AFC Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. notes fourth-round G Cordell Volson absolutely has a chance to start at left guard if 2021 second-round OL Jackson Carman doesn’t pick things up. 
• Dehner says veteran CB Eli Apple should have an edge over second-round CB Cam Taylor-Britt to start the season but eventually the young gun should take over. 
• At punter, Drue Chrisman‘s hopes of winning the job over longtime Bengals P Kevin Huber might rely on how well he operates as the holder, per Dehner. 
• Dehner doesn’t think the Bengals view either LB Germaine Pratt or S Vonn Bell as extension candidates. With Bell, Cincinnati is usually reluctant to sign players to third contracts that take them into their 30s and drafted two other safeties this year. Pratt needs a big 2022 in his contract year. 

Ravens

Ravens HC John Harbaugh has higher expectations for DL Justin Madubuike and would like to see him be more consistent against the run and start getting after the quarterback in 2022.

“We really expect him to take off, and he and I have talked about it,” Harbaugh said, via RavensWire.com. “We expect Justin to just take it to another level, and that’s what he’s practicing to do – [to be] more consistent against the run, although he was good against the run last year, and let’s start disrupting the pass a little bit, like you’re seeing with the batted balls, and get a few sacks. So, he looks good – very determined.”

Steelers

Steelers WR Chase Claypool is excited to play with first-round QB Kenny Pickett, who he believes has big-play ability outside the pocket similar to Bengals QB Joe Burrow.

“[Pickett] looks good. He’s mobile,” Claypool said on the I Am Athlete podcast. “He’s faster than people think, so that’s going to be new for us. And I think it’s going to create plays. You see so many of Ja’Marr’s plays and Tee’s plays are from Joe leaving the pocket and making plays happen. And you know, we’re young, we’re versatile, we’re dynamic, so he’s going to add to that.”

• Steelers DT Larry Ogunjobi is expected to be ready for training camp after undergoing Lisfranc surgery this offseason. (Gerry Dulac)
• Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick‘s four-year, $72.98 million extension includes a $17.5 million signing bonus and lowers his 2022 base salary to $4 million. The base salaries on the new years of the deal are $14.5 million, $14.5 million, $15.5 million and $17.6 million. Fitzpatrick’s 2023 base salary is guaranteed. (OverTheCap)