AFC Notes: Amari Cooper, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

• The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. is skeptical Bengals RB Chris Evans will make the roster this year, and adds he could see the Bengals exploring an outside addition at the position. 
• Dehner doubts the Bengals keep five tight ends, and also cites their history of being reluctant to give up on draft picks. So logically, Dehner concludes the Bengals will either start fourth-round TE Erick All on one of the injury lists or pick one of either veteran TE Tanner Hudson or sixth-round TE Tanner McLachlan to make the team. 
• At offensive line, Dehner notes the door is open for first-round OT Amarius Mims to win the starting job over veteran OT Trent Brown, who would slide into the swing tackle role. He adds OL Jackson Carman, Trey Hill, D’Ante Smith, Matt Lee, Jaxson Kirkland and a couple of others are competing for the last two to four roster spots.  
• Dehner notes the Bengals’ defensive line is pretty entrenched, but DT Zach Carter and DE Cam Sample might be the most vulnerable to challenges from DT Jay Tufele and sixth-round DE Cedric Johnson.
• Bengals HC Zac Taylor doesn’t anticipate Brown to be out long and they put him on the non-football injury list due to “tightness.” He added Brown could be out a couple of days but didn’t say definitively what the timeline is. (Dehner)
• Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt is not practicing while he continues his recovery from a tonsillectomy. (Kelsey Conway)
• Taylor when asked if WR Ja’Marr Chase‘s absence is due to a lack of a contract: “It’s a plan that Ja’Marr and I have.” (Ben Baby)
• Chase responded to a question on whether his lack of practice participation is because of contract talks: “No comment.” (Kelsey Conway)

Browns

• According to Aaron Wilson, Browns WR Amari Cooper agreed to an extension that includes an $18.79 million signing bonus and $20 million guaranteed as they converted part of his base salary to a bonus. 
• Wilson mentions the Browns added two void years for proration purposes.
• Spotrac notes Cleveland added dummy salaries from 2025-2028 which allows them to designate Cooper as a post-June 1st release next March and split his voidable dead cap over two years. 
• Cooper stated holding out was never really an option: “I’m content for sure. I wanted more guarantees in the contract but you can’t always get what you want all the time.” (Zac Jackson)
• He continued: “It wasn’t about the money. People misunderstand that. It was really about the guarantees.” (Jackson)
• Cooper also said he’d like to remain in Cleveland past this year because of how involved he is in HC Kevin Stefanski’s offense. (Scott Petrak)
• Stefanski announced he will call plays despite hiring OC Ken Dorsey. (Petrak)
• The Browns worked out RB Spencer Brown on Wednesday. (Aaron Wilson)
• Stefanski noted QB Deshaun Watson‘s throwing schedule will be more than every other day and will include team drills: “We’ll just be smart.” (Zac Jackson)

Steelers

• Steelers QB Russell Wilson wouldn’t put a timetable on his return but mentioned he feels better than yesterday. (Brooke Pryor)
• Wilson stated he injured his calf pushing the sled during the team’s new conditioning test on Wednesday and his absence is an act of caution. (Pryor)