Mike Brown jokes while announcing the Bengals' first round draft pick. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        The Monday morning quarterbacks in the media, like the Saturday afternoon quarterbacks — Mel Kiper Jr., etc. — have given the Bengals poor draft grades for not trading down to get left tackle Levi Jones.

        “Moral of the Draft: Never take a first-round pick 10 spots above where he deserves to go. Get value for him,” CNN/SI's Peter King wrote. “Taking Levi Jones is fine. Taking him at 10 is absurd.”

        But the Bengals say they did try to trade down.

        Club president Mike Brown said Monday that the Bengals had talked to all three teams drafting behind them — Indianapolis, Arizona and New Orleans. The Bengals wanted to trade down and acquire an additional draft pick.

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        “There were zero offered,” Brown said of the Colts, Cardinals and Saints.

        One of the discussions with the three picking after them occurred while the Bengals were on the clock — they needed 11 minutes to announce their pick — but there was no deal.

        The New York Giants, who had the 15th pick, wanted to trade first-round picks with the Bengals. The Giants didn't want to lose Miami tight end Jeremy Shockey, whom they ended up getting at No. 14 after swapping picks with Tennessee. The Titans also were a threat to take Jones.

        But the Giants wouldn't tell the Bengals whom they were going to pick at 10, and the Bengals knew that Giants offensive line coach Jim McNally, a former Bengals assistant, thought Jones was the best offensive lineman in the draft.

        The Bengals wanted a better pick than the fourth-rounder the Giants were offering. Besides, the Bengals feared that Jones and Miami cornerback Phillip Buchanon — their other top choice — would be gone by the time they would have drafted at No. 15.

Still wanted: backup quarterback Bengals notes: Picks' brains were considered, too Bengals tried to deal What they're saying about Bengals' draft Jets sign free agent cornerback Abraham

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