NFL Notes: 49ers, Bears, Buccaneers, Giants, Ravens & Steelers

 

49ers

• Second-round pick RB Carlos Hyde could get an opportunity at “big playing time right away” and has looked like a “steal” up to this point. (Bill Willliamson)
• Third-round pick ILB Chris Borland could fill in for injured NaVorro Bowman as the early reviews have been “strong” regarding the young linebacker. (Bill Willliamson)
• Daniel Kilgore reportedly “has the edge” on third-round pick C Marcus Martin for the starting center job, but there is a chance that Martin could win the job in training camp. (Bill Willliamson)

Bears

• Bears DE Cornelius Washington was arrested on Friday night for speeding and driving with a suspended license. (WRDW.com)

Buccaneers

• Rookie TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins missed all of Bucs offseason workouts due to graduation issues, which will probably result him starting off behind veterans Brandon Myers and Tim Wright. (Scott Smith)

Giants

• New OC Ben McAdoo’s offense features a “quick-hitting passing attack that is predicated on timing.” (Jordan Raanan)
• QB Eli Manning looks to be benefitting from extra time required to pickup the of the offense. (Jordan Raanan)
• The Giants could be asking too much of their current tight end group with this particular offensive system as it requires a lot from this position. (Jordan Raanan)
• CB Jayron Hosley‘s future remains in “serious doubt” due to a deep group of cornerbacks and his recent suspension for a failed drug test. (Jordan Raanan)

Ravens

• Both WR Torrey Smith and NT Haloti Ngata have said that they would like to sign contract extensions with the Ravens and Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun believes it would make sense to get deals in place now given that they do have some cap space to work with.

Smith, 25, is entering the final year of his rookie contract will make just $837,168 for the 2014 season, so he’s clearly in need of a big raise.

Last year, he caught 65 passes for 1,128 yards and four touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 60 receiver in the league last year.

Ngata, 30, carries a staggering $16 million cap figure for the 2014 season, so would make sense to get that figure reduced to something more manageable in the coming years.

Ngata has consistently been one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league for a number of years now. Although he started showing some signs of decline in 2013 as he produced a career low 1.5 sacks for the Ravens defense.

Pro Football Focus still had him rated as the No. 18 interior defensive lineman this past season.

Steelers

• Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger offered some praise for the team’s defensive unit, as well as the offensive line.

“I thought it was a really good camp. This is as fast of a defense I have seen since I have been here,” Roethlisberger said in an interview with 93.7 The Fan. “Offensively, I thought the O-line played great and Justin Brown had a great camp.”

Roethlisberger also mentioned that he’s hopeful they will be able to get back to the playoffs this year.

“I like where we are. I really do. I know we are young, but I have a really good feeling about this,” Roethlisberger said. “If we can stay healthy, I like where we are and I’m really happy with our O-line and they have a chance to be great and as good as they are is going to help us.”