AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Per Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Bengals WR Auden Tate took WR A.J. Green‘s place on the first-team offense. 
• Bengals HC Zac Taylor said Green was already scheduled for a day off before tweaking his hamstring Monday. He’s not concerned, however. (Ben Baby)
• Bengals second-round WR Tee Higgins was also limited with a light hamstring issue. (Baby)
• Bengals S Shawn Williams appeared to suffer an injury and needed to take the cart back to the locker room. (Paul Dehner Jr.)
• Taylor did not know the severity of Williams’ injury. (Geoff Hobson)
• Taylor also noted it’s “too early to tell” if Bengals CB Trae Waynes will play this year after his pectoral surgery. (Baby)

Browns

Browns rookie C Nick Harris knows he will make mistakes filling in for injured C J.C. Tretter, but says he is still prepared to be thrown into the fire.

“If you mess up playing fast, at least you are showing that you care about what you are doing,” Harris said, via Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. “I came in expecting to redshirt and I played immediately. I have been in this situation. I know how to handle it. It is a great opportunity to get thrown in the fire. That is how you learn the best. That is how you get the best reps is going against ones. I am definitely fortunate to have the opportunity to get my feet wet and get out there with the guys.”

• Petrak notes WR Jarvis Landry and S Karl Joseph did not practice with the team as they recover from their respective surgeries.
• Two others who sat out for the Browns were DE Myles Garrett who injured his hamstring and WR Damion Ratley who is dealing with an injured groin.
• Browns RB Nick Chubb is in the concussion protocol, the team confirmed. (Jake Trotter)
• Browns TE David Njoku didn’t want to talk about his trade request that he later rescinded: “I’m a Cleveland Brown, for the time being.” (Trotter)
• Njoku also clarified his remarks, adding: “Yes, I want to be here long term. Not saying this is my last year, all we have is the present.” (Marla Ridenour)
• Browns LB Mack Wilson had to be carted from the field Tuesday after suffering a left leg injury. (Scott Petrak)

Ravens

• The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes Ravens third-round WR Devin Duvernay is also taking reps as a punt returner. Ravens sixth-round WR James Proche is the favorite for that job. 
• Zrebiec says Ravens TE Charles Scarff, listed at 6-5 and 249 pounds, appears to have bulked up considerably and now looks like an NFL tight end. 
• He adds Ravens WR Miles Boykin, S Earl Thomas, CB Jimmy Smith and S Anthony Levine look leaner than last year. 

Steelers

• The Athletic’s Ed Bouchette writes again that he expects Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster to enter free agency in 2021. 
• Bouchette cites Pittsburgh’s impending cap constraints with a plethora of contracts expiring and a potentially lower cap floor in 2021 as one reason Smith-Schuster could walk. 
• He adds the Steelers have a tendency to not sign receivers to second contracts most of the time. Pittsburgh has let Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Nate Washington walk while keeping just Hines Ward and Antonio Brown.
• Bouchette notes the Steelers already have some receivers in the pipeline behind Smith-Schuster with James Washington, 2019 third-rounder Diontae Johnson and second-round rookie Chase Claypool.
• Steelers fourth-round G Kevin Dotson suffered a knee injury during practice Tuesday. (Mark Kaboly)