AFC Notes: Browns, David Ojabo, Ravens, Mitch Trubisky, Steelers

Browns

Browns S John Johnson III said his statement on social media that Odell Beckham Jr. would return to Cleveland this offseason was a “shot in the dark” and was an attempt to recruit Beckham. 

“It was kind of a shot in the dark,” Johnson said, via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “That was me recruiting. Honestly, there was no backstory to it. There was no insider information. It was just like, ‘I want him here. I’ve got a feeling that he might come back.’ But I don’t know. We’ll see.”

Johnson reiterated that he wants Beckham to return but wants the receiver to make the best choice for himself. 

“People that you care about, people that you grind with, you always want to see them succeed,” said Johnson. “Obviously, I wanted it to be here. But at the end of the day, I want him to be happy, and I want him to succeed. He went to L.A. He probably likes the city better. I think he has ties out there.”

Ravens

Ravens DC Mike Macdonald is being reunited with Michigan OLB David Ojabo, whom Baltimore selected in the second round of the draft.

Ojabo suffered a torn Achilles’ at his Pro Day in March but Macdonald remains excited that his team drafted Ojabo and spoke about the process.

“It’s a great question,” Macdonald responded, via RavensWire.com.“I try not to put too much stock or try to [make] too much of a prediction, because it’s up to [executive vice president & general manager] Eric [DeCosta], and you trust the process of how they handle it, and they do such a great job with it. But as it came closer to there [being] a possibility of him coming here, obviously, you can’t help but get excited about it. So, when it all went down and we were able to select him, I was obviously pretty jacked. It was pretty emotional – being able to give him a call; that was cool.”

Ravens 2021 first-round pick LB Odafe Oweh is excited to be paired with Ojabo and says that the two are going to “wreak havoc” on opposing offenses.

“You’re getting a freak, man. He is a natural savant in pass rushing,” Oweh said on The Jim Rome Show. “You can see it in the way he spins, you can see it in the way he takes the edge. He’s just a bendy, twitchy dude.”

Steelers

Steelers QB Mitch Trubisky said that he is preparing himself to be the starting quarterback next season. 

“I’m preparing to be the starter,” Trubisky said, via the team’s Youtube. “I feel like no matter what position you’re in, that’s what you should prepare like. So we’re all pushing each other, we’re all competing every day. Like you said, I wouldn’t read too much into [taking first-team snaps]. But I’m getting a lot of good reps. I feel really comfortable in the offense. So I like where we’re at right now. I feel very confident.”