AFC Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase and DT D.J. Reader spoke about the confidence of the team following their win over the Bills.

“They keep talking us down, and we’ll keep showing up,” Chase said, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. “The disrespect they gave us, we don’t care how they treated us and how they’re going to do us. We had the hardest schedule all year. Nothing is going to be easy for us. We know what we’re capable of, and that’s why we came out here not making a fuss with anybody and just putting on a show for the world to see.”

“We came out here on their home field and they put up 10 (freaking) points,” Reader said. “We got 27. We’re going to K.C. That’s all that matters. Count us out, (say), ‘Bengals ain’t this, Bengals ain’t that.’ We just keep showing up on Sundays. I’m done harping about respect, I don’t care if they respect us or not. We got a bunch of guys that care and play football hard. Forget about them. I don’t care. I’m done caring about it. Wherever they got the line, however, they feel week-to-week, we’re just going to play football. It’s not even worth addressing anymore.”

• Bengals HC Zac Taylor on reaching the next round of the playoffs: “We’re built for this. We’re excited to go on the road to KC.” (Kelsey Conway)

Ravens

• The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec expects the Ravens to explore re-signing veteran CB Marcus Peters but notes Peters’ age and Baltimore’s limited salary cap space this offseason mean it will have to be at a price they consider reasonable. 
• Zrebiec expects the Ravens to cut S Chuck Clark and DT Michael Pierce for cap savings this offseason. While neither will free up much, every little bit will count and Baltimore has young players ready to take over at those positions. 
• Guard is an underrated need for the Ravens, per Zrebiec, as Ben Powers is a pending free agent and Kevin Zeitler will be 33 and another potential cap cut. Zrebiec highlights 2021 third-rounder Ben Cleveland and futures signing John Simpson as candidates to step up in 2023. 

Steelers

• The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly writes the Steelers likely decided to stick with OC Matt Canada in 2023 because the offense improved down the stretch and starting over with a new system would have been tough for first-round QB Kenny Pickett.
• If former Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich doesn’t have any better options, Kaboly notes he would be a great fit for the Steelers. He played for Pittsburgh at one point and would give them a fallback from Canada if things go poorly in 2023.
• Regarding other potential coaching hires, Kaboly mentions former Steelers WR Hines Ward is likely locked into his contract as an XFL head coach. In addition, he’s not sure Ward got along with some members of the organization during his stint in Pittsburgh as an assistant WR coach. 
• Kaboly adds he knows some assistant coaches left because they didn’t like working with Canada and others didn’t take the job because they were concerned about working with him. For now, though, everyone on the offensive staff seems to be on the same page, per Kaboly. 
• The Steelers aren’t usually massive spenders in free agency but Kaboly points out DL coach Karl Dunbar coached Commanders DT Daron Payne for two years at Alabama, so it wouldn’t be entirely outside the realm of possibility for Pittsburgh to make a run at him.