Andrew Whitworth on relationship with Bengals: 'It's just a one-way street'

Andrew Whitworth is tired of playing the waiting game.

The veteran left tackle, who is entering the final year of his current deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, voiced displeasure Monday that contract talks between him and management have yet to begin. 

"I want to be above and beyond and do more than the average guy in this locker room," Whitworth said, according to ESPN's Coley Harvey. "But it's hard to do that when the feeling's not reciprocated. Really, it's just a one-way street."

Leading up the draft, Whitworth said the Bengals would be making a mistake by spending a high draft pick on his replacement. The team ended up using their first two picks on offensive tackles, which came as a surprise to Whitworth.

"I wish that there had been (conversations with 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."

The Bengals' selection of Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher marked the first time since 1971 that the team has used their first two picks on offensive linemen. 

Whitworth invited Ogbuehi and Fisher to his house Saturday to watch the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight. Ogbuehi had to fly back home to Texas, but Fisher stopped by. Whitworth said he won't shy away from mentoring the rookies. 

"(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."