AFC North Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens

Bengals

• Paul Dehner Jr mentions that unless things spill over into training camp, there shouldn’t be any reason to be concerned about the fact that the Bengals have still yet to sign third-round pick Sam Hubbard and Malik Jefferson to rookie contracts.
• According to Dehner Jr, DE Carlos Dunlap, DT Geno Atkins, TE Tyler Kroft, and CB Darqueze Dennard are all “prime candidates” for long-term extensions this summer. However, he cautions that there may not be any news during the summer break regarding new deals for these players.
• We have Atkins and Dunlap featured in our Top 25 – 2019 NFL Free Agents list.

Browns

Browns DC Gregg Williams mentioned that first-round CB Denzel Ward is one of the best press corners he’s ever seen coming into the NFL.

“From an intelligence standpoint, it is not very hard because he just has to count to one and cover the guy that is the first one in from the sideline,” Williams said, via Ohio.com. “Now, from an ability standpoint, that is another thing, but he fits in ability-wise. He has covered some awfully good guys.

“He has had a chance to play at a very high level in college. He is one of the best press guys that I have seen in the last few years at this level. He still has a ways to go, but coming in, he has a base of knowledge that is pretty good.”

• According to Albert Breer, Browns fifth-round LB Genard Avery has been “the talk of the spring” on defense for Cleveland.

Ravens

Ravens QB Robert Griffin III says he’s “trying to help nurture” rookie QB Lamar Jackson, so that the’s ready to play as soon as possible.

“I’m trying to help nurture him as much as I possibly can,” Griffin told SI.com, “so that when he flies away, he is ready to fly away. Because when you watch it fly away, at that point it’s up to that bird.”

“I try to take that and look at it in a positive way to try to help Lamar navigate a lot of the things that I had to navigate on my own,” Griffin added. “I feel like he really trusts me and believes what I’m telling him and I think that’s made him a better player already in a short amount of time.”