AFC North Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Bengals CB Darqueze Dennard (knee) has been cleared to resume practicing but remains on the team’s Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list. (Adam Schefter)
• Cincinnati has 21 days to officially activate Dennard to their 53-man roster. 
• Bengals HC Zac Taylor said CBs Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and William Jackson (shoulder) are not expected to play in Week 7.(Ben Baby)
• Taylor said Bengals OT Cordy Glenn has cleared the league’s concussion protocol. (Ben Baby)

Browns

• Mary Kay Cabot reports that Browns LT Greg Robinson has either been benched or is “is in serious jeopardy of it.“
• Cabot says there’s a “decent chance” Robinson will be replaced by someone else on the Browns’ roster, possibly backup tackle Kendall Lamm.
• According to Cabot, the Browns are also contemplating replacing right guard Eric Kush, possibly with Wyatt Teller.
• Browns GM John Dorsey said he is still “100 percent” confident in QB Baker Mayfield being the team’s franchise quarterback. (Scott Petrak)
• Dorsey mentioned he has had a “few conversations” with the Redskins about acquiring LT Trent Williams, but Washington appears unwilling to negotiate with them: “We’ve had a few conversations… It takes two to tango.” (Jake Trotter)
• Dorsey added that the team will continue to explore the trade market for an offensive lineman: “We’ll do our research, make a million phone calls, do what’s best for the organization.” (Nate Ulrich)
• Dorsey feels that Browns’ first-year HC Freddie Kitchens has done a “really good job” and is commanding respect from their players. (Nate Ulrich)
• Dorsey praised Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr‘s ability to be “selfless” during games despite being game-planned against: “[Beckham is] one of finest receivers I’ve ever been around, very rarely do you get to acquire a player like this, but what people don’t see is defensive coordinators are trying to take away OBJ, he’s selfless individual, does nice job on run blocking.” (Nate Ulrich)
• Dorsey is not concerned about the number of injuries Browns CB Denzel Ward (hamstring) has accumulated so far in his two-year career (Nate Ulrich)

Ravens

Ravens S Earl Thomas will return to Seattle for the first time in Week 7 as a Seahawks’ opponent. However, Thomas said it will be “business as usual.”

“Nothing hit me yet,” Thomas said, via ESPN.com. “I’m just trying to get the game plan down and take it one day at a time and get my body right for the game. No emotions yet. Nothing has really hit me yet.”

“I’m going to take it as it comes,” Thomas added. “I still have a good relationship with most of the guys on the staff. I’ll definitely speak if we time it up.”

Ravens HC John Harbaugh believes recently acquired CB Marcus Peters is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. 

“To me, he’s one of the top corners in the league. He plays the way we play. He gives us another weapon back there, so we can do the things we want to do defensively. That’s what I’m excited about. We don’t want to be hamstrung,” said Harbaugh, via Hensley

• Ravens QB Lamar Jackson said he is not worried about taking too many hits and mentioned that he feels “100 percent” healthy: “Coach already warned me about it, what the defense is going to give us, just take advantage of it. My body is good. 100 percent.” (Hensley)
• Brian McFarland notes that the Ravens are set to have around $2 million in available cap space after trading LB Tavon Young to the Rams in exchange for CB Marcus Peters. 
• Ravens HC John Harbaugh said that DB Brandon Carr is “absolutely” an option to play at safety this season. (Jeff Zrebiec)
• Regarding the Ravens acquiring Peters, Harbaugh said the Rams “were insisting” on receiving LB Kenny Young in return. (Jeff Zrebiec)

Steelers

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin made it clear that there’s no quarterback competition between Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges and Rudolph is their guy moving forward. 

“That guy is our quarterback when he clears the protocol,” Tomlin said, via ESPN.com. “It’s as simple as that. Appreciate the efforts of Duck [Devlin Hodges], but as soon as he’s ready to go, he’s ready to go.”

• The Steelers announced Wednesday that QB Mason Rudolph is no longer in the concussion protocol after being cleared by an independent neurologist. He’s now set to return for the team’s Week 8 game against the Dolphins.
• Tomlin said Steelers RB James Conner (quad), CB Joe Haden (groin), and OLB T.J. Watt (oblique) will be limited in practice for the next week. (Brooke Pryor)