The Sports Xchange

Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl left tackle Andrew Whitworth is frustrated contract talks haven’t started, especially after being surprised the team used its first two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft on players at his position.

The 10-year veteran is in the last year of his current deal.

“I want to be above and beyond and do more than the average guy in this locker room,” Whitworth said Monday. “But it’s hard to do that when the feeling’s not reciprocated. Really, it’s just a one-way street.”

The 33-year-old Whitworth spoke after the Bengals’ offseason workout, which was the first day coaches were able to view some parts of the players’ training sessions.

Cedric Ogbuehi from Texas A&M was selected 21st overall by Cincinnati, and then Jake Fisher from Oregon was taken in the second round (53rd overall).

Whitworth admitted he was surprised with the Bengals’ picks.

“I wish that there had been (conversations with myself and the Bengals about drafting tackles), but I’m a big boy, I can handle it,” Whitworth said. “This is my football team, I’m the captain of it. I’ve been the leader of it for a long time and don’t plan on letting that change. At the end of the day, they did what they felt was best for the franchise.”

Head coach Marvin Lewis said after the draft he isn’t worried about bruising egos in any position room.

“They’re pros,” Lewis said. “They want to have the best team we can have in the National Football League so we’ve got to add good players to it all of the time. They understand that. They went through the process when they were picked. They know how that works. We want to have the best football team. They’re out front. They can continue to prove that.”

For the first time since 1971, the Bengals took two offensive linemen with their first two picks.

“We picked who we thought were the best players on our football team when we had the opportunity to draft,” Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said Friday night after Fisher was selected. “They ended up being two offensive linemen. So we think these guys are going to help us.”

Whitworth invited both rookies to his house to watch the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight after getting back from the Kentucky Derby on Saturday night, according to ESPN.com.

Ogbuehi had to return home to Texas, but Fisher made the visit.

“(When the team says) we’d like you to be the leader of our football team, but we’d also like the best situation possible for us to talk to you when we want to, that’s a one-way street and not really top-of-the-line in customer service,” Whitworth said. “But it is what it is. Hopefully one day that conversation will be had and I’ll be here.”