11 HRS AGO - Decades of waiting have not changed Anderson’s outlook on being snubbed by the Hall of Fame. If Bengals legendary quarterback Ken Anderson couldn’t get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, when 10 senior candidates were inducted, he may never get in. At least until much more time has passed, that is. Every year we have this discussion regarding Anderson, and every year, Anderson gets asked about it. But to this day, it doesn’t bother him. “I don’t think twice about it, to be honest with you, except those times of year when it comes time for the election and somebody will call and say, ‘What do you think?’” Anderson told Sporting News in an exclusive interview. “Other than that, it doesn’t cross my mind. “I guess the only time I was disappointed was the first time I was eligible, and I got into the final 15 and didn’t make it, and then it was disappointing. After that, I guess when you come from my background and grow up in a small town and go to a small high school Collapse

1 DAY AGO - Charles Trainor Jr./Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Simmons still thinks the onside kick has plenty of utility. NFL owners have recently voted to table the fourth-and-15 onside kick alternative for the second year in a row. Regardless if it gets passed or not, Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons still thinks that onside kicks have meaningful value in the game today based on the situation. “I do think more people will be inclined to use the alternative, but there are certainly some timing things that come into it,” Simmons told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “You’re down three points with 2:05 to go in the game. The clock is going to start on the touch on the kick. If you go onside kick there and don’t get it, you still have the two-minute warning. If you do a fourth-and-15 play and the offense uses more than five seconds, now the game clock is under two minutes and if you’re unsuccessful in executing, the defense takes over and takes a knee if you Collapse

2 DAYS AGO - Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports Dunlap is coming off arguably his best season as a pro. Anyone who follows the Bengals closely know that Carlos Dunlap is not only one of the team’s best players, but also one of the league’s better 4-3 defensive ends. Unfortunately, players on teams who have four-straight losing seasons don’t typically get the recognition they deserve, which leads to guys like Dunlap flying under the national radar. Case in point is Pro Football Focus’ look at each NFL team’s most underrated player, and Dunlap was the pick for Cincinnati. Dunlap recently made PFF’s All-Decade 101 at 89th overall — PFF’s Sam Monson called him “one of the most underrated players of his generation.” I’d tend to agree with that assessment. Dunlap has never graded below 70.0 during his 10-year NFL career, and he’s coming off a career-high 89.7 grade in 2019 that was one of the best marks at the edge defender position across the league. When it comes to just raw pressures over the last 10 Collapse

3 DAYS AGO - It's the “A Change Would Do You Good” edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as we visit with two people who have changed teams this year: Offensive lineman Xavier Su'a-Filo and linebackers coach Al Golden. Collapse

4 DAYS AGO - Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports The former Buckeye is once again playing football in Ohio. The Bengals made several big free agent splashes this offseason, one of which being the addition of Vonn Bell. After becoming one of the league’s most physical safeties during his four-year stint with the Saints, Bell is coming back to Ohio after spending his college days at Ohio State. He finished 2019 with 89 tackles, four tackles for loss, five pass deflections and one interception for a Saints team that finished 11th in total defense. The Bengals signed Bell, who is primarily a box safety, to a three-year deal worth $18 million and a $3 million signing bonus, which is also the total guaranteed money in his deal. Here is a look at his full contract via Over The Cap: Bell will earn another $1 million upon reporting to training camp. There are also per-game bonuses of $200,000 per year in 2021 and 2022. Bell’s $6 million annual salary ranks 21st among NFL safeties, so the Collapse

4 DAYS AGO - Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports The Bengals used both of their IR-return designations in 2019. The NFL just made a change that will likely benefit the Bengals moving forward. On Thursday, the league approved a change which will expand the number of players that can be designated for return from injured reserve from two to three, according to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero. A bylaw change increasing the number of players that may be designated to return from injured reserve from two to three was approved, I'm told.— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2020 The Bengals are typically one of the NFL’s most injury-prone teams and end up with a bevy of players on IR, so having another slot to bring one back is great news. The league is still requiring that anyone who can get an IR-return designation must be on the 53-man roster when the regular season begins. Last year, the Bengals used each of their two IR-return spots, designating cornerback Darius Phillips and wide Collapse

5 DAYS AGO - Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports Oh well. The NFL will not be adopting a proposed rule changed that would have drastically altered the onside kick. According to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, the proposal to allow teams to try a 4th-and-15 play instead of an onside kick has been tabled. There was no official vote on the 4th-and-15 proposal, but they did take a (virtual) show of hands and it did not have the support to pass at this time. A bold idea that would've needed 24 of 32 votes. Expect it to come up again. https://t.co/XRuJBIlEG9— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2020 Typically when a proposal gets tabled, it’s because the league knew it didn’t have enough support among the NFL’s 32 owners to pass. The proposal would have given teams an alternative to the onside kick in an effort to get back possession if the football following a score. The rule would have provided coaches the option to attempt one untimed down to convert a 4th-and-15 from their own Collapse