AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlines a potential trade between the Bengals and Chiefs. Cincinnati would trade C Billy Price and a 2021 seventh-round pick for the Chiefs’ 2021 fifth-round pick. 
• Price is in need of a fresh start and he could help fill a need for Kansas City on the interior offensive line, per Barnwell. 
• Barnwell adds the Bengals could trade WR John Ross to the Patriots for a 2021 sixth-round pick to get something back for him. New England would add some speed to its offense in a low-risk move. 
• Bengals WR A.J. Green downplayed his hamstring injury from this weekend’s game: “It’s fine. It is what it is. I’ll be able to push through it.” (Ben Baby)
• Green has talked to first-round QB Joe Burrow about their shaky connection but he adds he doesn’t want to overwhelm the rookie or hurt the offense: “I don’t want them to force me anything.” (Baby)
• Green said he absolutely wants to stay in Cincinnati through the trade deadline: “I think we’re building something special here and I just want to be a part of the team and help us win.” (Baby)
  
• Asked about appearing to say “trade me” per some lip readers in a video shown of the sidelines this weekend, Green said he was frustrated but that wasn’t accurate: “I don’t know if that’s accurate. I think they are just trying to reach for something…People are gonna say whatever. It was just a lot of frustration.” (Tyler Dragon)
• Green said that frustration and the loafing on Cincinnati’s interception were both out of character for him: “I just can’t put that out there.” (Baby)
• Added Green: “I feel like I let my teammates down. That’s the biggest thing.” (Paul Dehner Jr.)

Browns

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlines a potential trade between the 49ers and the Browns, with San Francisco sending S Tarvarius Moore for TE David Njoku. 
• Moore is buried behind other options in San Francisco but would have a chance to start in Cleveland, while Njoku could play an important role as a second tight end for the 49ers.
• Per BrownsZone.com’s Scott Petrak, Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said they sent WR Odell Beckham home with an illness as a precautionary measure. They’re still waiting for his COVID-19 test result to make sure it’s not related. 
• Stefanski added QB Baker Mayfield is feeling better and will likely be limited in practice Thursday. (Nate Ulrich)
• Browns DC Joe Woods thinks there’s a chance S Ronnie Harrison could exit the concussion protocol in time for this week’s game against the Steelers. (Ulrich)

Ravens

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell mentions Seattle could flip TE Jacob Hollister to the Ravens, who have a need at tight end, for a 2021 seventh-round pick. It would clear cap for the Seahawks. 

Steelers

Oddly enough, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger‘s biggest takeaway from second-round WR Chase Claypool‘s four-touchdown outburst this Sunday wasn’t anything on the field. It was how the other members of Pittsburgh’s receiving corps reacted to the rookie’s big day. Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, ostensibly Pittsburgh’s No. 1 wideout, had a big smile on the sidelines the entire day despite having as many catches as Claypool had touchdowns. Juxtaposed against some of the receivers the Steelers have had in the past, like Antonio Brown, that selflessness stands out. 

“I just can’t say enough about him and what that meant to me, what it meant to other guys and how proud we are of him that he truly was happy for Chase,” Roethlisberger said via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “He was happy we won the game. Did he have huge stats, JuJu? No, but we won the game and that’s all that matters. I think for a No. 1 receiver to feel that way in a locker room, I told my wife about it, I told my closest friends about it. That just made me really proud and really happy that we have selfless guys on this team that are more about the win than they are trying to get their stats.”

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlines a potential trade between the Steelers and Washington Football Team. Pittsburgh would send CB Justin Layne and a 2021 fourth-round pick to Washington for QB Dwayne Haskins. 
• The Steelers can provide the type of developmental environment Haskins needs while a back-end player and mid-round pick is about all Washington can realistically hope to get for Haskins right now.