NFL roundup: Players union files suit, accuses owners of collusion (The SportsXchange)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 16:30:14 PDT)
The NFL Players Association filed a lawsuit on Wednesday that accused NFL owners and the league of collusion during the 2010 NFL season.

Bengals sign Ohio State RB Herron (The Associated Press)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 15:07:29 PDT)
CINCINNATI (AP) The Bengals have signed running back Daniel Herron from Ohio State, their sixth-round pick in the draft.

Vikings getting ready for longer camp (The Associated Press)
(Wed, 23 May 2012 02:04:00 PDT)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Minnesota Vikings suffered from the limited preseason practice time during last year's work stoppage as much as any other NFL team.

NFL seeks to add excitement, maintain integrity with later trade deadline
(Tue, 22 May 2012 17:29:24 PDT)
Supporters are for contenders making moves as long as it's not at the expense of struggling teams dumping their rosters.

Cincinnati Bengals' Cheerleader Sarah Jones a Ben-Gal No More? - Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 09:45:00 PDT)
The Cincinnati Bengals cheerleading squad, known as the Ben-Gals, just completed the final round of tryouts for the 2012 squad. The auditions were open to all, including members of the 2011 squad as returning Ben-Gals are all required to try out again each year. It seems safe to assume that current Ben-Gal Team Captain Sarah Jones, currently awaiting trial for first degree sexual abuse, will not be among those chosen for 2012 Ben-Gals.

Seau's suicide prompts worries about post-NFL life (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 09:42:21 PDT)
Junior Seau's suicide is troubling NFL players.

Beyond the Shutdown 50: Juron Criner, WR, Oakland Raiders (Shutdown Corner)
(Sun, 20 May 2012 17:38:39 PDT)
Now that the 2012 NFL draft is in the can, it's time to take the Shutdown 50 scouting format forward and get a closer look at some of the surprising and fascinating selections from this year's draft -- the guys we missed in the original 50, but who could be impact players now or down the road. Our next entry: Arizona receiver Juron Criner, selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 33rd pick in the fifth round (168th overall). Overview: While most of the talk about Pac-12 passing attacks in 2011 focused on the offenses led by Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley, the Arizona passing  game has been one of the more productive in the nation in recent seasons -- and receiver Juron Criner may be the primary reason for that. If you're in the group who believes that former Arizona and current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles hurt that aerial attack as much as he helped it with his inaccuracy and questionable decision-making, Criner stands out in sharper relief. After catching seven passes for 88 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman, Criner moved up to 45/582/9 in 2009, and made a name for himself in 2010, when he caught 82 passes for 1,233 yards and 11 touchdowns. He repeated that touchdown figure last year, and the rest of the numbers almost matched up (75 for 926). Criner further set himself on the radar with an exciting week at the Senior Bowl. From our own Mike Tanier's report : Criner has probably helped his stock more than any other player during Senior Bowl practices this week ... [He] does not have breakaway speed, but he appears to have the rest of the package. "I'm very agile for a man my size," Criner said after Thursday's practice. That agility was evident earlier in the week, when he made smooth cuts and adjusted to poorly thrown balls in live practices. Criner has also been demonstrating good hands and pass-catching technique, and he looks more fluid and comfortable running routes than some of the other big receivers on the South squad. Janoris Jenkins (CB, North Alabama), the likely first-round pick who transferred from Florida because of personal issues, singled Criner out as the hardest South receiver to cover this week during his Thursday press conference. "He's kinda got ball skills," Jenkins said. "If you hit his hand, he'll catch it. And he's tall." So, there's that. When he's thrown to by good quarterbacks, Juron Criner tends to make plays. And even when he's thrown to by quarterbacks who couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat, he's going to do some interesting things. Now a proud member of the Oakland Raiders, Criner has a shot at doing what Tennessee wideout Denarius Moore did in 2011 -- come out of nowhere as a late-round pick and impress the NFL. Moore went off the hook in a relative sense in his rookie campaign, catching 33 passes for 618 yards and five touchdowns. Could Criner be the next guy on the Raiders' late-draft boards to flash that same kind of long-term potential? Strengths: Shows an impressive burst for an alleged "possession receiver" -- Criner gets up to speed quickly off the line and in end-arounds. Fires upfield with an impressive second gear. Good catch radius and fine hands in space -- Criner often contorted his body to make catches when Foles was throwing with questionable accuracy. Will adjust his body to catch deep balls without losing too much speed after he's already beaten the corner or safety down the seam. Made a lot of catches despite the fact that Foles was clearly targeting him as the first read, which allowed opponents to time their jumps on the ball. Will fight to get through contact before he's wrapped up and occasionally gets free to make a big play. Senior Bowl performances showed what he could do when targeted by quarterbacks with a clue, as has his brief performances in Raiders minicamp. Frequently listed as a possession receiver, but he's got more downfield speed than the title might imply. Weaknesses: Tends to lose control of the ball when contact is coming -- doesn't have alligator arms, per se, but has trouble bringing the ball in and securing it when a defender is bearing down on him. Will lose the ball too often upon contact, leading to fumbles and incompletions. Not an especially physical player when fighting for balls with defenders in short spaces.

NFL roundup: Bengals' Moch reportedly suspended for using banned substance (The SportsXchange)
(Sun, 20 May 2012 15:51:16 PDT)
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dontay Moch reportedly has been suspended by the NFL for using a banned substance.

Beyond the Shutdown 50: Gino Gradkowski, C/G, Baltimore Ravens (Shutdown Corner)
(Sun, 20 May 2012 12:19:59 PDT)
Now that the 2012 NFL draft is in the can, it's time to take the Shutdown 50 scouting format forward and get a closer look at some of the surprising and fascinating selections from this year's draft -- the guys we missed in the original 50, but who could be impact players now or down the road. Our next entry: Delaware guard Gino Gradkowski, selected with the third pick of the fourth round (98th overall) by the Baltimore Ravens. Overview: Gradkowski did not expect to be selected so early in the draft. According to a profile at DelawareOnLine , he had just settled down in front of the video game console when the phone rang. "I just got done playing a game of NHL PlayStation against my cousin Carmen … I didn't even have time to get anxious about the draft because I was still mad about losing in that game." You have to love a lineman who is so competitive that he cannot let go of his rage over losing a video hockey game until Ozzie Newsome's office calls with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If Gradkowski is anything like older brother Bruce Gradkowski, then competitive fire will never be an issue. Bruce, now Andy Dalton's backup with the Bengals, has built a seven-year NFL career out of determination and little else. "The whole family has the underdog mentality," the older Gradkowski once said. "We're going to work hard to get the job done. We're disciplined. We're going to know what to do. We might not be the fastest, strongest or the biggest, but we get the job done. That's it. It's in the blood." Gino was certainly an underdog heading into the draft. He transferred from West Virginia to Delaware early in his college career so he could earn a starting job, played center and guard for three seasons, and earned All America status at the I-AA level. But Gradkowski was expected to enter the NFL as a seventh-round pick or rookie free agent. Now, he is the heir apparent to Matt Birk, and may someday be snapping to another player who took the Big Program-to-Delaware-to-Ravens path to success: Joe Flacco. Strengths: Gradkowski has fine foot quickness and lateral quickness. Delaware's offensive line took extremely wide splits, and the centers and guards pulled, trapped, and blocked on the move. Gradkowski was effective when shuffling to the side on a rollout or peeling behind the center on a trap. He appears to be very football smart and generally finds the right person to block when on the move or picking up blitzes. Gradkowski performed well at his Pro Day, benching 225 pounds 29 times and posting respectable results in agility drills. His strength is generally evident on tape, though you must take what you see with a grain of salt when what you see is a blurry image of someone nailing a Towson State defender. By all accounts, Gradkowski has a great work ethic and the right mentality for his position. Weaknesses: Gradkowski is too small to be a guard in most systems, particularly the Ravens' drive-blocking offense, and at 300 pounds he is a little small to be a starting center. He played guard in his senior season at Delaware and will have to be developed at center, his likely pro position.

Report: Bengals' Moch facing 4-game suspension (The SportsXchange)
(Sun, 20 May 2012 08:01:31 PDT)
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dontay Moch reportedly has been suspended by the NFL for using a banned substance.

Report: Bengals' Moch suspended four games (National Football Post)
(Sun, 20 May 2012 06:16:09 PDT)
Linebacker missed all of his rookie season with foot injury.

Bengals sign top draft pick CB Kirkpatrick (The Associated Press)
(Fri, 18 May 2012 13:04:07 PDT)
CINCINNATI (AP) The Bengals signed cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick of Alabama to a four-year contract on Friday, the first time in nine years that they've reached a deal so quickly with their top pick.

Pasquarelli: Pittsburgh completes overdue overhaul of O-line (The SportsXchange)
(Fri, 18 May 2012 11:50:07 PDT)
With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger now 30, and the team's most valuable player sacked an average of 43.5 times over the last six seasons -- including 40 or more sacks in all but one of those campaigns, and coming off an ankle injury last year -- Pittsburgh has drastically retooled its blocking unit.

Around the League: USFL to become NFL minor leagues? (The SportsXchange)
(Fri, 18 May 2012 11:50:06 PDT)
Some of the discussion at Tuesday's league meeting is expected to focus on the resurrected USFL, which is being reconstituted as a "feeder" or minor league, and on how involved the NFL should be with it. Former NFL executive Jim Steeg, who once presided over Super Bowl preparations, is chairman of the USFL's board of advisors, and that could give it some entre with the NFL.

The Shutdown Corner Podcast: Greg Cosell on the 2012 AFC North Draft (Shutdown Corner)
(Fri, 18 May 2012 09:23:04 PDT)
With the draft over and all wrapped up, we thought it would be a good idea to get back on the phone with our buddy Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN's "NFL Matchup," and talk about the NFL by division. Who did themselves the most favors in the draft, and who came up short when addressing their roster deficits? The Shutdown Corner Podcast Greg Cosell on the NFC West draft We started off with the NFC West last week , and we now move to the hyper-competitive AFC North. Appropriate, given Greg's recent post on the NFL Films Blog praising the Cincinnati Bengals' draft strategy . With that in mind, we asked Greg what he thought the Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers did to bolster their teams. Related: [Cosell on  quarterbacks ,  running backs/wide receivers ,  tight ends/offensive line ,  OLB/DE/DT stars , the ILB/DB class , and overall draft review ] Baltimore Ravens OLB Courtney Upshaw, and how he'll be tasked to replace Terrell Suggs: "The Ravens are very versatile with their fronts. Suggs would line up in two-point and three-point stances. He played a number of different positions and alignments -- that's what the Ravens do, and Upshaw fits that role. I don't think anybody's going to say that he's going to do what Suggs has done for a number of years -- Suggs is a pretty damned good player -- but the way Upshaw plays, I think he could eventually become similar to that guy." Cincinnati Bengals OG Kevin Zeitler: "I seem to be in the minority here, and we'll never know how the Bengals felt because David DeCastro was gone when they picked, but I thought Zeitler was a little more complete than DeCastro -- I thought he was a better athlete. I thought he had more scheme-versatility, and he fits very well in a zone run game. I'm not sure DeCastro does. Now, DeCastro fits in the power run game better; that's what he did at Stanford. But given what the Bengals want their guards to do, I think Zeitler was the better choice, and would have been the better choice had DeCastro been available." The Shutdown Corner Podcast: Greg Cosell on the 2012 AFC North Draft The Cleveland Browns' first-round selections of Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden: "Theoretically, you could look at it this way -- they ended up with Richardson and Weeden instead of Ryan Tannehill and Doug Martin. And I think Richardson/Weeden is the better combination ... in fact, I don't think, I know. Richardson, we don't need to discuss ... I thought he was the best player in this draft. Weeden has some concerns. He was the best pure pocket passer in this draft, but he's got meaningful and troublesome issues with pressure. That's a serious red flag when you transition to the NFL."

Bengals sign first-round CB Kirkpatrick (Pro Football Weekly)
(Fri, 18 May 2012 07:52:27 PDT)
The Bengals announced Friday the signing of first-round CB Dre Kirkpatrick.

Bengals: Burfict signing is low-to-no risk, high reward (The SportsXchange)
(Thu, 17 May 2012 07:20:14 PDT)
CINCINNATI -- There was a lot made of the Bengals signing of undrafted linebacker Vontaze Burfict, but for a team lacking depth at the position and with three players entering the final year of their contract, it is a low-risk, high-reward move.

WR Green, QB Dalton earning stripes with Bengals (The SportsXchange)
(Thu, 17 May 2012 07:11:08 PDT)
CINCINNATI -- With as much as A.J. Green and Andy Dalton accomplished their first year in the NFL, they might be even better in year two.

Earning a roster spot won't be easy for Bengals Burfict (National Football Post)
(Wed, 16 May 2012 15:56:08 PDT)
A lot of talk surrounding the undrafted rookie LB, but opportunities will be limited.

Earning a roster spot won't be easy for Burfict (National Football Post)
(Wed, 16 May 2012 15:30:30 PDT)
A lot of talk surrounding the Bengals undrafted rookie, but opportunities will be limited.

Beyond the Shutdown 50: Brandon Boykin, CB, Philadelphia Eagles (Shutdown Corner)
(Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:46 PDT)
Now that the 2012 NFL draft is in the can, it's time to take the Shutdown 50 scouting format forward and get a closer look at some of the surprising and fascinating selections from this year's draft -- the guys we missed in the original 50, but who could be impact players now or down the road. The latest entry: Brandon Boykin, the Georgia cornerback selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 28th pick in the fourth round (123rd overall). Overview: Just before the draft, the Eagles traded disgruntled cornerback Asante Samuel to the Falcons for a seventh round pick. Samuel made the Pro Bowl three times in four years with the Eagles, but many fans were happy to see him go. Philadelphia Daily News columnist Marcus Hayes called Samuel "a fraud, wrapped in a mirage, inside an illusion," in a hyperbolic preach-to-the-base post-trade column that reflected the ultimate Philly bias: if you don't hit like a freight train, then you stink. And Samuel, for all his coverage skills, hit like a baby wipe. Boykin will not replace Samuel in the starting lineup — that will be Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's job — but he will get first dibs on the slot corner role. And Boykin, for all his athleticism, cannot tackle. Somebody get Marcus Hayes a scented candle. Boykin played cornerback, returned kicks, and had a small role in the Georgia offense. According to the team website, he majored in magazines. Magazines? Writing for them? Selling them? Cutting pictures of celebrities from them? Or maybe he majored in ammunition supply shacks. Whatever he learned in college, Boykin must become a more reliable tackler to earn a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Strengths: Boykin can fly. He has recovery speed in the open field and can track the deep ball. He often runs down screens from behind and can make the touchdown-saving stop. Boykin has three years of starting experience and is very aware in zone coverage. He frequently played "off" at Georgia and was good at reading and reacting to plays in front of him. He also moved to the slot at times and demonstrated quick reactions in underneath zones. He has potential as a route-jumper. Boykin will be able to contribute in the return game and will be very dangerous with an interception in his hands. Weaknesses: Oh, the tackling. Boykin lunges at the ankles of ballcarriers in the open field. His angles are bad. He gets wired to blocks. He is soft and tentative in run support. He can drag down receivers after the catch, but that is about it. He is small, and he plays small. His tackling issues may make it hard for him to contribute on special teams.

Beyond the Shutdown 50: Brandon Weeden, QB, Cleveland Browns (Shutdown Corner)
(Mon, 14 May 2012 14:23:55 PDT)
Now that the 2012 NFL draft is in the can, it's time to take the Shutdown 50 scouting format forward and get a closer look at some of the surprising and fascinating selections from this year's draft -- the guys we missed in the original 50, but who could be impact players now or down the road. Our next entry: Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns. Overview: As you may have heard, Weeden played baseball for a while and came to college football a bit late, which means that he was a 28-year-old senior draft prospect. You will hear that Weeden's age is a positive, because it gives him a maturity other rookies don't have. You will hear that Weeden's age is a negative, because he'll be 29 when his first NFL season starts, and if he's not ready right away, the clock is already ticking at an accelerated rate. The data on quarterbacks entering the league at a later age is about as conclusive -- Chris Weinke (29) and John Beck (26) were past the aggregate when they started their NFL careers, and the results were not spectacular. Warren Moon started his NFL career at that age due to the idiocy of scouts and personnel executives in the late 1970s, and he tore it up in the NFL after winning five straight Grey Cups in Canada. So, age ain't nothin' but a number with Weeden -- most likely, it's not a decisive indicator of success or failure. A hard look at his senior tape is far more revealing, but we'll start with the stats, because they're pretty darned impressive. In 2011, Weeden blasted through the Oklahoma State record books with 4,727 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and a completion percentage north of 72 percent. Add in his performance in the Cowboys' win over Stanford in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl, and an impressive Senior Bowl week, and it would appear that Weeden is ready to beat the age curve and hit the big time. What does the film say? Strengths: Weeden has great command of the offense out of shotgun right after the snap -- he sells play action well, rolls out from different backfield sets, and targets one-read half-side passing schemes with great consistency. Reads blitzes well and gets the ball out quickly under pressure. Good touch thrower in the abstract -- he isn't always accurate when he takes a little off the ball, but he gets the concept. Good enough arm to zing it downfield on posts and go routes, and will place the ball well against wider zones. Sells play action well enough out of the shotgun to have defensive backs cheating up or looking back, which allows him to further exploit this strength. Gets set quickly to fire out in shorter patterns. Weaknesses: The most glaring issue with Weeden's play overall could really set him back at the NFL level is that he's what I call a "zone thrower," which means that he's often throwing to gaps and areas without a great deal of anticipation or adjustment. That's fairly common with spread quarterbacks, but Weeden's problem is that he will tend to throw to that area even after his primary receiver (usually Justin Blackmon) has been redistributed by aggressive press coverage. You will also see him struggle against more advanced defenses (Stanford, for example) who disguise their coverages.

Deep Posts: Rookie Minicamp Roundup (Shutdown Corner)
(Mon, 14 May 2012 07:13:06 PDT)
What we noticed while wondering just how much we could take away from non-contact minicamps involving nothing but rookies, and a few veterans per team who were allowed to participate because they didn't get a vested year last season: 49ers first-round pick A.J. Jenkins shows up out of shape? It's kind of like abandoning your pro day, or testing positive for something unwise at the scouting combine -- showing up for your first NFL OTA and getting gassed immediately isn't the smartest thing anybody will ever do. You know it's coming, and what were you doing on your own? From Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee: Jenkins was observed doubled over from about the midpoint of the hour-and-a-half session onward. Afterward he was in the locker room with bags of ice on both his hamstrings and quadriceps. "I'm back home [in Jacksonville] and thinking I'm in shape -- working out in the morning time," Jenkins said. "You definitely see [this] is a totally different ball game, so you've got to get your mind right." On the other hand, undrafted Stanford receiver Chris Owusu, who didn't hear his name called during draft weekend due to a serious history of concussions, looked good during camp because he understood the drill -- he's obviously seen 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh before. "I played with coach Harbaugh for three years," he said. "I know what he expects from his players. I know his mentality, I know his philosophy. And part of it is, you can't be competitive if you're not in shape. I wanted to come in here and be in shape." Jenkins will be tasked with turning the 49ers receiver group around, but first, he'll need to catch his breath. Owusu has the literal headstart. Seahawks' "reach picks" could provide immediate dividends. As we wrote Sunday night, Bruce Irvin and Russell Wilson might be on your TV screens a lot sooner than expected -- even after the preseason ends. Wilson, the notably height-impaired quarterback from Wisconsin, impressed the Seahawks' brass enough to make Pete Carroll declare that the third-rounder will be in competition for the starting job right away. If Wilson could pull that off, he'd be the second third-round rookie in NFL history to do so -- Buffalo's Joe Ferguson was the first in 1973. [Shutdown Corner: Giants' Osi Umenyiora sent Mother's Day greetings to Eagles' LeSean McCoy ] Bears planning to attack defenses with Jeffery. Matt Bowen of the National Football Post has a great read on how he would use rookie receiver Alshon Jeffrey to get downfield against press coverage. The Bears are looking to revamp a receiver corps that has been less than impressive in the last few years. Vontaze Burfict is looking to turn things around. When a horrible combine folded into a penalty-filled time at Arizona State in the minds of NFL personnel executives, the grades started to come back on linebacker Vontaze Burfict: Undraftable. After Burfict was shut out of the draft process, he contacted teams and asked for a chance. The Cincinnati Bengals took a shot, and head coach Marvin Lewis is hoping for a steal in Burfict on top of a very strong draft class. "He's a better conditioned athlete now than he was at the combine and at ASU in March. If he continues to go down that path, he seems bright enough to learn. He seems willing to want change this image people have of him," Lewis told Joe Reedy of Cincinnati.com. "He can be a good football player. Learn to bend his knees, play behind his pads, strike people within the whistles and life is good."

Bengals are deep, talented in middle (Pro Football Weekly)
(Sat, 12 May 2012 15:19:01 PDT)
DTs Devon Still and Brandon Thompson don’t project as starters in their first season with the Bengals, what with Cincinnati having a stout interior tandem in Pro Bowler Geno Atklns and Domata Peko. However, Still, a second-round pick from Penn State, and Thompson, a third-rounder out of Clemson, improve the Bengals’ interior depth — and thus potentially strengthen the club’s D-line rotation. According to club statistics, every active Bengals lineman played at least 12 snaps in every game in 2011. ...

QB Pike getting another chance with hometown team (The Associated Press)
(Sat, 12 May 2012 14:11:41 PDT)
CINCINNATI (AP) Quarterback Tony Pike had his name affixed above the wooden locker that once belonged to Cincinnati Bengals receiver Jerome Simpson.

Benglas ink fourth-rounder Charles (The SportsXchange)
(Fri, 11 May 2012 17:00:09 PDT)
The Cincinnati Bengals signed fourth-round draft choice Orson Charles and rookie free agent Tony Dye, the team announced on Friday.

Undrafted LB Burfict gets chance with Bengals (The Associated Press)
(Fri, 11 May 2012 16:01:51 PDT)
CINCINNATI (AP) Vontaze Burfict swooped in from the middle linebacker spot and closed on the ball carrier, then quickly pulled up to avoid any contact. He was practicing the thing he needs to improve upon most.

Bengals release four rookies who fail physicals (The SportsXchange)
(Fri, 11 May 2012 09:00:10 PDT)
The Cincinnati Bengals on Friday announced they have released four players who failed physicals.