AFC North Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, Bengals QB Andy Dalton would definitely be able to find another job if released, based on conversations with sources around the league, and a mid-round pick would not be an impediment to a team that wants to trade for him. 
• The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. anticipates the Bengals being more in the mix for free agents like Browns LB Joe Schobert or Lions G Graham Glasgow than the top options at each position. 
• Dehner adds Dalton could be worth a fourth-round pick to a team like the Bears or Patriots. 
• Dehner lists the Bengals’ most logical trade chips in order as Dalton, C Billy Price, WR John Ross, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, OL Cordy Glenn, DT Geno Atkins and DL Carlos Dunlap. 
• However, Dehner believes Kirkpatrick and Glenn are more likely to be released than traded. 
• ESPN’s Ben Baby thinks it’s inevitable the Bengals place the franchise tag on WR A.J. Green. 

Ravens

Ravens OT Orlando Brown had one of the worst performances in the history of the NFL Scouting Combine two years ago. Brown put up just 14 reps in the bench press, came in last with a 19.5-inch vertical jump, 82-inch broad jump and lumbering 5.85-second 40-yard dash. Since falling to the third round of the draft and being taken by the Ravens, though, Brown has proven himself to be one of the game’s better young right tackles, and he credits the Ravens with taking a chance on him despite his admittedly poor job interview. 

“A lot of times people are wrong, man. They put a lot of stock into the combine just because of lazy scouting,” Brown said via the Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. “I just think too much goes into other things, instead of sitting there and looking at the film, seeing how this guy evaluates the rush, seeing how this guy moves in space. Does he know where he’s going? Is he the guy leading the communication when they’re on the field? From there, you figure out what type of guy he is off the field. The scouts, sometimes they do a good job doing that, but for me, that’s where a lot of teams mess up. I think Baltimore has gotten it right.”

• ESPN’s Jamison Hensley thinks the Ravens ultimately elect to put the franchise tag on LB Matt Judon and explore a tag-and-trade scenario. 

Steelers

• ESPN’s Brooke Pryor thinks the Steelers ultimately elect to put the franchise tag on LB Bud Dupree.