AFC North Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Tom Pelissero reports that the Bengals signed TE Tyler Eifert to a one-year contract worth up to $6.5 million. Eifert’s deal has a base value of $4 million and includes a $1.2M signing bonus and another $2.5 million of incentives tied to catches, yards, and touchdowns. 

Browns

Browns GM John Dorsey also said he’s fully confident in first-year HC Freddie Kitchens and his surrounding staff to do any managing of strong personalities that are needed with the trade for Beckham.  

“From a planning standpoint, you want to surround a first-year head coach with quality coaches at all levels,” Dorsey said via Pro Football Talk. “I think we’ve done that. Surround him with a strong coaching staff. And remember: This head coach is very direct, very honest. He’s going to tell it like it is, and he’ll tell Odell like it is. He will hold players accountable. He’ll let players express themselves, as he should do. We really like Odell. He’s passionate. He’s competitive. He wants to be great. You can’t have enough of those guys. He’s on time. Everything you hear is he’s a great teammate. We’re thrilled to have him.” 

• According to Greg Bedard, the Browns are not and won’t be an option for Patriots free agent K Stephen Gostkowski.

Ravens

• According to Mike Silver, the Ravens had interest in QB Blake Bortles before he signed with the Rams. 
• Troy Renck confirms that the Ravens are among the interested teams in free agent ILB Brandon Marshall. 

Steelers

• Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that no deal is imminent between the Steelers and QB Ben Roethlisberger. 
• The Steelers paid Roethlisberger a $5 million roster bonus last week and Fowler notes that both parties can now take their time when it comes to getting an extension done. 
• Fowler spoke with a league source who estimated that a good barometer could be the 2020 franchise tag figure, which is likely to be in the neighborhood of $28 million.