AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens

Bengals

Bengals HC Zac Taylor said he is confident QB Joe Burrow and C Trey Hopkins will be ready for Week 1.

“They’ve shown us enough to know that they’re going to be ready to play,” Taylor said, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Inquirer. “It’s just a matter of what do we want do? Do we want to put those guys out there in a preseason game or just give them more rest and get them ready for the Minnesota game? We’ll take a couple more days before we make that decision since we’ve got a week here before that game.”

• Bengals WR Tee Higgins said the offense will have him and WR Ja’Marr Chase on the outside, with WR Tyler Boyd in the slot. (Kelsey Conway)

Browns

• Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.com notes that WR KhaDarel Hodge could be one trade candidate for the Browns. 
• Petrak also points out that with injuries to S Grant Delpit, CB Greedy Williams, LB Jacob Phillips, and TE Stephen Carlson that some players who may have been on the way out could end up staying in Cleveland.
• With the positive preseason play of backup QB Case Keenum and QB Kyle Lauletta, Petrak thinks that the offensive system of HC Kevin Stefanski takes the pressure off of quarterbacks. However, he still believes that the team needs a game-changing QB like Baker Mayfield.
• Browns’ HC Kevin Stefanski said K Cody Parkey suffered a quad injury in the preseason game against New York. (Nate Ulrich)
• Stefanski also added that LB Montrel Meander has an Achilles injury. Both he and Parkey landed on injured reserve Monday. (Ulrich)
• Browns sixth-round RB/WR Demetric Felton said he has no preference between playing running back or wide receiver this season. (Ulrich)
• Browns CB Greedy Williams had a “slight groin pull“, but “should be fine.” (Josina Anderson)

Ravens

• The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec mentions Ravens RB Ty’Son Williams has put himself in the conversation for a roster spot, especially with Justice Hill out with an injury. 
• According to Pro Football Talk, Ravens CB Chris Westry was fined $3,667 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Ravens DT Justin Ellis, OL Patrick Mekari, TE Josh Oliver, WR James Proche, S Anthony Levine and DT Broderick Washington aren’t roster locks but are at the point where if they were cut it would be a slight surprise. (Zrebiec)
• Among the players on the bubble, Zrebiec lists WR Miles Boykin, G Ben Powers, TE Eric Tomlinson, OL Trystan Colon-Castillo, DB Ardarius Washington, CB Shaun Wade, OLB Jaylon Ferguson, Westry and Hill. 
• Among the notable players Zrebiec foresees the Ravens cutting are OL Michael Schofield, G Ben Bredeson and fifth-round FB Ben Mason.
• Ravens FB Patrick Ricard said he played last year with a torn labrum in his hip which required surgery. (Jeff Zrebiec)
• Ravens K Justin Tucker said K Jake Verity is a starting-caliber kicker in the NFL: “I would also be surprised if we don’t get a pick for him.” (Jamison Hensley)