AFC Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• Bengals HC Zac Taylor said TE Hayden Hurst (calf) is looking doubtful to play on Sunday. (Kelsey Conway)
• The Bengals worked out TE Tanner Hudson on Tuesday. He later signed to the practice squad. (Aaron Wilson)

Ravens

• The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reports Ravens defensive assistant Ryan Osborn is expected to become the new defensive coordinator at Charlotte.
• The Ravens worked out two defensive backs on Tuesday, including BoPete Keyes and David Vereen. Baltimore later signed Keyes to the practice squad. (Aaron Wilson)

Steelers

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin was not alarmed by second-round WR George Pickens showing frustration with having just one reception in Week 13 and is glad the rookie has a “competitive spirit.”

“I’d rather say ‘Whoa’ than ‘Sic ’em,'” Tomlin said via NFL Media. “I want a guy that wants to be a significant part of what it is that we do. Now, the appropriate and professional and mature way to express that, we’re growing and working on, and we will continue to. But that spirit, that competitive spirit, the guy that wants the ball. No, I want that guy.”

Tomlin reiterated he doesn’t take Pickens’ frustration as a negative and thinks other players would react similarly to the rookie receiver in his situation. 

“I would imagine T.J. [Watt] wants to lay the quarterback down more,” Tomlin said. “We got competitors. This is professional football. These guys know that they have to deliver. And so for a guy that wants to do that, I’m not going to make that a negative no matter how silly I think the commentary is, or people talking about him expressing frustrations and stuff and trying to make it a negative storyline. I laugh at that.”

Pickens spoke about the situation on Wednesday and doesn’t think there will be a negative impact from what occurred. 

“Don’t try to make something it’s not, cause every player, literally every receiver in the past before – you got T.O. – I can name so many names. It’s just what you want to make it out to be,” said Pickens, via Brooke Pryor.