The piling on continues for the struggling and rebuilding Cincinnati Bengals.

First, ESPN.com ranked Cincinnati the worst team in football entering the preseason. (Cincinnati hasn't done anything the past two weeks to dispel that claim.) Then, Scouts Inc. ranked its top 200 players without a Bengal in sight through the first 80 selections.

In fact, left tackle Andrew Whitworth was the highest-rated Bengal at No. 85. It's a strong indictment of Cincinnati's roster. Three AFC North teams had a dozen players rated higher before the first Bengal was mentioned.

Cincinnati franchise quarterback Carson Palmer likely would have made the top 80. But his retirement put him out of the running.

The Bengals have talented, but unproven, young players. But if the preseason is any indication, there will be a lot of growing pains this year in Cincinnati.