Bengals
Bengals HC Zac Taylor knows that his team is red hot and opponents will be wanting to prove themselves against the Super Bowl runner-up this season.
“Well, we know we’re not going to surprise anybody,” Taylor told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “I can’t speak for other teams. I don’t know if we surprised them or not. I hope they saw a good team on tape in Week 1. But this year, certainly, I think people are more aware of the type of team we can be, and we have to prove that. We have a lot of work yet to go to make sure we can meet our own expectations and continue to raise our standard. That it just doesn’t come based on what you did the previous year. There is going to be a ton of work that’s got to be done over these next 45 days to make sure we’re ready for Week 1 against Pittsburgh.”
- USA Today’s Tyler Dragon reports Bengals S Jessie Bates didn’t report to training camp and still doesn’t intend to play under the franchise tag.
- NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo says there’s no indication as of right now that the Bengals are entertaining any thoughts about trading Bates.
- The Bengals tried out LB T.J. Brunson, DT Domenique Davis, DE Raymond Johnson, DE Chris Odom, TE MyCole Pruitt and LB Tegray Scales. (Aaron Wilson)
Browns
- Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.com explains that the Browns signed QB Josh Rosen in order to bring a third quarterback onto the roster who can learn the system and adds that GM Andrew Berry liked Rosen’s talent ahead of the 2018 draft.
- When it comes to QB Baker Mayfield, Petrak defended Berry and HC Kevin Stefanski when asked why the team continued to play him despite his injuries last season.
- He added the duo wanted to test how their potential franchise quarterback would handle the adversity and that the injuries can’t be blamed for the bad throws.
- The Athletic’s Jeff Howe writes multiple teams have told him they’d be more interested in signing 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo after he’s released than trading for him. Howe mentions the Seahawks, Texans, Browns and Giants as teams that could make sense.
- Howe says the Browns haven’t been involved in any trade discussions but they could take a look at Garoppolo as a free agent if Deshaun Watson‘s suspension is longer than their expectation of four to eight games.
Ravens
- Ravens OLB David Ojabo is now officially a holdout from training camp as he hasn’t signed his contract and did not report to the team on Tuesday. (Jamison Hensley)
- Ravens TE fourth-round Charlie Kolar has a sports hernia issue that could require surgery, meaning he could miss most or all of training camp, per HC John Harbaugh. (Hensley)
- Harbaugh added Ravens RB Gus Edwards might be questionable for Week 1 as he recovers from an ACL injury but they’re optimistic about having everyone else off the PUP list by then.
Steelers
- Former Browns DT Larry Ogunjobi has spoken with new teammate QB Mason Rudolph about the incident involving Browns DE Myles Garrett: “He reached out when I signed. I feel like it’s water under the bridge. That was years ago. I don’t have any hard feelings. I don’t think he has any hard feelings.” (Gerry Dulac)
- Ogunjobi on Rudolph: “As men in a sport sometimes we act out with emotion. I was defending my teammate. He was doing his thing. I feel like it is what it is. We talked to each other. It was over the day it happened for me at least. The only way I can move is forward.” (Dulac)
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