AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals HC Zac Taylor stated that there was “no concern” over first-round WR Ja’Marr Chase‘s drops in the preseason, and praised the young wide receiver for his performance Sunday against the Vikings.

“No. I tried to tell everybody that there was no concern on our end,” Taylor said, via PFT. “Again, it’s a guy that’s working his way through training camp. Those weren’t real games we were playing. You get a chance to work out all the kinks with all these rookies, all these new players. Now, the Ja’Marr that we’ve seen — the confidence, the meetings and his approach — I would been concerned if his approach wasn’t the right way and he was sleeping in meetings and showing up late, then I would have been concerned, but it was the exact opposite.”

Browns

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport mentions that Browns WR Odell Beckham came out and warmed up prior to their game against the Chiefs but HC Kevin Stefanski felt he was not ready to go yet.
• NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reports S Ronnie Harrison won’t be suspended for pushing Chiefs assistant coach Greg Lewis during Sunday’s game.
• Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said LT Jedrick Wills is day-to-day with an ankle injury. (Nate Ulrich)
• Stefanski added the team is fine not rushing Beckham back from his torn ACL: “I wouldn’t call it a conservative approach, I’d say it’s an appropriate one.” (Scott Petrak)

Steelers

The Steelers are set to start five players from their 2021 NFL Draft class, including fourth-round LT Dan Moore Jr., third-round C Kendrick Green, first-round RB Najee Harris, second-round TE Pat Freiermuth and seventh-round P Pressley Harvin III. Steelers HC Mike Tomlin believes each of them has earned a starting role through their performance this offseason. 

“Those guys have earned their positioning through their play,” Tomlin said, via Joe Rutter. “I’m excited about what they’re going to provide us this weekend, but at the same time I think it’s reasonable to expect those guys to find their footing and improve continually and rapidly over the course of this journey.”

Regarding Moore, Tomlin said the rookie has “developed a lot” this offseason and has a higher floor than they anticipated. 

“He’s developed a lot, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that he probably came with more than we anticipated,” Tomlin said. “He’s gotten better through the course of this, but I think his floor was higher than anticipated, at least from my perspective.”

Tomlin feels they have a lot of options at cornerback and called CB Cam Sutton a “very capable” player as an inside defender. 

“We’ve got some options there, and I choose to hold those cards close to the vest,” Tomlin said. “Cam Sutton is a very capable guy who has done that inside, and it’s reasonable to anticipate that he’s going to do it in some form or fashion, but he’s also going to play outside as well.”