AFC Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Bengals CB Eli Apple, who is an impending free agent, wrote on Instagram that he feels motivated to come back stronger next season: “All Glory To God For Blessing Me Immensely This Season To Share the Field With The Best Group Of Men Ive Been Around. Truly Grateful To My Teammates, Who Dey Nation, And My Coaches for Embracing Me As Family. Proud of The Rigorous Work We Put In To Make This Season A Special One. Yall ReAwoke A Fire In Me That Will Only Make Me Stronger and Im Beyond Excited To Unleash That Demon Again to Exponential Levels On Any Opp That Lines Up Across From Me Next Season.”
• PFN’s Aaron Wilson reports the Bengals hired former Dolphins CB coach Charles Burks as their new CB coach.
• Bengals RT Isaiah Prince was fined $4,722 for an unnecessary roughness penalty in the Super Bowl. (Tom Pelissero)
• Bengals CB Vernon Hargreaves was fined $5,555 for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the Super Bowl. (Jay Morrison)

Ravens

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta admitted the team was caught off guard when LT Ronnie Stanley needed to have another surgery to recover from a fractured ankle that ended his 2020 season. 

“My understanding and belief was that Ronnie would come back this year and play really good football for us, be healthy, be strong and be ready to go, and he wasn’t,” DeCosta said via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “That was a big setback.”

• DeCosta added he’s “optimistic” about Stanley returning to the lineup in 2022. 
• Ravens OL Patrick Mekari has started at all five positions on the line so far in his career and Hensley notes he could step in at either center or right tackle depending on what the Ravens need in 2022. 
• The Ravens signed OT Ja’Wuan James to compete to start at right tackle but he hasn’t played since 2019. Knee issues scuttled that season, he opted out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic and he tore his Achilles working out away from the Broncos last May and was released. 
• Hensley writes the Ravens are hopeful James can return to previous form but it would be unwise to count on that, so drafting another tackle could be the play. 

Steelers

• Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes that the Steelers may opt-out of the contract for LB Joe Schobert in order to take a $1.7 million cap hit and attempt to bring him back at a lower salary.
• Fittipaldo also thinks that the team is likely to tender restricted free agent LB Robert Spillane.
• As for LB Devin Bush, Fittpaldo notes the Steelers will let the 2022 season play out in order to see if his knee is fully healed. From there, the team will likely decide to extend him or start back at square one at inside linebacker.

• Fansided’s Matt Lombardo says people inside the NFL have suggested the Steelers, Buccaneers, and Broncos may be interested in acquiring 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.