AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens

Bengals

• ESPN’s Ben Baby writes the Bengals’ biggest offseason addition might have been bringing back OL coach Frank Pollack to help shore up that unit finally. 
• The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. says Bengals TE C.J. Uzomah should return to the starting tight end role, assuming his recovery from an Achilles injury has gone well. Former Bengals second-round TE Drew Sample is more of a run blocker and the No. 2. 
• Dehner pours cold water on some of the hype for UDFA Bengals RB Pooka Williams, saying he faces an uphill battle to make the team as a running back, and while he’s taking reps as a punt returner, he’s never done that before and is learning from scratch. 
• Bengals RB Joe Mixon could hit 80 percent of the team’s snaps at running back in 2021, in Dehner’s opinion. 

Browns

• Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com notes that while OC Alex Van Pelt called a great game during the Wild Card playoff win, HC Kevin Stefanski would have likely made the correct calls as well due to the gameplan being installed during the week.
• Cabot expects that the two will continue to collaborate on play-calling, with Van Pelt focusing more on QB Baker Mayfield and taking on the role of lead play-caller during the preseason. 
• Due to his injury, Cabot notes that LB Tony Fields will most likely have to fight his way into the rotation behind linebackers Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Mack Wilson, Jacob Phillips, and Malcolm Smith.
• According to Cabot, two unsung heroes on the team’s roster could be S Ronnie Harrison and WR Donovan Peoples-Jones.
• Despite there being free agents available who could undoubtedly help the Browns, Cabot does not see the team making any major acquisitions and thinks they are happy with their current group of players.