AFC North Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Bengals free agent ILB Preston Brown says he’s running again after suffering a sprained MCL injury last year that did not require surgery. (Alex Marvez)
• Brown is hoping to re-sign with the Bengals, but he plans to keep his options open this offseason. 

Browns

• Cleveland GM John Dorsey says RB Duke Johnson is not expendable “yet” with the signing of RB Kareem Hunt, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. 
• Cabot says if Hunt is suspended “eight or 10 games,” the Browns could hang onto Johnson as a backup to RB Nick Chubb. Otherwise, the Browns could trade Johnson for the right deal. 
• The Browns believe OT Greg Robinson can start for them at LT, and will try to re-sign him in free agency, per Cabot. They’ll also look at tackles in the draft. 

Ravens

New Ravens OC Greg Roman said he’s seen growth from QB Lamar Jackson in terms of throwing the football and he feels as though the “sky’s the limit” for Jackson. 

“Lamar has a unique skill set,” Roman said. “Just like any young guy, he’s gonna develop. As far as him throwing the football, we feel great about it. We saw a lot of improvement last year throughout the season and, really, he’s only going to get better from here.”

Steelers

Steelers ILB Jon Bostic, who is in line to be an unrestricted free agent, says he’s hoping to be back in Pittsburgh for the 2019 season. 

“Obviously this is my first year here and whatnot; hopefully we can make this place a home,” Bostic said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It’s been a fun year; definitely didn’t go the way we would have planned. But that’s football. You can’t plan everything out. But I do [hope to be back].”