AFC North Notes: Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Browns

• Browns RB Kareem Hunt has been cleared to practice after missing the first eight days of training camp due to a groin injury. (Scott Petrak)
• Browns LB Adarius Taylor and DT Brian Price are both in the concussion protocol. (Mary Kay Cabot)
• Browns signed DT Tracy Sprinkle. (NFLTR)
• Browns waived CB Jermaine Ponder. 
• Browns placed WR Blake Jackson on injured reserve after clearing waivers. 

Ravens

• Ravens HC John Harbaugh said RG Marshal Yanda is dealing with a “foot/ankle thing” but it is not considered serious. (Jeff Zrebiec)
• Ravens Robert Griffin III (thumb) is was throwing the ball with a glove on his right hand Saturday, which is a positive sign for him being ready for the start of the regular season. (Jeff Zrebiec)
• Ravens activated G Alex Lewis from the PUP list.

Steelers

Steelers OC Randy Fichtner compared Steelers’ second-year RB Jaylen Samuels to RB Le’Veon Bell due to his catching ability. 

“(Bell and Samuels) are very similar,” Fichtner said via Mark Kaboly of the Athletic. “It’s just their natural ability to catch the football. Some guys fight it. He doesn’t fight it.”

Fichtner says they will look to play RBs James Conner and Samuels at the same time. 

“You have run possibilities, protection possibilities, you can move them out and have them do certain receiver types of things,” Fichtner said. “It’s a change of pace. If you want to stay fresh, maybe there are four plays in a game that you have both running backs, which means somebody else gets a rest.”