AFC Notes: Bengals, Colts, Steelers

Bengals

• Per ESPN’s Ben Baby, Bengals HC Zac Taylor praised LT Jonah Williams, who has a fifth-year option coming up that the team will need to decide on: “I think Jonah’s an ascending player. I thought he got better every week. Happy to have him.”
• UT-Chattanooga OL Cole Strange had private meetings and a workout for the Bengals. (Tony Pauline)

Colts

Colts HC Frank Reich said that they’ve already changed portions of their playbook following the addition of veteran QB Matt Ryan. 

“I’m just half-joking, but we’ve already changed 10 percent (of the offense). Like, he has perspective. ‘Hey, can we run that route this way?’,” said Reich, via Zak Keefer of The Athletic. 

Reich said he’s been really impressed by Ryan after studying film throughout his career. 

“Wow, I mean, he’s impressive,” Reich said. “Really diving into his film from Atlanta, seeing all the things he’s done, the more and more I looked at his career the more I realized, wow, I knew this guy was a great player, but I think he’s had a special career in many regards.”

Steelers

• Per NFL Media’s Aditi Kinkhabwala, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said they’re doing calls this week with other teams to lay the groundwork for potential draft day trades: “Trade up, trade down – we’re always open to both.”
• Colbert said they made it a point to see all the quarterbacks in this class live at least two or three times during last season. (Brooke Pryor)
• Regarding quarterback or any position, Colbert believes free agency set them up well to draft the best player on the board: “Again, anything that we did in free agency is not going to hold us from drafting that position.” (Kayla Burton)
• Colbert felt re-signing S Terrell Edmunds was the final piece they needed to add in free agency to be ready for the draft: “He gives us that 22nd starter, so to speak. We have NFL veteran starters at each position. The draft will provide competition for that.” (Ray Fittipaldo)
• Steelers HC Mike Tomlin still did not have an update on DL Stephon Tuitt but says he is doing well. (Pryor)