AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Deshaun Watson, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals’ new OT La’el Collins said that the team’s Super Bowl berth “played a factor” in his decision to sign with the organization. 

“All that played a factor,” Collins said, via Geoff Hobson of the team’s official site. “You just look at that roster. Look at this team. They are loaded everywhere. Just needed guys up front to do the job. I always felt like as the O-line goes, the team goes.”

Bengals’ director of pro scouting Steven Radicevic added that re-signing DT B.J. Hill and CB Eli Apple were priorities for them.

“It’s team effort,” Radicevic said. “There’s was a lot to do trying to get B.J. and Eli done and fielding other calls. You can’t do it all. Total team effort.”

Bengals HC Zac Taylor added that recently signed TE Hayden Hurst will be a “great fit” into their system.

“We think that that’s a great fit for us and a great fit for him,” Taylor said. “The more research we did on him and really dug into it, we feel like that guy can be a real weapon and asset for us this year. Went to dinner with him and (tight ends coach) James Casey and Drew Sample and I feel like he really hit it off with the group in that tight end room. We’ve got high expectations for Hayden to come in here. I think he’s made of the right stuff and he’s really going to be able to help us at the tight end position.”

Browns

New Browns QB Deshaun Watson was introduced during a press conference on Friday and addressed the sexual assault and inappropriate conduct made by several women during his time in Houston. 

“I know these allegations (are) very, very serious,” Watson said, via ESPN.com. “But I’ve never assaulted any woman. I never disrespected any woman.”

Watson said he does not intend to settle any of the 22 civil cases against him.  

“I understand the whole circumstance is very difficult, especially for the women’s side of the fans in this community, I’m not naive to that,” Watson said.

“The things that are off the field right now that came up caught me by surprise because I never did anything that these people are alleging.”

Browns GM Andrew Berry said that legal counsel advised them to not contact the women directly “out of concern it would be considered interfering with a criminal investigation.” Berry explained that they instead hired independent investigators to look into the allegations against Watson. 

“I’ll say the investigators that we hired were able to get a full perspective of all the cases,” Berry said. “I’m not going to go into necessarily the details of everything the investigators did, but they got a full perspective for all the criminal and civil cases.”

Steelers

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports Steelers HC Mike Tomlin met with Cincinnati DE Myjai Sanders over dinner on Wednesday.