Bengals Notes: Eifert, Staff, O-Line
While Tyler Eifert has been one of the most injury-riddled players in the NFL over the past few seasons, he may still have an avenue back to Cincinnati. The Bengals may be able to bring him back on a cheaper, incentive-laden deal than the one he signed last year, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Eifert decided between the Bengals and Rams last year, and with Zac Taylor coming from Los Angeles to Cincinnati, he may view Eifert as a possible target. Eifert received more than $4MM last year but did not trigger any performance incentives. The 28-year-old tight end posted a workout video on Twitter recently, showing he has made significant strides since breaking his ankle last season. Eifert, though, has missed an astounding 34 games since his 2015 Pro Bowl season. His previous backups, Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah, are also free agents. So, the Bengals will have to make a few moves to solidify this position this offseason. Jared Cook, Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Jeff Heuerman highlight a thin tight end free agent group.
Here is the latest from southwest Ohio:
- The Bengals are interested in giving Saints defensive assistant Michael Hodges a promotion. The team submitted a request to interview Hodges for its vacant linebackers coach position, Alex Marvez of Sirius XM Radio tweets. A two-year New Orleans staffer, Hodges primarily works under Mike Nolan in working with linebackers. Nolan and Saints DC Dennis Allen were linked to the Bengals’ now-filled DC job, but the franchise clearly likes what the Saints have done to revamp their defense. The Bengals were also interested in Chargers assistant defensive line coach Eric Henderson, a Bengal from 2006-08, but he accepted a job with the Rams instead, Marvez adds (via Twitter).
- While the Bengals have a new coaching staff, which is still being filled out, their front office remains unchanged. That will mean a similar approach in free agency. The Bengals are not expected to be players for big-name UFAs, Dehner notes. Cincinnati is one of the more conservative franchises on this front, but Dehner does expect more roster changes than the team has seen in recent years. This may mean being connected to second-tier free agents. With a new coach in place for the first time since 2003, that can be assumed.
- Cordy Glenn and Billy Price came in last year to fill spots on Cincinnati’s offensive line, but the team is still expected to pursue upgrades — either through free agency or the draft — for the right side of the front, Dehner notes. The Bengals’ 2015 draft choices of Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher did not end up working out. The former never found his footing and the latter started just one game in 2018. Taylor coached Ja’Wuan James with the 2015 Dolphins, potentially creating a possible landing spot for the UFA right tackle. However, Dehner expects the team select a right tackle with one of its first two picks.
Steelers Rumors: Brown, Bell, Ravens
The Steelers are willing to explore Antonio Brown trade scenarios, but Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette senses that they would like to control where he winds up. He believes they would not want to trade him to divisional rivals (Ravens, Bengals, Browns), nor would they want to send him to the Patriots.
It’s not immediately clear whether Dulac has heard this first hand from the Steelers’ front office, but that certainly seems like a logical position for the Steelers to take.
Here’s more from Pittsburgh:
- Le’Veon Bell passed on $14.544MM in 2018, and he’ll have a lot of trouble recouping that loss in free agency, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com opines. Bell, he notes, would have to sign a deal giving him $33MM in total compensation in Year 1 in order to effectively replace the money he lost out on by rejecting the Steelers’ offer. For reference, Todd Gurley‘s recent extension will pay him $28.5MM in his first new year (2020), and Gurley is younger. Bell is also said to be seeking $50MM through the first two years, which may be unattainable given that Gurley is set to make $37MM in that span. Currently, Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald are the only two non-quarterbacks with a two-year cash flow of $50MM or more.
- The Jets are the most likely destination for Bell, in the opinion of Darryl Slater of NJ.com. Armed with $100MM+ in cap space and an obvious need for Bell, the Jets make a ton of sense. The Jets are not necessarily in a position to win right away, but Bell would probably have to accept less money to join a contender such as the Packers. The Eagles, Buccaneers, and Raiders also made Slater’s top five.
- On Friday, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told reporters that three teams have inquired on Brown.
NFL Awards Compensatory Draft Picks
The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks to several teams, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The full rundown, which is below, includes two third-round picks for both the Rams and Patriots.
The NFL awards compensatory draft picks to teams, as directed by the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The compensatory pick system provides additional picks to teams who lose more/better qualifying free agents in the previous year than gained. As the NFL explains:
“Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula. No club may receive more than four compensatory picks in any one year. If a club qualifies for more than four compensatory picks after offsetting each CFA lost by each CFA gained of an equal or higher value, the four highest remaining selections will be awarded to the club.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement limits the number of compensatory selections to the number of clubs then in the League (32). This year, six clubs: the Ravens, Bengals, Colts, Rams, Giants, and 49ers qualified for compensatory selections under the net loss formula but will not receive those picks because the final numerical values of the CFAs who were lost by those clubs ranked 33rd through 39thamong the final numerical values of all compensatory selections. Each of those six clubs will receive compensatory selections for other CFAs lost whose final numerical values ranked within the top 32. “
Third Round
- (No. 33 in third round-No. 96 overall) Redskins
- 34-97 Patriots
- 35-98 Rams
- 36-99 Rams
- 37-100 Panthers
- 38-101 Patriots
- 39-102 Ravens
Bengals Hire Lou Anarumo As DC
At long last, the Bengals’ defensive coordinator position has been filled. On Thursday, the Bengals hired Lou Anarumo to serve as the team’s new DC. 
“I’ve always had great respect for Lou, and I know he is a tremendous defensive coach,” head coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. “He’s a great fit for what we want to build here in Cincinnati. Lou is an excellent communicator who the players will have great respect for, and he will get the best out of them.”
The Bengals have had quite the ordeal when it comes to their DC search. At various points, they thought they had deals with Jack Del Rio, Dom Capers, and Florida DC Todd Grantham for the job. For one reason or another, none of those coaches put pen to paper. After exploring a wide range of other candidates, Anarumo came away with the job.
Anarumo served as the Giants’ defensive backs coach last year, a position he has held at multiple NFL stops. He doesn’t offer the same level of DC experience as Del Rio or Capers, but he did hold that job in an interim capacity with the Dolphins in 2015.
Anarumo will have to get up to speed quickly. Last year, the Bengals finished dead last in total defense with 413.6 yards allowed per game and ranked 32nd against the pass with 275.9 yards permitted per game. The Bengals have work to do on offense, as well, but they won’t get far if they have a repeat of 2018 when they allowed 28.4 points on average to opponents.
Bengals Eyeing Lou Anarumo For DC
Giants defensive backs coach Lou Anarumo is set to interview with the Bengals on Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears. At the moment, he is the frontrunner for their defensive coordinator job, according to Pelissero. 
Anarumo worked with new Bengals head coach Zac Taylor in Miami from 2012-15 and both men finished out the ’15 season as interim coordinators on opposite sides of the ball. After that, Anarumo reverted back to being Miami’s defensive backs coach under Adam Gase and hooked on with the Giants in January of 2018.
Outside of Anarumo’s interim DC stint in South Beach, he has exclusively served as a defensive backs coach for the last two decades. However, he’s a highly-respected coach and his history with Taylor may allow him to climb the ranks.
The Bengals have been left at the altar a few times in this cycle. Previously, they were close with coaches like Jack Del Rio, Dom Capers, and Florida DC Todd Grantham, but they were unable to seal the deal.
Bengals Requested Interview With Ohio State DC Jeff Hafley
The Bengals have struck out on yet another name in their seemingly never-ending search for a defensive coordinator. The team wanted to interview Ohio State defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley for the position but Hafley turned them down, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Hafley is currently the defensive coordinator at Ohio State, a job he took just last month. Sources told Garafolo that Hafley didn’t want to “renege on his commitment” to the Buckeyes. Before joining Ohio State, Hafley had been a defensive assistant in the NFL since 2012, most recently serving as the 49ers’ secondary coach for the past three seasons.
It’s yet another blow to Cincinnati as new head coach Zac Taylor looks to fill out his inaugural staff. Just yesterday they were blocked from interviewing Saints assistant Aaron Glenn. Earlier yesterday they were shot down by Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who had initially appeared very likely to take the job. They had previously offered the job to and been turned down by former Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers.
The Bengals are likely looking at a rebuild, which could be scaring off veteran coaches. They do have some talent on defense, and it’s pretty surprising that they haven’t found somebody yet. They were granted permission to talk to Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant earlier this week, so perhaps they circle back to him.
Saints To Block Bengals From Interviewing Aaron Glenn
It appears another Bengals path toward a potential defensive coordinator hire will close. The Saints are planning to block them from interviewing Aaron Glenn, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Bengals requested a meeting with the Saints’ secondary coach earlier on Thursday. This represents the latest in what’s been a series of barriers impeding a Bengals DC hire.
This is the second Saints coach the Bengals have tried to meet with regarding their DC position. The team sought a meeting with Saints DC Dennis Allen, whose previous contract had expired after the 2018 season, but Allen and the Saints agreed on a new contract.
Cincinnati has been connected to other veterans like Dom Capers, Jack Del Rio, Mike Nolan and John Fox. The team moved forward with Capers and Del Rio. Capers turned the Bengals down, and nothing came to fruition with Del Rio. Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham then looked like the pick, but the Gators are keeping him. The Bengals requested meetings with former Falcons DC Marquand Manuel and Texas A&M defensive boss Mike Elko.
The Rams have granted the Bengals permission to meet with cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant, however. Mere permission on this front, which would make Pleasant a first-time coordinator, could be critical given the way this process has unfolded.
A 15-year NFL veteran as a corner, Glenn has been a coach for five seasons — the past three as Saints DC. As long as he is under contract, the Saints can block him from an interview to become a coordinator.
Bengals Request Interview With Aaron Glenn
Aaron Glenn is in the running for the Bengals’ defensive coordinator job. On Thursday, the Bengals requested an interview with the Saints secondary coach, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Glenn caught the Bengals’ eye earlier this month after deals with Jack Del Rio and Dom Capers went south. Glenn lacks the previous DC experience of Del Rio and Capers, but he is a highly respected coach with recent playing experience.
Glenn played for the Jets, Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Saints over the course of his 15-year career, which ended in 2008. In 2012, he hooked on with the Jets as a personnel scout and later joined the Browns as their assistant DB coach. The Saints brought him on board as the top DB coach in 2016 and he may now have a chance to vault up the coaching ladder.
The Saints’ secondary has lacked talent in recent years, but Glenn has been lauded for developing the younger players in his group.
Todd Grantham Turns Down Bengals
Todd Grantham opted to stay at the University of Florida instead of pursuing the Bengals’ defensive coordinator job, according to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Grantham is intrigued by the possibility of returning to the NFL, but he’s apparently not interested in the Bengals job this year.
After Grantham oped to stick with Dan Mullen & Co., the Bengals are in familiar, yet uncomfortable territory. Over the last several weeks, the Bengals have been on the precipice of deals with several established DCs only to watch things fall apart. Jack Del Rio and Dom Capers both seemed close to signing at different points, but things went sideways in both pursuits. You can add Grantham to that list, leaving the Bengals to scan for a Plan D.
Before the club’s second meeting with Grantham on Wednesday, the Bengals also showed interest in Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant and other younger candidates.
Bengals Zeroing In On Todd Grantham
The Bengals have narrowed their defensive coordinator search to focus on University of Florida DC Todd Grantham, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Grantham returned to meet with the Bengals on Wednesday morning, but they still have their work cut out for them as they try to lure him away from UF, Rapoport reports. 
Grantham reportedly made $1.4MM last year with the Gators, so the Bengals will have to come with a competitive offer to lure him away from one of the nation’s top college programs. Still, the Bengals job clearly holds appeal for Grantham. With Cincinnati, Grantham can return to the NFL with a step up from his previous defensive line coach duties. He’ll also have a great degree of control over the defensive as new head coach Zac Taylor will be focused on the offense.
Over the last week or so, the Bengals have also looked into Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant, former Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, Texas A&M DC Mike Elko, and Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn for the role. Prior to that, the Bengals seemed close on deals with established vets Dom Capers and Jack Del Rio.