AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals CB Trae Waynes is having a tough time this offseason and he hasn’t seen any money from the deal he agreed to with Cincinnati back in March. 

Waynes not only left the Vikings, but also moved his family from Minnesota to Ohio where he found that he was unable to receive a physical for the team.

“He moved to Cincinnati, bought a house there, brought his wife and two kids there for the sole purpose that he could drive down to doctor’s private office and get his physical and do a deal,” said Waynes’ agent Brian Murphy said, via Albert Breer of SI. “He’s got no other reason to be in Cincinnati because all the offseason workouts were via Zoom. But we thought if he went there, he could get the physical, and it turns out he can’t.”

Murphy has advised Waynes to be careful, as any injury could seriously affect his client’s current status with the Bengals.

“He signed a nice offseason contract to go to the Bengals, be the man in their secondary, make a major contribution, and so under ordinary circumstances, he’d be killing himself to get in the best shape possible,” Murphy continued. “He did do all the Zoom calls. Obviously, there’s no physical activity there, and he’d really want to be in the best shape of life, so he can play the best football of his life. But because of the Bengals’ decision, he can’t do that.”

Browns

• Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com notes that the Browns have several contract decisions looming in the near future, including possible extensions for DE Myles Garrett, QB Baker Mayfield, CB Denzel Ward, and RB Nick Chubb.
• Per Cabot, three players who must have a breakout season in 2020 in order to be considered in the Browns’ long term plans include DT Larry Ogunjobi, RB Kareem Hunt, and WR Rashard Higgins.
• Cabot says that with the possible re-signing of Ogunjobi, as well as the additions of defensive tackles Andrew Billings and Jordan Elliott, it is difficult to see the Browns re-signing DT Sheldon Richardson next season.
• Players such as S Karl Joseph and LB B.J. Goodson must have stellar seasons in Cleveland in order to remain with the team next season as both players signed one-year deals.
• The team has a lot of money invested in receivers Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry and eventually, the situation will become unsustainable, according to Cabot.

Steelers

• Ed Bouchette of The Athletic expects the Steelers’ top-five draft picks — WR Chase Claypool, OLB Alex Highsmith, RB Anthony McFarland, G Kevin Dotson and S Antoine Brooks — to make the team this year.
• Bouchette mentions seventh-round NT Carlos Davis as a candidate for the practice squad after teams cut their roster down.
• Regarding RB James Conner and a potential extension, Bouchette writes that he doesn’t expect the Steelers to sign him to a new contract this year, considering that he’s had one good season in three years and has dealt with injuries.
• Bouchette believes the Steelers’ plan for Minkah Fitzpatrick should help S Terrell Edmunds in terms of opposing teams isolating him.
• Bouchette can see the Steelers keeping an eye out for safety and/or inside linebacker help once teams being to cut players.
• As for rookie WR Chase Claypool, Bouchette says he can see a direct path to playing time for him this season, even if they have him just line up on the outside and run deep routes.
• Bouchette can see Pittsburgh keeping four running backs and a fullback on their roster with Jaylen Samuels also operating as their third tight end.