell's arms, franchise legend and offensive line guru Willie Anderson praised his ankles. And pretty much everything else.

Welcome to the second Bengals.com Media Mock Draft of the year, but the first one with a trade.

The Bengals continued to fill out their 2021 roster with a bevvy of veteran free agent signings this week. Also, a mock draft round up, the latest edition of Hobson's Choice about free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft and the NFL adding a 17th regular season game.

Take a look at which players media outlets are predicting the Bengals select in their most recent mock drafts. Oregon tackle Penei Sewell, LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts headline the potential selections with the No. 5 overall pick. 

Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase did Wednesday what Joe Burrow didn't have the chance to do last year when he did everything but swipe Superman's cape at the LSU pro day with a sub 4.4-second 40-yard dash, a vertical leap north of 40 inches and an 11-foot broad jump longer than sane. And old friend Kevin Coyle says you haven't seen anything yet.

The Bengals turned to a familiar face Tuesday when they signed fan favorite Mike Daniels for another year-long hitch on the defensive front. But any similarities to that defense and his off-season preparation are strictly coincidental.

The defensive end played in 14 games with four starts for the Bengals in 2020 and totaled 17 tackles and two PDs.

Last season for the Bengals, defensive tackle Mike Daniels played and started 11 games and totaled 17 tackles. For his career, he has played in 122 games (85 starts) and totaled 252 tackles, 30 sacks, an INT, five PDs, two FFs and three FRs (including one returned for a TD).

The Bengals 17th game will be against the San Francisco 49ers at Paul Brown Stadium. The move to a 17-game season marks the first change to the season structure since the 1978 campaign ushered in an era of 16 regular-season and four preseason games. 

The Bengals signed unrestricted free agent G Quinton Spain to a one-year contract for the 2021 season. Spain last season signed with Cincinnati as a free agent on Oct. 30 and went on to play in each of the Bengals' final nine games, making eight starts at three different positions (RG, LG and ROT).

Newest Bengal Ricardo Allen is an example of the class of player the Bengals sensed would be on the market in the year of a league-wide salary cap crunch. An accomplished, experienced yet still fairly young player with 76 NFL starts.

Safety Ricardo Allen, a seventh-year player out of Purdue University, originally was a fifth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2014. He has played in 77 career games (all with Atlanta), and has 321 tackles, a sack, 26 PDs, 11 INTs and a FR. 

Linebacker Jordan Evans, a fifth-year player out of the University of Oklahoma, originally was a sixth-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2017. He has spent his entire career with Cincinnati and played in 60 games.

It's the "Moneytalk" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham and Geoff Hobson discuss the Bengals moves in free agency and answer questions from fans.

After securing five new starters and seven new players in free agency, will the Bengals trade out of No. 5 in the NFL Draft? They had to smile on Friday when the Dolphins made a trade in front of them as a dream scenario continues to beckon. Maybe they get a shot at the top non-quarterback?

As the Bengals continued to make moves during free agency, a look at how those moves will help the pass rush and playmaking ability on the defense. Also, how quarterback Joe Burrow put his stamp on the roster and why safety Jessie Bates III is taking on a more significant leadership role.

Thomas played in 14 games for Cincinnati last season and caught 13 passes for 132 yards and a TD. For his career, he has 23 catches for 276 yards and a TD.

After the first 10 revolving-door days of NFL free agency, here is one person's roster reset and pure speculation on what could be next at each position.

The Baseball Player from Grimsley High School and The Extra Large Kid from Ragsdale High back in the day in Greensboro, N.C., finally find themselves together in the revamped middle of a reconstituted Bengals defense.

The Baseball Player, the incumbent nose tackle D.J. Reader, has been sending texts to The Extra Large Kid since about the time Larry Ogunjobi followed Reader into the NFL Draft a year later. But this text, sent last week in the early hours of NFL free agency, was different.

Last season for the Bengals, he played in all 16 games (one start) and rushed 63 times for 301 yards (4.8) and three TDs.

The Bengals are hoping cornerback Eli Apple's enormous talents find a home after reports have them welcoming back guard Quinton Spain.

Cornerback Eli Apple has played in 57 career games for the Giants, Saints and Panthers, and has 219 tackles, 33 PDs, three INTs, three FFs and five FRs.

Free safety Jessie Bates III is flexing his leadership muscles as he joins fellow veterans Vonn Bell and D.J. Reader to get their new look defense in focus.

Off his career year and a 17-game season away from tying Ken Riley as the Bengals' all-time leader in games played, Cincinnati's own Kevin Huber agreed to come back to the Bengals Monday for a 13th season as their punter. "He's like a fine bourbon," says special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. "He gets better with age."

Kevin Huber stands as the team's career leader in every significant punting category, including total (914), yards (41,362), gross average (45.25), net average (40.22) and inside-20s (315).

The concert was scheduled for May 1, 2021, the new date will now be September 18, 2021. All tickets will be honored.

After the Bengals signed four defensive starters in last week's first and most costly week of free agency, the defense had a younger, bigger play-making look.

It's the "You Better Shop Around" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham discuss free agency and answer the fans' #AskLap questions. Plus, a tribute to A.J. Green after a memorable decade in Cincinnati.

The author on the next book about the Bengals is going to have to circle March 19, 2021. It's the day the Bengals officially became the team of quarterback Joe Burrow in his second season in the second year of the second decade of the Zooming '20s. He could have lit a cigar like he did to celebrate LSU's national championship. But his new right tackle, battle-tested vet Riley Reiff fresh from old friend Mike Zimmer's NFC wars in Minnesota, got the stogy instead. 

Larry Ogunjobi made a tough day at Paul Brown Stadium a little easier Friday. It's not many days in the history of a franchise you say good-bye to a potential first ballot Hall-of-Famer, but the Bengals had to do it to get the things done they need to get done when they released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins. But, the guy they brought into replace Atkins is a Geno protégé.

The Bengals have agreed to trade QB Ryan Finley to the Houston Texans and terminated the contracts of DT Geno Atkins and OT Bobby Hart.

The Bengals announced the signing of five free agents: CB Chidobe Awuzie, DE Trey Hendrickson, CB Mike Hilton, DT Larry Ogunjobi and OT Riley Reiff.

In order free up salary cap room after committing about $130 million on five new starters in free agency, the Bengals on Friday released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins.

The Bengals added their fifth starter during a whirlwind Friday morning in free agency when they hosted, signed and introduced veteran tackle Riley Reiff via Zoom at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Bengals are adding exciting new benefits in 2021 that provide additional value to Season Ticket Members as part of the team's #NewStripes campaign.

It was a busy week for the Bengals as the start of free agency began with the team signing playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. Also, a tribute and thank you to wide receiver A.J. Green and how Tee Higgins is ready to step into the No. 1 role.

Mike Hilton, one of the new Bengals to be introduced Friday morning via Zoom when they visit Paul Brown Stadium to sign their deals, has already been here and had a front-row seat back on a Monday night in December when his new strong safety made a hit they hope sets the tone for the coming years.

A.J. Green's final play as a Bengal shows you why he's one of the most significant people in franchise history. Far removed from one of his spectacular sleight-of-hand bits that made geometry invisible when the show was at its apex, it is a simple gesture of respect and kindness. A mere trip up the stairs to Paul Brown Stadium and the corner office, where Green had an idea Bengals president Mike Brown wouldn't be surprised to see him.

The Bengals today re-signed free agent CB Tony Brown to a one-year contract for the 2021 season.

A.J. Green officially passed the torch to Tee Higgins Wednesday when reports had the Bengals seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver signing a one-year deal in Arizona. Higgins plans to take it and run with it.

"I'm obsessed with quarterbacks," says Trey Hendrickson, reportedly one of the newest Bengals. "If I'm not sacking them, they're my water break. It's a lifestyle. For a defensive end, everything has to do with quarterbacks. I'm fortunate to have such a great quarterback at the helm for us." His old teammate in New Orleans, Bengals' strong safety Vonn Bell, offers a ringing endorsement.

During one of the greatest and classiest careers in Bengals history, A.J. Green always modeled himself after the stately Larry Fitzgerald. Now he may replace Fitzgerald in Arizona. Or, two of the greatest wide receivers of the NFL's Madden generation could be teammates, according to reports.

As reports surged through the first 30 hours or so of NFL free agency, the Bengals not only turned out to be as active as they were last year but also as defensive-minded when reports had them agreeing to terms with three new starters on that side of the ball by committing more than $100 million.

Safety Brandon Wilson, a fifth-year player in 2021, originally was a sixth-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2017. He has played in 51 career games (two starts) and has 24 tackles and three forced fumbles on defense, along with 29 tackles on special teams.

The Bengals finished off the revamping of their starting secondary that began last year in free agency when they added their second starting cornerback in four hours Tuesday as they reportedly agreed to terms with one of the league's best slot men and a respected division foe in the Steelers' Mike Hilton.

A day after securing one of the NFL's more prolific pass rushers, the Bengals added a solid starting cornerback in the Cowboys' Chidobe Awuzie. 

The Bengals went into free agency looking to beef up their pass rush and according to multiple reports Monday night they came out of the first day locking up one of the league's hottest young pass rushers for the next four years in the Saints' Trey Hendrickson.

The big buzz sizzling around the Bengals as they head into the beginning of the NFL new year is if they have an encore up their sleeve after last year's record spending in free agency. The only answer is wait and see. That's what Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said when he vowed his team would get involved in an effort to upgrade a variety of positions.

Free agency launches when the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 17. Here is a full list of Bengals players scheduled to become free agents.

If John Thornton were hitting the market next week like he did at the turn of the century when he became one of the most important free-agent signings in Bengals history, he figures he'd be getting on a Zoom call instead of an airplane. The former defensive tackle-turned agent tells the Old School Scribe Podcast of free agency then and now  and how he helped turn Chad Johnson into a social media pioneer. And other topics.

In the latest "Week In Review," the Bengals prepare for the start of free agency as director of player personnel Duke Tobin said the team will not shy away from making news when free agency starts next week. Also, a look at the importance of re-signing quarterback Brandon Allen and Zac Taylor talked about his excitement for next season.

The one-year deal Brandon Allen signed this week may even come with a space in the main locker room after he appeared to cap his rise from Bengals quarantine quarterback to primary back-up quarterback during Joe Burrow's rehab. Allen won't go that far, but it certainly looks to be a promotion. "I definitely don't want to be the COVID-stand-in-the-back-watch guy anymore."

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor hasn't seen any video of Joe Burrow running or throwing, but he says franchise quarterback is on pace during his rehab for a reconstructed knee.

Brandon Allen, a fifth-year player in 2021, originally joined the Bengals last August as a free agent. He went on to play in five games (all starts) and complete 90 of 142 passes for 925 yards, five TDs and four INTs (82.0 rating). 

The Bengals showed a glimpse of the cards they're going to play in free agency next week when Tuesday's deadline to issue the franchise designation came and went. They didn't use it as they cemented rare financial flexibility in a league facing a reduced salary cap for the first time in history.

With pro days beginning in earnest this week, this year's version of campus workouts signal the Bengals are entering the next phase of the biggest unknown draft in the 50 years of the NFL merger and Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin is vowing to find the age-old answers despite the limits of a pandemic-laced process.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin didn't drop any Oprah bombshells in his first media availability of the offseason, but he also made it clear Monday that they aren't going to shy away from making news when free agency starts next week.

With many NFL teams strapped under a slashed salary cap and his team possessing financial flexibility, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said Monday his team hopes to get involved when free agency begins next week. 

With free agency in a week, Bengaldom is poised.

It's the "Big Decisions" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dave Lapham joins Dan Hoard to answer the fans #AskLap questions about the draft, free agency and salary cap.

One of the reasons Clark Harris just signed up for another year as the Bengals long snapper is because he says he still has the mindset of a teenager. Which is about right because the kids who were born when the Packers took him in the seventh round of the 2007 draft are now teenagers.

It's the "Sharp Dressed Man" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast with Elizabeth Blackburn, the Bengals Director of Strategy and Engagement, on Monday's unveiling of new uniforms. Also, insight about two 2021 NFL Draft prospects, Oregon tackle Penei Sewell and LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase from their college coaches.

This week the Bengals announced the unveiling of their new uniforms will take place Monday, April 19. Also, a retrospective about the Bengals founder Paul Brown and his influence on the team today, why cornerback Trae Waynes is back and better than ever and the latest edition of Hobson's Choice looking at the 2021 NFL Draft.

Trae Waynes still remembers the rep. He still remembers the set. He still remembers the weight.

He still can't believe his shoulder exploded, blowing up his season with surgery that wiped out his 2020 season before it even began. But what he can believe is that whenever the Bengals get back on the practice field, he'll be out there.

The quest to design the Bengals' new uniforms, a two-and-a-half-year journey that ends with Monday's unveiling, began at the top. Team founder Paul Brown's iconic black striped helmet, still relevant and riveting 40 years later, has ushered in the next generation of football fashion.

From the corner office of Bengals president Mike Brown, the man that ran the club with his father during the first 23 seasons of the franchise, all the way down the food chain to the press box, there are people at Paul Brown Stadium that knew Paul Brown when he was a man and not a stadium.

Tight End Thaddeus Moss (6-3, 249), a second-year player out of Louisiana State University, originally was a college free agent signee of Washington in 2020. 

Available for iOS and Android devices, the Official Bengals App provides a customized experience using single sign on. Fans can personalize their mobile experience by selecting which types of content they want to surface on their home screen, while they show their new stripes with a Bengals background and icon of their choosing (iOS only) to match.

It's the "It's Time" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as the team announced a Ring of Honor to Paul Brown Stadium. Listen to interviews with Elizabeth Blackburn, the Bengals Director of Strategy and Engagement and Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz about the Ring of Honor.

As the draft heats up, so does the discussion. The password in Bengaldom these days seems to be one of three names.

Leave it to the conscience of Bengaldom, the team's long-time radio analyst and Super Bowl guard Dave Lapham, to sum up Thursday's unveiling of the Bengals Ring of Honor. Two guys who figure to be in there sooner rather than later, the Andersons, agree.

Cioffi, who brings 22 years of NFL coaching experience, previously was a Bengals assistant from 1997-2010.

It was a busy week for the Bengals as the franchise announced the formation of a Ring of Honor to recognize former players, coaches and individuals who have played a significant role in the franchise's history and tradition. Also this week, Duke Tobin keeps all his options open with the No. 5 overall pick and a look at the progress center Trey Hopkins has made in his injury recovery.

When it comes to football, Bengals president Mike Brown can tell a Pro Bowl story. Last month he gave Anthony Munoz, his Pro Football Hall of Fame left tackle, a tale worthy of the new Bengals Ring of Honor that was unveiled Thursday.

The Ring of Honor will be a recurring tradition. The first two members of the inaugural class are Paul Brown and Anthony Muñoz. Season Ticket Members and Suite Owners will select the remaining two members from a ballot that will be released in May.

Giovani Bernard's Bengals career began with a thank you note to club president Mike Brown eight years ago and it is probably going end with one Wednesday night when Bernard gets a chance to get away from the phone to write one.

Three weeks after moving on from their most tenured player on defense, the Bengals continued to revamp their roster Wednesday when they released running back Giovani Bernard, their most tenured offensive player. Last month's release of defensive tackle Geno Atkins and Wednesday's move with Bernard leaves linebacker Jordan Evans' 60 games and wide receiver Tyler Boyd 's 71 games the most Bengals games on defense and offense, respectively.

A ninth-year player out of the University of North Carolina, Bernard originally was a second-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2013. 

Even though he tore his ACL in the season finale back on Jan. 3, Bengals center Trey Hopkins calls his injured knee the last gift of a malevolent 2020. But he's spent the early part of 2021 turning the calendar back to the good old days as he embraces a smooth rehab and the return of offensive line coach Frank Pollack.

Duke Tobin says the Bengals are going to have a chance at one of the NFL Draft's top players with the fifth pick later this month and aren't interested in losing a premier prospect with a trade. But in Monday's Bengals Booth podcast with play-by-play announcer Dan Hoard and an interview with Bengals.com, Tobin, the club's director of player personnel, said they'll listen to all trade offers. Tobin also addressed a raft of issues including how well free agency has set up the draft, the length of Penei Sewell's arm and the option of re-signing Geno Atkins.

On a day people couldn't stop talking about Penei Sewell's arms, franchise legend and offensive line guru Willie Anderson praised his ankles. And pretty much everything else.

Welcome to the second Bengals.com Media Mock Draft of the year, but the first one with a trade.

The Bengals continued to fill out their 2021 roster with a bevvy of veteran free agent signings this week. Also, a mock draft round up, the latest edition of Hobson's Choice about free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft and the NFL adding a 17th regular season game.

Take a look at which players media outlets are predicting the Bengals select in their most recent mock drafts. Oregon tackle Penei Sewell, LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts headline the potential selections with the No. 5 overall pick. 

Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase did Wednesday what Joe Burrow didn't have the chance to do last year when he did everything but swipe Superman's cape at the LSU pro day with a sub 4.4-second 40-yard dash, a vertical leap north of 40 inches and an 11-foot broad jump longer than sane. And old friend Kevin Coyle says you haven't seen anything yet.

The Bengals turned to a familiar face Tuesday when they signed fan favorite Mike Daniels for another year-long hitch on the defensive front. But any similarities to that defense and his off-season preparation are strictly coincidental.

The defensive end played in 14 games with four starts for the Bengals in 2020 and totaled 17 tackles and two PDs.

Last season for the Bengals, defensive tackle Mike Daniels played and started 11 games and totaled 17 tackles. For his career, he has played in 122 games (85 starts) and totaled 252 tackles, 30 sacks, an INT, five PDs, two FFs and three FRs (including one returned for a TD).

The Bengals 17th game will be against the San Francisco 49ers at Paul Brown Stadium. The move to a 17-game season marks the first change to the season structure since the 1978 campaign ushered in an era of 16 regular-season and four preseason games. 

The Bengals signed unrestricted free agent G Quinton Spain to a one-year contract for the 2021 season. Spain last season signed with Cincinnati as a free agent on Oct. 30 and went on to play in each of the Bengals' final nine games, making eight starts at three different positions (RG, LG and ROT).

Newest Bengal Ricardo Allen is an example of the class of player the Bengals sensed would be on the market in the year of a league-wide salary cap crunch. An accomplished, experienced yet still fairly young player with 76 NFL starts.

Safety Ricardo Allen, a seventh-year player out of Purdue University, originally was a fifth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2014. He has played in 77 career games (all with Atlanta), and has 321 tackles, a sack, 26 PDs, 11 INTs and a FR. 

Linebacker Jordan Evans, a fifth-year player out of the University of Oklahoma, originally was a sixth-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2017. He has spent his entire career with Cincinnati and played in 60 games.

It's the "Moneytalk" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham and Geoff Hobson discuss the Bengals moves in free agency and answer questions from fans.

After securing five new starters and seven new players in free agency, will the Bengals trade out of No. 5 in the NFL Draft? They had to smile on Friday when the Dolphins made a trade in front of them as a dream scenario continues to beckon. Maybe they get a shot at the top non-quarterback?

As the Bengals continued to make moves during free agency, a look at how those moves will help the pass rush and playmaking ability on the defense. Also, how quarterback Joe Burrow put his stamp on the roster and why safety Jessie Bates III is taking on a more significant leadership role.

Thomas played in 14 games for Cincinnati last season and caught 13 passes for 132 yards and a TD. For his career, he has 23 catches for 276 yards and a TD.

After the first 10 revolving-door days of NFL free agency, here is one person's roster reset and pure speculation on what could be next at each position.

The Baseball Player from Grimsley High School and The Extra Large Kid from Ragsdale High back in the day in Greensboro, N.C., finally find themselves together in the revamped middle of a reconstituted Bengals defense.

The Baseball Player, the incumbent nose tackle D.J. Reader, has been sending texts to The Extra Large Kid since about the time Larry Ogunjobi followed Reader into the NFL Draft a year later. But this text, sent last week in the early hours of NFL free agency, was different.

Last season for the Bengals, he played in all 16 games (one start) and rushed 63 times for 301 yards (4.8) and three TDs.

The Bengals are hoping cornerback Eli Apple's enormous talents find a home after reports have them welcoming back guard Quinton Spain.

Cornerback Eli Apple has played in 57 career games for the Giants, Saints and Panthers, and has 219 tackles, 33 PDs, three INTs, three FFs and five FRs.

Free safety Jessie Bates III is flexing his leadership muscles as he joins fellow veterans Vonn Bell and D.J. Reader to get their new look defense in focus.

Off his career year and a 17-game season away from tying Ken Riley as the Bengals' all-time leader in games played, Cincinnati's own Kevin Huber agreed to come back to the Bengals Monday for a 13th season as their punter. "He's like a fine bourbon," says special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. "He gets better with age."

Kevin Huber stands as the team's career leader in every significant punting category, including total (914), yards (41,362), gross average (45.25), net average (40.22) and inside-20s (315).

The concert was scheduled for May 1, 2021, the new date will now be September 18, 2021. All tickets will be honored.

After the Bengals signed four defensive starters in last week's first and most costly week of free agency, the defense had a younger, bigger play-making look.

It's the "You Better Shop Around" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham discuss free agency and answer the fans' #AskLap questions. Plus, a tribute to A.J. Green after a memorable decade in Cincinnati.

The author on the next book about the Bengals is going to have to circle March 19, 2021. It's the day the Bengals officially became the team of quarterback Joe Burrow in his second season in the second year of the second decade of the Zooming '20s. He could have lit a cigar like he did to celebrate LSU's national championship. But his new right tackle, battle-tested vet Riley Reiff fresh from old friend Mike Zimmer's NFC wars in Minnesota, got the stogy instead. 

Larry Ogunjobi made a tough day at Paul Brown Stadium a little easier Friday. It's not many days in the history of a franchise you say good-bye to a potential first ballot Hall-of-Famer, but the Bengals had to do it to get the things done they need to get done when they released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins. But, the guy they brought into replace Atkins is a Geno protégé.

The Bengals have agreed to trade QB Ryan Finley to the Houston Texans and terminated the contracts of DT Geno Atkins and OT Bobby Hart.

The Bengals announced the signing of five free agents: CB Chidobe Awuzie, DE Trey Hendrickson, CB Mike Hilton, DT Larry Ogunjobi and OT Riley Reiff.

In order free up salary cap room after committing about $130 million on five new starters in free agency, the Bengals on Friday released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins.

The Bengals added their fifth starter during a whirlwind Friday morning in free agency when they hosted, signed and introduced veteran tackle Riley Reiff via Zoom at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Bengals are adding exciting new benefits in 2021 that provide additional value to Season Ticket Members as part of the team's #NewStripes campaign.

It was a busy week for the Bengals as the start of free agency began with the team signing playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. Also, a tribute and thank you to wide receiver A.J. Green and how Tee Higgins is ready to step into the No. 1 role.

Mike Hilton, one of the new Bengals to be introduced Friday morning via Zoom when they visit Paul Brown Stadium to sign their deals, has already been here and had a front-row seat back on a Monday night in December when his new strong safety made a hit they hope sets the tone for the coming years.

A.J. Green's final play as a Bengal shows you why he's one of the most significant people in franchise history. Far removed from one of his spectacular sleight-of-hand bits that made geometry invisible when the show was at its apex, it is a simple gesture of respect and kindness. A mere trip up the stairs to Paul Brown Stadium and the corner office, where Green had an idea Bengals president Mike Brown wouldn't be surprised to see him.

The Bengals today re-signed free agent CB Tony Brown to a one-year contract for the 2021 season.

A.J. Green officially passed the torch to Tee Higgins Wednesday when reports had the Bengals seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver signing a one-year deal in Arizona. Higgins plans to take it and run with it.

"I'm obsessed with quarterbacks," says Trey Hendrickson, reportedly one of the newest Bengals. "If I'm not sacking them, they're my water break. It's a lifestyle. For a defensive end, everything has to do with quarterbacks. I'm fortunate to have such a great quarterback at the helm for us." His old teammate in New Orleans, Bengals' strong safety Vonn Bell, offers a ringing endorsement.

During one of the greatest and classiest careers in Bengals history, A.J. Green always modeled himself after the stately Larry Fitzgerald. Now he may replace Fitzgerald in Arizona. Or, two of the greatest wide receivers of the NFL's Madden generation could be teammates, according to reports.

As reports surged through the first 30 hours or so of NFL free agency, the Bengals not only turned out to be as active as they were last year but also as defensive-minded when reports had them agreeing to terms with three new starters on that side of the ball by committing more than $100 million.

Safety Brandon Wilson, a fifth-year player in 2021, originally was a sixth-round draft pick of the Bengals in 2017. He has played in 51 career games (two starts) and has 24 tackles and three forced fumbles on defense, along with 29 tackles on special teams.

The Bengals finished off the revamping of their starting secondary that began last year in free agency when they added their second starting cornerback in four hours Tuesday as they reportedly agreed to terms with one of the league's best slot men and a respected division foe in the Steelers' Mike Hilton.

A day after securing one of the NFL's more prolific pass rushers, the Bengals added a solid starting cornerback in the Cowboys' Chidobe Awuzie. 

The Bengals went into free agency looking to beef up their pass rush and according to multiple reports Monday night they came out of the first day locking up one of the league's hottest young pass rushers for the next four years in the Saints' Trey Hendrickson.

The big buzz sizzling around the Bengals as they head into the beginning of the NFL new year is if they have an encore up their sleeve after last year's record spending in free agency. The only answer is wait and see. That's what Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said when he vowed his team would get involved in an effort to upgrade a variety of positions.

Free agency launches when the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 17. Here is a full list of Bengals players scheduled to become free agents.

If John Thornton were hitting the market next week like he did at the turn of the century when he became one of the most important free-agent signings in Bengals history, he figures he'd be getting on a Zoom call instead of an airplane. The former defensive tackle-turned agent tells the Old School Scribe Podcast of free agency then and now  and how he helped turn Chad Johnson into a social media pioneer. And other topics.

In the latest "Week In Review," the Bengals prepare for the start of free agency as director of player personnel Duke Tobin said the team will not shy away from making news when free agency starts next week. Also, a look at the importance of re-signing quarterback Brandon Allen and Zac Taylor talked about his excitement for next season.

The one-year deal Brandon Allen signed this week may even come with a space in the main locker room after he appeared to cap his rise from Bengals quarantine quarterback to primary back-up quarterback during Joe Burrow's rehab. Allen won't go that far, but it certainly looks to be a promotion. "I definitely don't want to be the COVID-stand-in-the-back-watch guy anymore."

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor hasn't seen any video of Joe Burrow running or throwing, but he says franchise quarterback is on pace during his rehab for a reconstructed knee.

Brandon Allen, a fifth-year player in 2021, originally joined the Bengals last August as a free agent. He went on to play in five games (all starts) and complete 90 of 142 passes for 925 yards, five TDs and four INTs (82.0 rating). 

The Bengals showed a glimpse of the cards they're going to play in free agency next week when Tuesday's deadline to issue the franchise designation came and went. They didn't use it as they cemented rare financial flexibility in a league facing a reduced salary cap for the first time in history.

With pro days beginning in earnest this week, this year's version of campus workouts signal the Bengals are entering the next phase of the biggest unknown draft in the 50 years of the NFL merger and Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin is vowing to find the age-old answers despite the limits of a pandemic-laced process.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin didn't drop any Oprah bombshells in his first media availability of the offseason, but he also made it clear Monday that they aren't going to shy away from making news when free agency starts next week.

With many NFL teams strapped under a slashed salary cap and his team possessing financial flexibility, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said Monday his team hopes to get involved when free agency begins next week. 

With free agency in a week, Bengaldom is poised.

It's the "Big Decisions" edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dave Lapham joins Dan Hoard to answer the fans #AskLap questions about the draft, free agency and salary cap.

One of the reasons Clark Harris just signed up for another year as the Bengals long snapper is because he says he still has the mindset of a teenager. Which is about right because the kids who were born when the Packers took him in the seventh round of the 2007 draft are now teenagers.