AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens

Bengals

Bengals’ director of player personnel Duke Tobin said they intend on surrounding Joe Burrow with talent this offseason. 

“He’s the real deal,” Tobin, via Ben Baby of ESPN. “Our job, like I said when we drafted him, is to support him in the best way we can. This league is about quarterbacks. And when you have one, you’ve gotta support him the best way you can.”

Tobin added that they will look into potential trades as well. 

“Sometimes there’s win-wins to be had out there,” Tobin said. “But we don’t turn down opportunities to think about things. Trades are one of those things.”

Bengals HC Zac Taylor acknowledged the needs along their offensive line but mentioned that he was pleased with the performance of some players. 

“I know what the narrative is,” Taylor said. “I get it. We don’t want our quarterback to be sacked or hit like he was. At the same time the other side of it is those guys did a lot of great things for us.”

Taylor reiterated that their offensive line proved successful at times last season but intends on evaluating the position. 

“You don’t just run for 1,000 yards and have two 1,000-yard receivers and the quarterback had the year he had and be able to win all the games you did if the line wasn’t doing a really good job,” Taylor said. “That doesn’t mean we are not going to evaluate our entire team. You can always get better. That’s what it will be these next couple weeks.”

Browns

• Jeff Howe and Zac Jackson of The Athletic reported Friday that the Browns plan to overhaul their receiving corps this offseason in free agency.
• Cleveland has reportedly known for days that Cowboys WR Amari Cooper is available by trade and could be released at some point, but the Browns also have interest in top free agent receivers including Chris Godwin, Mike Williams and Allen Robinson.
• A team source tells The Athletic that it’s “unlikely” the Browns and WR Jarvis Landry agree to a restructured contract this offseason.
• Beyond that, the Browns are not expected to re-sign WR Rashard Higgins.
• Reports have said that the Browns have informed Baker Mayfield that they’re planning on him being their starter in 2022. Howe and Jackson mention that Cleveland wants to build their offense around Mayfield, who is expected to be recovered from shoulder surgery by training camp. There is, however, still a chance they could trade for a starter, but it would take something unexpected to happen with someone like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson.
• Veteran QB Case Keenum is expected to be released or traded due to his $7.1 million salary for the 2022 season. The Athletic mentions Marcus Mariota and Mitchell Trubisky as free agent options to watch for the Browns and Eagles backup Gardner Minshew as a possible trade candidate.

Ravens

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said that losing RBs J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill last season was “certainly a big blow” to their offense’s production.

“It was certainly a big blow losing J.K. [Dobbins] and then Gus Edwards, and then Justice Hill – all three of our guys. Three of our mainstay players, losing those guys in the span of two weeks was very, very challenging as an organization. Saying that, we are very confident that those guys will all come back this year and play winning football for us. J.K., specifically, obviously suffered a serious knee injury, but he’s a young player. He’s a hungry player, [and] he has a great mindset. He’s been working very, very hard, and we are very, very confident that he’ll come back and be the type of player that he was two years ago,” said DeCosta, via RavensWire.