AFC North Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Bengals have maxed out their allotted time with LSU QB Joe Burrow each week. Teams can have three one-hour phone interviews with any one prospect in a given week. 
• The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. writes that unless another team misses on its preferred quarterback in the draft, the Bengals will likely have to cut QB Andy Dalton. 
• While the team has said all options are on the table, including presumably keeping him as a backup or plan B to Burrow, keeping his $17.7 million salary on the books would be difficult for Cincinnati. 
• In the end, Dehner believes the Bengals release Dalton shortly after the draft. 

Browns

• NBC Sports’ Peter King relays that the Browns love Boise State OT Ezra Cleveland and could pass on a tackle in the first round if they think they can land Cleveland later. 
• Browns S Karl Joseph revealed he hasn’t actually passed a physical for Cleveland yet, but his agent was able to finalize the deal without it. (Nate Ulrich)
• Joseph said he’s doing well and on the right track after having foot surgery in November. 

Ravens

• Alabama DE Terrell Lewis has had a pre-draft video meeting with the Ravens. (Peter King)

Steelers

Tight end was a major weakness for the Steelers, one that the team hopes it has remedied by signing Eric Ebron in free agency. Ebron will pair with incumbent starter Vance McDonald to hopefully give Pittsburgh a nice one-two punch at the position. While Ebron isn’t much of a blocker, and Steelers GM Kevin Colbert notably didn’t talk about that aspect of his game, he does offer a receiving element Pittsburgh has lacked at the position. 

“He’s a super pass-catching tight end,” Colbert said via the Athletic’s Mark Kaboly. “There’s athleticism, red-zone production, and run-after-the-catch — he’s really a premier receiving tight end when he is healthy. He gives us another weapon in the passing game, for sure.”

• Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline says the Steelers have significant interest in Temple C Matt Hennessy, though they project him to guard at the next level.