AFC North Notes: Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Browns

• According to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo, Browns WR coach Adam Henry is discussing staying on with new HC Kevin Stefanski. Henry has also interviewed with the Cowboys. 
• Per Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, the Browns still aren’t sure if Vikings assistant GM George Paton will agree to the interview request. 
• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports Paton’s interview with Cleveland is tentatively scheduled for this weekend. 
• Goessling reports that Paton does not have an interview set up with the Browns for their GM job at this moment. According to Goessling, Paton isn’t in the mix right now, but it’s possible they could speak later on in the process. 
• The Browns coaches still currently on staff are being told to expect a determination on their future by the weekend. (Josina Anderson)

Ravens

• The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes that while he never got confirmation the Ravens included TE Hayden Hurst in trade discussions with the Jaguars for CB Jalen Ramsey, he never got a denial either. Regardless, Zrebiec writes the Ravens’ preference is to keep Hurst and make him a bigger part of the offense in 2020 unless someone blows them away with an offer. 
• Zrebiec notes the Ravens have had preliminary discussions about re-signing LB Matt Judon and CB Jimmy Smith.
• Though the Ravens need a pass rusher, Zrebiec doesn’t foresee them being interested in Seahawks DE Jadeveon Clowney, as they didn’t think he was worth a pick and $20 million contract via trade from the Texans.
• Midseason free-agent additions like LB Josh Bynes and DE Pernell McPhee aren’t expected to be priorities for Baltimore unless they can’t address those positions, per Zrebiec. 
• Zrebiec mentions DL Jihad Ward and DT Justin Ellis as players the Ravens could try to re-sign to a modest deal before free agency. 
• Despite C Matt Skura‘s serious knee injury, Zrebiec thinks the Ravens won’t go out of their way to upgrade at center from Patrick Mekari. 
• Ravens S Tony Jefferson is unlikely to be back in Baltimore even if he accepts a pay cut, according to Zrebiec. 
• CBS Sports analyst and former agent Joel Corry named Ravens RB Mark Ingram as the best offensive signing of 2019. 

Steelers

The Steelers made the decision not to extend LB Bud Dupree as he played out his fifth-year option in 2019. In response, Dupree nearly doubled his previous career-high of six sacks, taking down the opposing quarterback 11.5 times this season. Now the Steelers are understandably more open to bringing Dupree back long-term, but questions about cap flexibility stopped owner Art Rooney II from definitively committing to anything. 

“We’d like to have Bud back, no question about it,” Rooney said via PennLive.com’s Jacob Klinger. “And we’ll do our best to figure out how to make it happen. But we’d like to have him back and I’ll stay optimistic that we’ll be able to figure out how to make it happen.”