National Football League

Bengals' Whitworth: Draft my replacement, watch him sit

Published Apr. 29, 2015 10:54 a.m. ET

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A good percentage of all the mock drafts out there in cyberspace have the Bengals selecting a left tackle in the first round. Andrus Peat, La'El Collins, and Ereck Flowers are among the talented crop of tackles that have been sent to Cincinnati by one draftnik or another over the last few months.

Andy Dalton's current blind side protector, Andrew Whitworth, has taken notice of all the speculation, and practically dared the Bengals to spend a top pick on his future replacement Thursday night in Chicago.

"Mess up and draft somebody at my position because you are going to sit around and watch him sit the bench, Whitworth told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "That's always been my mentality. I see it as a challenge."

Whitworth will turn 34 this season, an age that rarely draws a long-term contract extension for such a demanding position. As he enters the final year of his deal, Whitworth claims he still has plenty left in the tank.

"Right now, this is the strongest I've been in my life, most conditioned I've been in my life," the 6-foot-7, 330-pounder said. "I don't see the door that's closing. This is the strongest I've ever lifted in my career. I feel like I'm as fast or faster than I've ever been in my life. I'm in the best shape ever. I stop listening to what people thought about what year you are in or when they thought you should be done and started to just listen to what my body says. My body says I can still go get it. I'm still excited to take on anybody any day."

Whitworth is coming off one of his best seasons in 2014, having not allowed a sack all season. He was rated as the most efficient lineman in pass protection by Pro Football Focus and named a second-team All-Pro despite getting snubbed from the Pro Bowl.

As a leader in the locker room, Whitworth is still a team player and is willing to welcome any player that will make the team better. He just doesn't think the end of the road for him is on the horizon.

"I don't have any reason to think I would stop (playing) any time soon," Whitworth said. "Any guy in this room has the clock ticking you just never know when that comes. Right now, I don't see any future where I am done soon."

h/t: Cincinnati Enquirer