"Y'all looking for me?" he said.
Indeed Authentic Isaac Yiadom Jersey , Dunlap was the focus on the first day of mandatory minicamp after skipping most of the voluntary offseason workouts in Cincinnati. The ninth-year defensive end chose to work out on his own while his agent negotiated a new deal with the team, costing him $300,000 in bonuses.
Rather than skip the minicamp as well, he decided to catch up on what he's missed with a new defense being implemented.
Plus, he's encouraged by the progress made on a deal that would keep him in Cincinnati well beyond 2018.
"There are no hard feelings between any of us," Dunlap said Tuesday. "This is the process. Both sides understand it."
Dunlap is a key to the Bengals' hopes of a turnaround this season. They slid to 18th in the league overall and 30th against the run last season while missing out on the playoffs for a second straight year. Coordinator Paul Guenther left to join Jon Gruden with the Raiders, and Teryl Austin was hired as his replacement.
Dunlap has been a game-changer in Cincinnati with his ability to rush the quarterback and bat down passes. He's second on the team's career sacks list with 64陆, and he's been the best lineman in the league at batting down passes over the past few seasons.
Coaches have been trying to get him to be more consistent not only from game-to-game, but within games as well. His number of plays could diminish this season as Cincinnati integrates some of its young pass rushers into the line rotation.
Carl Lawson had 8陆 sacks last season, the most by an NFL rookie and one sack shy of Dunlap's team rookie record from 2010.
"They're very adamant about having a big rotation, and I would too with all this talent on the D-line," Dunlap said.
Dunlap and tackle Geno Atkins have anchored the line since 2010. Atkins leads the NFL in sacks by an interior lineman over the past few years. Dunlap had a career-high 13陆 sacks in 2015 49ers Cassius Marsh Jersey , but slipped to 8 the following season and 7陆 last year, third on the team.
By working out on his own the past few months, he missed a chance to learn the system implemented by Austin. He said the biggest change is in terminology.
"They're pretty much similar in scheme 鈥?minor tweaks here or there 鈥?but they're things we already had in our defense," Dunlap said. "So it's not like a full spring cleaning or anything."
Coach Marvin Lewis said Dunlap won't get much time on the field during the three-day minicamp because he's missed so much practice time.
"It's a chance for him to get a preview of what will happen during training camp," Lewis said. "He'll get very limited repetitions (in minicamp) just because these guys have been working here for an amount of weeks and he hasn't been here."
WOODSIDE CHARGED: Rookie quarterback Logan Woodside 鈥?a seventh-round pick from Toledo 鈥?practiced Tuesday after arraignment in northern Kentucky. He was charged over the weekend with speeding and driving under the influence in Bellevue, Kentucky, according to information in his case file in Campbell County District Court. The Bengals said they're aware of the matter and gathering information. Lewis declined further comment.
EIFERT MISSING: Tight end Tyler Eifert was in the locker room but didn't participate in the afternoon practice. Lewis declined to say why the often-injured tight end wasn't on the field. "He was here all morning and then all of a sudden he wasn't," Lewis said. "I'm sure he's being dealt with in some kind of medical fashion. That's the only reason a guy wouldn't be here."
Eifert was limited to two games last season because of chronic back problems. He signed a one-year deal after the season. Lewis said Eifert has been doing well so far in his latest comeback.
"When we start to play football, then we'll have an idea where he is," Lewis said.
It’s been three years since the New Orleans Pelicans made the postseason, and they’re trying to enjoy the playoff chase during crunch time in the hotly contested Western Conference.
”To be back in that situation is good for us, but we’re going to enjoy it and have fun with it Mark Andrews Color Rush Jersey ,” Anthony Davis said.
Nikola Mirotic scored a season-high 31 points and tied a season best with 16 rebounds, and Davis had 33 points and 11 boards in the Pelicans’122-103 win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
”The coaches did a great job trying to find me, to get some plays for me,” Mirotic said. ”I felt very confident, especially with my defense, and I think when I feel that confident defensively, my offense comes.”
Jrue Holiday added 22 points and 10 assists to help the Pelicans move into a tie for the West’s fifth seed with idle San Antonio and Oklahoma City. New Orleans (45-34) won its second straight after losing four in a row.
”More fun than anything. It’s why we play the game,” Holiday said of the playoff run.
The Pelicans led by double digits throughout the entire fourth quarter.
Marquese Chriss led Phoenix with 23 points and rookie Josh Jackson added 22 points and 11 rebounds. The Suns have lost 16 of 17 and are closer to clinching the NBA’s worst record.
”Just wanting to learn every game,” Jackson said. ”I’ve come a long way, I think, and I just owe it to being a student of the game and wanting to become better.”
Davis had 13 points and six rebounds in the first quarter alone, and Mirotic scored 15 points in the period. The Pelicans attempted 18 3-pointers in the first and made eight Cheap Customized Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , building a 39-21 lead after 12 minutes.
The Suns cut the Pelicans’ lead to 11 in the second quarter, but couldn’t get closer in the first half.
Jackson took a forceful elbow from Holiday to his jaw and hit the floor on a drive with 3:20 to go. Jackson was called for a foul, and the Suns bench protested vehemently enough that veteran Jared Dudley was ejected seven seconds later.
”They (officials) said `We missed the call, we blew the call, but there was nothing flagrant about it,”’ Suns coach Jay Triano said.
Davis scored 14 points in the second quarter, 10 over the final 1:38 before halftime, and New Orleans led 63-46.
The Pelicans scored only four points in the first six minutes of the third quarter to help the Suns cut the lead to 71-62 on the second of back-to-back 3s from Dragan Bender. The Pelicans finished the quarter on a 15-8 run to lead 86-70.
TIP-INS
PELICANS: Davis reached 30 points for the 31st time this season, second-most in the NBA behind LeBron James’ 32. … G Jordan Crawford, re-signed on Thursday, scored 13 points in nine minutes of action. … G Ian Clark missed the game with an illness and sprained right ankle.
SUNS: Guard Danuel House made his first career NBA start. He replaced injured guard Troy Daniels, who sprained his right ankle in Tuesday’s win over Sacramento. … Also out Friday for the Suns: G Devin Booker (right hand) Bobby Cox Jersey , and G Elfrid Payton, F T.J. Warren and F Alan Williams, all with knee injuries, forcing the Suns to use their 33rd different starting lineup of the season. … Jackson, before leaving the game late when he took a knee to his upper leg, reached at least 15 points for the 12th straight game.
BOOK(ED) FOR USA BASKETBALL
Booker was among 35 players named to the 2018-20 USA men’s national team roster who are expected to attend its minicamp in Las Vegas in July. Players from that group are expected to form the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Olympic teams.
Pelicans stars Davis and DeMarcus Cousins were also named to the player pool.
DUNK CONTEST
Both teams dunked on each other in successive possessions late in the third quarter. Jackson elevated for a jam off a pass from Alex Len for Phoenix, then Davis threw down a lob from Rajon Rondo eight seconds later.
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Saturday at Golden State.
Suns: Host Golden State Sunday in their home finale.
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