AFC North Notes: Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Browns

Browns HC Freddie Kitchens says his team is “better on paper” than they were last year, but they still have a long way to go to meet the rising expectations in Cleveland.  

“That doesn’t mean anything other than, we’re better on paper,” Kitchens said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “I mean this from the bottom of my heart—there are a lot of teams out there that have talent, there are a lot of teams out there that have good players individually. There aren’t a lot of teams out there that play together as a team, where it means something to line up with each other.  That’s where we’ve got to get to.”

• Kitchens said WR Odell Beckham would be in and out of the Browns offseason workout program as he works on transitioning from New York to Cleveland.  (Nate Ulrich)
• Kitchens added: “He’s got some things to tie up, but he thought it was important enough to get here today. He won’t be here continually right now, but he’ll be back and forth.” (Mary Kay Cabot)
• Beckham said the trade was a shock to him, but he thinks he’s come to grips with everything that’s happened. (Ulrich)
• Beckham added the relationships he’d built with teammates on the Giants were the hardest part of processing the trade.  (Petrak)
• Being in the building for the first day of workouts was important to set the tone, Beckham told reporters, as he usually trains in Los Angeles during the offseason.  (Ulrich)
• Beckham isn’t thinking about a new deal yet.  (Ulrich)
• Overall, Beckham’s ready to be a Brown: “I’m very excited about this. I think it’s going to be one of the best things that ever happened to me in my life”.  (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Nebraska RB Devine Ozigbo is visiting the Browns today.  (Josh Norris)

Ravens

• According to Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens are interested in giving LB Brandon Marshall a multi-year deal but want to wait until after May 8 to protect their potential compensatory picks.  
• Despite their depth at corner, Zrebiec expects the Ravens to consider drafting one in the later rounds to develop.  
• Baltimore will bring in the consensus top-two centers, Texas A&M’s Erik McCoy and North Carolina State’s Garrett Bradbury, for visits.  
• Zrebiec mentions the Bears as candidates to trade for backup K Kaare Vedvik.  

Steelers

• According to Ray Fittipaldo, the Steelers hosted Penn State RB Miles Sanders, Alabama RB Damien Harris, Notre Dame TE Alize Mack, UMass WR Andy Isabella and Oregon WR Dillon Mitchell on Monday.