AFC Notes: Bengals, Odell Beckham, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

An injury contributed to a slow start to the season for Bengals WR Tee Higgins. The breakout of first-round WR Ja’Marr Chase also moved the spotlight elsewhere. Even though the Bengals lost Sunday, Higgins offered a reminder that he’s still a pretty good receiver with four catches for 97 yards. 

“It was good to see him make some plays down the field,” Bengals HC Zac Taylor said via the Athletic’s Jay Morrison. “That’s really how he finished strong the last eight games last season. Every 50-50 ball that went up down the field, he caught, whether it was inbounds or out of bounds last year. That’s what we see from Tee in practice. He’s had a couple opportunities early in the season that haven’t completely gone his way. He understands he’s got to be strong at that point of attack. And he did that yesterday. He went up and got that ball on that critical third down that got us down to the 3-yard line. I mean, he is strong and fast on that ball he caught for (56) yards down the field on the numbers, on the field post, and he did a great job just running to the space and letting Joe go get him. His strengths are really starting to show up, and we’re always counting on Tee. We know he can step up in those big moments for us.”

Browns

• Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot says the video Browns WR Odell Beckham‘s father shared on social media caused a firestorm inside the team building. She says Beckham’s camp also requested the team trade the receiver, then asked for his release after no deal was found at the deadline.  
• ESPN’s Dan Graziano says the Browns didn’t get enough interest at the trade deadline to move Beckham. He adds Beckham hasn’t made waves inside the building and, as of Wednesday, thought he still could have a role on offense. 
• USA Today’s Josina Anderson reports that although multiple teams are monitoring Beckham’s Jr.’s standing with the Browns, the receiver is “waiting and willing to return” to the organization. 
• Browns QB Baker Mayfield said he would like to talk with Beckham about their issues: “I think any sort of conversation would go a long way…Hurt? No. Surprised, yes.” (Zac Jackson)
• Browns S John Johnson said that he’d like Beckham to return: “Hopefully we can get him back if that’s possible. That’s my opinion…” (Jake Trotter)
• Johnson added that the “majority of the locker room” wants Beckham on the team: “The majority of the locker room would love to have him in this building — flat out…” (Trotter)
• Regarding the dysfunction with Mayfield and Beckham Jr., LG Joel Bitonio said he “never saw a single incident” between both players and was caught off guard by this week’s incidents. (Nate Ulrich)

Steelers

• Steelers DC Keith Butler said the plan with OLB Melvin Ingram was to provide quality depth behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, not to start: “We feel like we have the two best guys starting for us right now with TJ and Alex. We felt it then too. We felt like he could come in and be a third guy for us. I don’t know if we could say he was the second guy behind TJ. I wouldn’t say that.” (Ray Fittipaldo)