Bengals
- ESPN’s Ben Baby writes the Bengals are looking to transition on defense in 2020 from cornerstone players like DE Carlos Dunlap and DT Geno Atkins, who are starting to show their age.
- The hope is free-agent additions like DT D.J. Reader, CB Trae Waynes and S Vonn Bell can establish themselves and help create a new identity on that side of the ball for the Bengals.
- Cincinnati is also banking on third, fourth and seventh-round rookies Logan Wilson, Akeem Davis-Gaither and Markus Bailey turning around the linebacker corps.
Browns
New Browns TE Austin Hooper explained his decision to sign with Cleveland in free agency during an appearance on the “Jim Rome Show.”
” I really like Andrew Berry, his approach, his vision, his style,” Hooper said, via BrownsWire.com. “I think I could really benefit (from) being under his leadership.”
“Between the system, the coach, the GM, and to be real the offer, all four of those things were lined up,” Hooper added.
Hooper mentioned he has familiarity with “the outside zone play-action scheme” new HC Kevin Stefanski will employ from his time working with Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta.
Hooper also said his four-year, $44 million contract with the Browns including a COVID-19 addendum that would require him to pay back his signing bonus if there is no season.
Ravens
Last year Ravens CB Tavon Young signed a three-year deal worth more than $27 million that made him the highest-paid nickel corner in the NFL at the time. Unfortunately, the Ravens didn’t get much of a return on that investment in 2019, as Young missed the entire year with a neck injury. Going into 2020, Young says he’s healthy and ready to live up to the promise that prompted that deal from Baltimore.
“He looks healthy on the computer,” Ravens DC Don Martindale said via Ryan Mink of the team’s official website. “He says he’s healthy. He’s ready to go. Tavon is ready to go, and if he tells me he’s ready to go, I believe in him 100 percent. And he’ll be ready to go, so I’m excited about that.”
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