Bengals

Bengals CB Josh Newton picked off QB Joe Burrow during the team’s first mandatory minicamp practice in a seven-on-seven period. Newton talked about prioritizing his strength this offseason to improve his tackling.

“A lot of improvement,” Newton said, via the team’s website. “Especially tackling and getting people to the ground. That’s one of the biggest things we’ve been talking about (this spring).”

Browns

Browns OC Travis Switzer was asked if he has seen one quarterback take a step ahead of the pack so far in organized activities between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson.

“I don’t know that we have somebody who’s ahead,” Switzer told reporters, via Pro Football Talk. “We’re pleased with both their progress and all the guys are doing a nice job. I think that both of those guys and really all of our guys are progressing very well. Very pleased in what we’ve seen in the growth. Like I said, a lot of is the familiarity with the system — getting a little more comfortable as we move on. But their progression, just in the short time that we’ve been so far is very encouraging, and we’re excited about that.”

“I’ll only speak to what I’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, and his progress has been impressive,” Switzer added on Sanders. “Just his ability to move through progressions. His feet are getting more urgent, and he’s ready to throw when he needs to more consistently. We can continue to grow there, but his progress has been impressive.”

Steelers

The Steelers started their offseason program with QBs Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and third-rounder Drew Allar. Pittsburgh HC Mike McCarthy is glad to have their available quarterbacks and has been pleased with Allar thus far. 

“It’ll be great to have all three of those guys because there’s a tempo to it,” McCarthy said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “In the quarterback room, the relationship of the quarterbacks in that room, that’s important. They spend a lot of time together, so we have a lot of fundamental conversations that we need to get started. But I think for a rookie to get the attention that he’s received since Thursday has been outstanding.”

McCarthy said they are refining Allar’s footwork and have been encouraged by the progress he’s already seen. 

“It gives you the ability to play faster,” McCarthy said. “Gives you the ability to transition in and out of the challenges that occur throughout quarterback play. We’re teaching him different than the way he’s played before. He hasn’t spent a lot of time under center. He’s a run-and-shoot guy in high school. He’s played from 9 yards deep. So there’s just a lot of newness to him, but it’s just like anything. When you see the response from Friday’s practice, talk about it Saturday morning and then for him to go out there and do it today, that’s encouraging. Frankly, it’s really the same types of stuff that we went through with Will four weeks ago. So these are two young guys that have a lot of football in front of him, got a lot of work to do, but gosh, I mean, they’re definitely wired the right way, and they bring an excellent physical skill set.”

Allar said he’s working on playing with a “wider base” and keeping his feet planted while throwing.

“Just playing with a little bit wider base and keeping my feet in the ground as much as I can and not getting on my toes as much,” Allar said. “It’s just really fundamental things that I just have to be aware of now and be conscious of. And in the drill work, obviously I want to be as accurate as I can in the drill work, but really just focusing on the footwork and getting that mental repetition down so I can feel that and then carry that over into team when it’s a competing session.”