AFC North Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, an AFC scout says not to rule out the Bengals taking Ohio State DE Chase Young No. 1 overall despite their pressing need at quarterback. 
• Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti identifies QB Andy Dalton as the biggest trade candidate for the Bengals this offseason, adding it also makes sense for them to extend DT Josh Tupou. 
• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks it could make sense for the Bengals to keep Dalton as a potential bridge quarterback, however, that necessitates having Dalton on board and not wanting a better opportunity elsewhere. 
• Bengals HC Zac Taylor said WR A.J. Green won’t practice Wednesday but he maintains Green still wants to play before the final three games of Cincinnati’s season run out. (Ben Baby)

Browns

• Per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal, Browns QB Baker Mayfield said he couldn’t speak for WR Odell Beckham on if he was happy in Cleveland, but he said nothing in his interactions with the receiver have led him to believe otherwise: “There’s all the rumors going around, but I have my conversations with him, and I know what we talk about. So I trust him wholeheartedly.”
• Mayfield said he spoke with the training staff regarding his critical comments from last week: “I had the conversations that I needed to, in the building. Like I said, when I addressed it afterwards [on Twitter], the effect that those words have in the bigger scheme and the bigger picture were not my intentions. The people within our building, like I said, know where I am coming from. They know my frustration, and they know that if I was happy-go-lucky about everything then we would have a real problem on our hands. I talked to the people I needed to so am confident in that and us moving forward.” (Pro Football Talk)
• If he will accept a deal under $5 million per year, Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti thinks the Browns should go ahead and extend RB Kareem Hunt, who will be a restricted free agent following the 2019 season. 

Ravens

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson expects to play in Thursday night’s game despite missing the last two practices due to a quad injury. 

“I feel great. I feel good. I’m 100 [percent],” Jackson said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “I’m going to be out there Thursday night.”

Ravens’ veteran S Earl Thomas feels referees need to do a better job of protecting Jackson from taking hits to his lower body. 

“I’m not saying they’re trying to hurt Lamar, but they’re definitely going at his legs more than they were doing at first,” Thomas said.

• Per the Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens declared LB Chris Board (concussion) out for Thursday night’s game against the Jets. 
• Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley is listed as doubtful with a concussion. Ravens OL James Hurst would start in Stanley’s place. 
• Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti thinks the Ravens will look hard at extending CB Marcus Peters, which would likely necessitate declining 33-year-old CB Brandon Carr‘s option.

Steelers

• Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti says the Steelers could consider offering DL Cameron Heyward a short extension to guarantee more of his $9.5 million 2020 salary and lock in the 30-year-old team captain beyond next year. 
• Steelers LB Mark Barron‘s cap hit increase to $8.1 million next year makes him a potential cap casualty, per Ginnitti.