The Bengals are inching closer to having all of their draft picks under contract.
Fourth-round pick Russell Bodine became the fifth 2014 pick to sign in the last three days when he agreed to a four-year deal with the team on Friday. Bodine is the highest pick to sign thus far and the first three Bengals picks of the draft are the only ones left to sign.
Bodine started for more than two years at North Carolina and finished at the top of the rankings in the bench press at the combine by pressing 225 pounds 42 times. With Kyle Cook gone, the Bengals don’t have a starter in place at center so Bodine could work himself into the starting lineup as a rookie if that strength translates into an ability to push defensive linemen around.
His chief competition will be veteran Mike Pollak, who started five times at guard for the Bengals last season.