AFC Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Per Geoff Hobson of the team website, Bengals second-round OL Jackson Carman is already getting in extra work with OL coach Frank Pollack as he moves inside to guard: “We were working on me getting more comfortable in my guard stance and critiquing the nuances and different weight shifting and where my feet exactly should be. Different weight angles and things like that. Just fine-tuning some things.”
• Carman had back surgery four months ago for a herniated disc but he added he feels great: “Ever since I got drafted, I’ve been lifting my weights, getting my body right, physical therapy, working more right guard and three-point stance work, and getting on the field and getting more comfortable moving around.”
• Hobson mentions former 49ers WR Trent Taylor and UDFA WR Jimmie Robinson, formerly of Bethune-Cookman, tried out for the Bengals at rookie minicamp this weekend. 
• Fourth-round OT D’Ante Smith is up to 311 pounds after being in the mid-290s at the Senior Bowl. The 6-5 developmental tackles began his senior season at East Carolina last year at 283 pounds. 

Ravens

Ravens HC John Harbaugh said rookie WR Rashod Bateman has made a strong impression so far during rookie mini-camp.

“Impressions are very positive,” Harbaugh said, Pro Football Talk. “He’s a no-nonsense guy, has a nice demeanor about him. He’s a quick learner. He’s everything we thought he would be in terms of the athleticism, the skillset. That’s usually the case, but not always the case. What you see is not always what you get. You don’t know until you get them out there, in really the first rookie minicamp. And I would say that he is as advertised from a talent standpoint.”

• Ravens’ LB Blake Gallagher was the best tryout player at rookie minicamp and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team sign him to a contract. (Jamison Hensley)

Steelers

Steelers first-round RB Najee Harris is stepping in as Pittsburgh’s unquestioned starter as a rookie, and if the history of Pittsburgh’s backs is any indication, he’s due for a big workload in 2021. Harris isn’t taking anything for granted though despite coming from Alabama, perhaps the most NFL-like team in college football. 

“In college, the competition level is nowhere near the NFL, so for me, I always tell myself I’ve got start back to step one, so I’m starting back at step one, so all the basics now I’ve got to relearn and try to become better at, like be more explosive, footwork, having better eyes, catching the ball better, be a more explosive player, because like I said, the competition level, the difference between college and NFL is two different places,” Harris said via AL.com’s Mark Inabinnet.