AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Bengals QB Joe Burrow said his pinkie finger injury is “good enough” to play through: “Good enough to play.” (Ben Baby)
• Bengals OC Brian Callahan said RG Hakeem Adeniji has earned the opportunity to continue starting: “Yeah. He sure has.” (Ben Baby)
• Cincinnati has ruled out LB Logan Wilson (shoulder) from Week 15, while OT Riley Reiff (ankle) is doubtful. (Kelsey Conway)

Browns

Browns LG Joel Bitonio admits it is difficult losing starting LG Wyatt Teller and LT Jedrick Wills Jr. to the COVID-19 list, but is confident they have enough depth to succeed. 

“To lose two more starters, Wyatt and Jed, is tough,” Bitonio said, via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “But I do have faith in the guys that are going to have to step up. You keep 53 guys, so you’re going to have to play them ’cause of injuries. Now we have to deal with this COVID situation, but those guys are going to be ready and those guys are going to have their opportunity to play and we’re going to pick each other up.”

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski named OT Blake Hance and G Michael Dunn as two players he trusts to fill in. 

“We’ll work through all those type of things, but obviously those are two guys we certainly trust,” said Stefanski. 

Bitonio said fourth-round OT James Hudson brought a “good energy” to the line and played well in Week 14. 

“He played really hard,” Bitonio said. “He had a good energy about himself. There’s some time where he was celebrating and doing some really good things. I think in the pass game, there were some really good things. He was getting to his spot. There was a couple little mental things here and there, and in the run game, it’s all about finishing your block.”

Bitonio is confident that Hudson showed a “very positive start” to his career. 

“It was not for a lack of effort. It was just body position and a couple little things like that. Overall, a very positive start and something he can build on and can continue to work and just get better every week.”

• According to Mark Maske, there has been “no discussion” of changing the status of the Browns’ Week 15 game against the Raiders following Cleveland’s recent COVID-19 outbreak.

Ravens

• Ravens HC John Harbaugh said QB Lamar Jackson (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday and is considered “day-to-day.”  (Jeff Zrebiec)

Steelers

• When asked if he’s thinking about retirement, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger responded that he’s focused on making a playoff run: “I’m living right here, right now. We’ve got to make a run. We’ve got to play good football, great football. That starts right here with me. I can’t get caught looking at the end because I need to focus on right here, this week.” (Brooke Pryor)
• The Steelers worked out CB Isaiah Johnson and CB Lavert Hill on Tuesday. (Aaron Wilson)
• Pittsburgh later signed Johnson to their practice squad.