Category: Latest News

Does First Team AP All-Pro vote mean Lamar Jackson will win the NFL MVP?

Lamar Jackson had more first team AP All-Pro votes than Josh Allen setting the Ravens QB up to win back to back MVP.

The results of The Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro balloting, as selected by a national panel of 50 media members, are in, and Lamar Jackson (30) had more first-place votes than Josh Allen (18).

The results suggest that after Josh Allen was the presumed front-runner for weeks now, it could be and should be Jackson who walks away with the award.

According to ESPN Stats&Info, Jackson has been the 8th quarterback since the 1970 merger, earning three or more first-team All-Pro selections.   Jackson’s other first-team All-Pro selections came in 2019 and 2023.

Furthermore, according to Evan Kaplan, the last time a first-team All-Pro quarterback didn’t win the award was 2012, when Adrian Peterson was named the NFL MVP.
.

Bengals floated as possible trade suitor for shocking name

The offseason has only just started, yet the wild Bengals trade ideas have launched.

By now, it seems apparent that the Cincinnati Bengals will get Tee Higgins back under contract before he hits free agency this offseason.

Even so, that won’t stop speculation from suggesting the Bengals go out and find a new way to put lethal weapons around Joe Burrow in 2025.

Over at Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox, for example, listed the top offseason candidates for the trade block in the offseason and put Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill at No. 1, suggesting the Bengals as a possible suitor:

Cincinnati could also be a viable landing spot if the Bengals don’t retain Tee Higgins. The Bengals want to get back to contention in a hurry, and partnering Hill with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Chase Brown might give them the most explosive offense in the league.

Of course, this one would be a no-go for the Bengals, even if they can’t retain Higgins. Hill just had a down season, will turn 31 this spring and has a cap hit of roughly $28.7 million next season — never mind the whole apparently quitting on the team thing.

All of that is probably a moot point, though. Burrow just sent yet another message at the Bengals front office about Higgins, who has already parted ways with his old agent, switching to the same reps as Ja’Marr Chase. The trio has reportedly committed to finding a way to stick together for the long term.

While the usual offseason trade and free agent speculation won’t have a choice but to bring up the Bengals alongside top wideouts like this, fans have to find it comforting that this isn’t something they have to worry about much at this point.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Cincinnati Bengals linked to Pittsburgh Steelers defender in free agency

Another free agency idea for the Bengals includes a Steelers standout.

The Cincinnati Bengals will bring plenty of new faces to the team this offseason via free agency and the draft, especially on the defensive side of the ball, with a new coordinator on the way.

So, who are some of the names the Bengals could look to bring in via free agency?

One hails from the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, as Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has named the Bengals a fit for cornerback Donte Jackson:

Jackson, who was a largely reliable starter in Carolina as well, recorded eight passes defended and five interceptions in 2024 while allowing an opposing passer rating of just 69.9 in coverage. He may not be an elite cover corner, but he’s an underrated tackle in run support and has tremendous ball skills.

Jackson, a former second-round pick, was introduced to AFC North football this year as part of the Diontae Johnson trade and will turn 30 next year.

Written another way, he’s ideal for the Bengals — they’ll be looking for short-term veteran help. Both Dax Hill and DJ Turner are coming back from injuries and long-term unknowns, while it’s hard to say what they will do with Cam Taylor-Britt from here.

As a whole, Jackson is certainly a name to keep in mind for the Bengals when the market opens.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Cincinnati Bengals named fit for Buffalo Bills star in free agency

Should the Bengals have eyes on this free agent in the offseason?

The Cincinnati Bengals hit the offseason with plenty of roster needs and could attack free agency in a big way.

One of those positions they look to address could be cornerback, especially with a new defensive coordinator on the way to town at some point.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recently suggested the Bengals should target Buffalo Bills corner standout Rasul Douglas, his 17th overall impending free agent out of 50:

The Bills acquired cornerback Rasul Douglas in a 2023 trade with the Packers. Though he suffered a torn MCL last season, he didn’t miss a game for Buffalo and proved to be a quality starter on the perimeter. He allowed an opposing passer rating of only 38.6 in coverage.

A veteran primed for a prove-it deal is indeed probably where the Bengals will land in free agency at the position.

The Bengals hope they have something in former first-rounder Dax Hill, but he’s working back from a season-ending injury. Cam Taylor-Britt just had a disaster of a season and DJ Turner might have upside, but is also coming back from an injury.

A stopgap like Douglas, plus at least one draft pick added to the mix, would make sense.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Cam Taylor-Britt, Travis Kelce involved in Bengals vs. Chiefs spat

Some Bengals vs. Chiefs trash talk made the rounds ahead of the NFL playoffs.

The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t get another shot at the Kansas City Chiefs this season because they fell short of the playoffs at 9-8.

Along the way, fans pointed out on social media that the Chiefs didn’t play starters during their Week 18 loss to the Denver Broncos, which let their AFC West rival slip into the playoffs instead of the Bengals.

While the No. 1 seed resting starters before a postseason run isn’t all that unusual, the fan feedback eventually worked its way to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Kelce had a few things to say about it.

“I ain’t scared of [expletive] nobody,” Kelce said on the “New Heights” podcast.. “I wanted them in the [expletive] playoffs. I want to slay every dragon one by one, like Mortal Kombat. I don’t even want this to be like we play the lowest seed. Just give me the best teams. AFC, NFC, give me all of them, Mortal Kombat-style. I’ll go through every [expletive] one of them just giving them my best [expletive] effort. I ain’t scared of a single soul, man.

Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt then caught wind of that and sent a reply during his Instagram stories:

 

It’s all silly noise, really. But if nothing else, it shows that this rivalry is alive and well, no questions asked.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals issue statement on Jermaine Burton accusation report

An update on Bengals WR Jermaine Burton.

Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton has been accused of assaulting his girlfriend, although no charges have been filed.

According to Sharon Coolidge, Cameron Knight, and Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati police reports show that an assault was reported on December 30 involving Burton. The writeup includes details found on a recording of a 911 call and two reports after a public records request.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals issued this statement on the topic: “We are aware of information related to Jermaine Burton. We will continue to evaluate as we gather additional details and will have no further comment at this time.”

Before Cincinnati’s Week 18 season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals announced Burton wasn’t permitted to travel with the team, but didn’t say why. Conway reported that weekend that Burton had also been served an eviction notice.

Red flags that caused Burton to fall to the third round of the draft chased him into the season, where he struggled to get up to speed. When Tee Higgins missed time in November and the rookie was a big part of a gameplan for the first time, Burton got in hot water for reportedly no-showing a Saturday walkthrough, to the point teammates sent public messages his way after team discipline. He was just starting to become a core member of the special teams unit before the Week 18 setback.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Ravens have 3 players make the NFLPA ‘All-Pro team’ voted on only by players

Baltimore Ravens had Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith, and Kyle Hamilton make the NFLPA’s All-Pro team voted on only by the players

NFL players wanted more say in the postseason award process, and on Wednesday, the NFLPA unveiled the third annual Players All-Pro Team for the 2024 season.

Baltimore has one of the NFL’s best teams and three players represented on the list with quarterback Lamar Jackson, linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive back Kyle Hamilton getting first team votes.

NOTE: PLAYERS WHO MISSED 5 OR MORE GAMES AS OF WEEK 15 WERE INELIGIBLE.

Derrick Henry was beat out by Saquon Barkley at running back, while Lamar Jackson has been the first team quarterback two of the last three years.

Bengals make roster moves with futures contracts after season ends

The Bengals added to the roster after the end of the season.

Right now, the focus around the Cincinnati Bengals is on the search for a new defensive coordinator, as the team has two interviews with candidates lined up already.

But the Bengals also have to go through some standard offseason housekeeping, which includes expanding the roster.

As such, the Bengals announced 11 signings on reserve/futures contracts:

  • CB Mitch Abraham
  • RB Gary Brightwell
  • CB Nate Brooks
  • WR Cole Burgess
  • OT Andrew Coker
  • DE Raymond Johnson III
  • S PJ Jules
  • S Jaylen Key
  • G Tashawn Manning
  • WR Kendric Pryor
  • LB Craig Young

These players finished the season on the practice squad and now won’t count against the active roster until Feb. 10, just after the Super Bowl.

This is standard offseason work for the team as they begin to formulate a 90ish-man roster ahead of the draft and free agency and into OTAs in the spring.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Popular defensive coordinator pick shoots down idea of joining Bengals

Scratch this potential Bengals hire off the list.

When it comes to defensive coordinator candidates for the Cincinnati Bengals, Al Golden nearly tops most lists out there.

One problem — Golden is at Notre Dame and, when asked about it, clearly doesn’t have much in the way of interest right now.

Tyler Horka of BlueandGold.com caught up with Golden before the team’s College Football Playoff Semifinal against Penn State: “It took us 30 years to get to this point here. I’m not worried about anything else. Just how to stop Penn State. I’ve talked to nobody. I can’t even get out of the facility.”

Golden is an obvious name on most shortlists for the Bengals after Lou Anarumo’s firing because he was instrumental in the development of the linebacker unit with Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson years ago before joining the Fighting Irish.

While there’s always a chance Golden’s availability changes if and when Notre Dame’s season ends, the Bengals seem like a team that wants to fill the vacant spot fast.

The Bengals, after all, already have two interviews with potential hires lined up.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase makes NFL history

Ja’Marr Chase makes the NFL history books in more ways than one.

The Cincinnati Bengals season is officially over, and it was far from what fans and the organization expected going into the year, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t still some bright spots along the way.

Ja’Marr Chase and the offense was one of those. In the 2024 season, he became the first player to ever have both over 1,700 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in a single season, officially ending up with 1,708 yards.

He and Joe Burrow were a big part of the late push the Bengals were able to make toward the playoffs, but ultimately, the hole the team had dug itself into early on was too deep to get out of.

Chase has been great ever since he was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft, already with four seasons over 1,00 receiving yards and 46 career touchdowns, and his record-setting performances are justifying the early selection even more.

He has long been in the conversation of the top wide receivers in the league, but with numbers like he was able to achieve this year, he might have made the clamoring for himself being No. 1in the league even louder.

The Bengals and Chase haven’t come to an agreement yet on a contract extension, but with the season he had, Chase might have earned himself an even bigger future payday.

 

 

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]