News » http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com

CINCINNATI (AP) — Andy Dalton isn’t surprised that the Bengals moved up in the fourth round to take a quarterback. He doesn’t feel threatened http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com/sione-takitaki-jersey , either.New coach Zac Taylor has made it clear that Dalton is the unchallenged starter as the Bengals transition to a new offense. Cincinnati traded and moved up to take N.C. State’s Ryan Finley — a quarterback whose skills more closely resemble Dalton’s — in the fourth round on Saturday for a backup role.The Bengals hadn’t taken a quarterback so high in the draft since 2011, when they got Dalton in the second round. But Taylor made it clear to Dalton that the move doesn’t directly impact him.“Like they said, they’re trying to create some competition as a backup and that’s why you bring him in,” Dalton said Tuesday after a workout. “They obviously liked him, felt like he fit this system, and we had to get our (quarterback) numbers up.”At the outset, Finley will compete with fifth-year veteran Jeff Driskel for the No. 2 spot. Driskel started the last five games last season after Dalton tore a ligament in his passing thumb.Dalton has two years left on his contract. Owner Mike Brown has raved about his leadership and performance, even though the Bengals have yet to win a playoff game behind him. Brown has repeatedly pointed out that Dalton led the Bengals to the playoffs five straight seasons, a franchise record.Dalton hadn’t made contact with Finley as of Tuesday. He’s planning to mentor him and help him learn Taylor’s offense, which is being installed during offseason workouts.“I’m learning this offense as well,” Dalton said. “Obviously I’ll be able to help him because I was a rookie quarterback at one point. I was a rookie quarterback that started, so I had the experience of being there.”Perhaps the biggest intrigue on offense is how the line stacks up after the Bengals took left tackle Jonah Williams in the first round and guard Michael Jordan in the fourth.Current left tackle Cordy Glenn hasn’t played guard since college. It’s unlikely the Bengals would move Williams to a guard spot and put the rookie in an unaccustomed spot to start his career.The coaching staff hasn’t yet provided the linemen with any clues as to its plans. Players expect some experimentation in minicamp and training camp.“Nobody knows,” Glenn said. “I’m pretty sure they have a plan in place. They’re probably going to move a couple of guys around and see a couple of different lineups and see what they really have and what’s the best unit to put on the field.”The Bengals got Glenn in a trade with Buffalo before last season. He was limited by a back injury and started 13 games. He hasn’t played guard since he was at Georgia from 2008-11. He started 14 games at left tackle his senior year in college and has stayed at that position Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , so a move to guard would be a major adjustment.“It’s almost 10 years ago,” he said. “I don’t know. It will be interesting, for sure.” FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The last time James White faced the New York Jets, he set a career high for rushing yards in a game.That game also marked the start of a stretch in which the ground attack has taken on added importance for White’s New England Patriots, who bring a 10-5 record into Sunday’s game at Gillette Stadium against the Jets (4-11).“That game, the offensive line did a great job blocking and we had a lot of success in the running game,” White, generally the Patriots’ third-down back and better known for his receiving skills, said Wednesday. “But we can’t expect for it to be like that coming into the second time. They’re going to come in being ready to stop the run,”In the Nov. 25 game at MetLife Stadium, a 27-13 Patriots victory, White carried nine times for 73 of the team’s 215 rushing yards Kaleb McGary Jersey , including a 24-yard run late in the fourth quarter to secure the win. Prior to that, the fifth-year veteran from Wisconsin had carried for 40 or more yards only three times in his career: twice earlier this season and in the Patriots’ 41-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl last February.White’s role in the offense expanded considerably this year, and he enters the regular-season finale with career-high totals in both rushing (90 carries for 395 yards) and receiving (712 yards on 83 receptions, both franchise records).Concurrently, the Patriots’ passing offense has struggled in recent weeks, including a season-low 117 yards last week in a 24-12 win over the Buffalo Bills. They compensated by rushing for a season-best 273 yards, White accounting for 41 on eight carries.The team’s rushing average, 127.1 yards per game over the season, has blossomed to 164.2 yards over the last five games.Rookie Sony Michel leads with 881 yards on 195 carries.“It’s a team effort,” White said. “Good play calling, the offensive line’s doing a great job blocking, and (fullback) James Develin, the tight ends Kendall Sheffield Jersey , Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) and Dwayne (Allen) and (Jacob) Hollister has been in there. And the receivers. Being able to run the football is a team effort, and not just about the running backs. It takes everybody in order for us to have success.”The need for increased productivity on the ground has raised questions whether the Patriots, who still have a chance to gain the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, have yet to find their true identity.“I think we have our identity,” White said. “I think we just haven’t played our best. We know what we’re capable of and we know what we need to do each week. Our coaches have us prepared, but we’ve just got to go out there and do it, and execute for four quarters.”A victory over the Jets can clinch the No. 2 seed for the Patriots and a first-round playoff bye. With help from losses by Kansas City to Oakland and the Los Angeles Chargers to Denver, the Patriots could earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.“We’re just focusing on this week right now and we’re not focusing on the playoffs,” White said. “We’re treating this game like a playoff game, because that’s pretty much what it is. It’s always tough when we play these guys.”