AFC Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, T.J. Watt

Bengals

Bengals QB Joe Burrow said he is still getting used to being on the field after his ACL surgery.

“I would say right now it’s a mental thing,” Burrow said, via Pro Football Talk. “I’m just getting back used to playing football again against top-level competition. Hopefully a couple more reps, a couple more days, we’ll get it back to my old self.”

Burrow mentioned he still has to prepare for dealing with pressure.

“It’s just getting more comfortable in the pocket,” Burrow said. “Today we’re going to have a bunch of people around me in 7-on-7 and individual drills just to get that feeling back. That’s the last step for me, just get my pocket presence back and understanding when I’m pressured and when I’m not. Just getting that whole feeling back that I’ve been really good at for a long time.”

Ravens

• Ravens HC John Harbaugh said WR Rashod Bateman (groin) is expected to miss “weeks” instead of a longer period of months: “He’s got a soft tissue, leg issue, that’s going to be weeks…It’s not going to be months, but it will be weeks.” (Josina Anderson)
• Harbaugh is hopeful that Bateman will be ready for Week 1 but wouldn’t provide a specific timeline. (Jeff Zrebeic)

Steelers

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin acknowledged that DE T.J. Watt‘s holdout but said this is not a unique situation and that the negotiating process will take time.  

“Not unique at all, really,” Tomlin said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “That negotiation process is going to run its course. Some run their courses faster than others. If I remember correctly, Cam Heyward had less than 100% participation when he was in a similar circumstance a short time ago.”

Tomlin insisted that Watt’s contract will get handled and the defensive end has been working with the Steelers’ conditioning staff. 

“The business is going to run its course,” Tomlin said. “He’s highly conditioned. Strength staff is working with him. He’s getting in good work days. The process is running its course. In the meanwhile, man, I’m focusing on the guys that are working, their level of productivity and what type of days they’ve been having.”

Tomlin said he’s challenged veteran OLB Melvin Ingram to step up in practice and mentioned that they’ve been testing his run defense. 

“I challenged Melvin Ingram this morning in the team setting: We’re coming after Melvin Ingram today with tackle over, out in that space with some big tight ends like Zach Gentry,” Tomlin said. “Melvin’s a run-game bully, so we want to get to know him a little bit today.”