AFC Notes: Browns, Deshaun Watson, Ravens, Lamar Jackson, Steelers

Browns

• CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones writes Browns QB Deshaun Watson, as a part of his disciplinary settlement with the NFL, is limited to team-approved massage sessions with team-approved therapists for the rest of his NFL career. 
• Jones adds the Browns have had a plan for massages for Watson in place since trading for him but it’s unclear what exactly the details of that plan are/were. 
• The settlement also mandated Watson receive treatment, with his first session no later than 10 days after the settlement decision. Privacy laws have shielded the details but a source stressed to Jones it was treatment, not counseling. 
• It was also pointed out to Jones that Watson’s comments in a press conference showing a lack of remorse were before treatment had started. To return to play, a clinician must verify “he’s on the right path” and sources add Watson could still be required to go to treatment after he’s cleared to play.

Ravens

• CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson says there was some frustration from the Ravens’ side of things when QB Lamar Jackson declined their offer, which would have put him in the same neighborhood as the deal just signed by Broncos QB Russell Wilson but was short of the $230 million guarantees the Browns gave QB Deshaun Watson.
• Baltimore views that situation as an outlier as Watson was essentially a free agent with multiple teams bidding for his services, while Jackson is under contract and can be tagged for two more seasons. 
• However, Anderson writes Jackson understands his high value to the Ravens franchise, and setting a precedent for guarantees for NFL quarterbacks is important to him. 
• While there’s some risk Jackson is assuming by not taking the significant deal now, he and people in his camp believe the money will be there eventually. One NFL head coach told Anderson: “Lamar also knows there will eventually be a market for his services one day and teams will line up to have him.”
• The Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora says Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has privately been unwilling to budge on the issue of guaranteed money. He adds people close to Jackson would be surprised if he caved on this issue as well, and he doesn’t seem fazed by the injury risk: “He believes he deserves a fully guaranteed contract. It’s as simple as that.”
• Per ESPN’s Dianna Russini, Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins pushed to play but the team elected to hold him out and be cautious. He told Russini he will be back “soon.”
• ESPN’s Adam Schefter says Dobbins is ready to play but the team wants to ensure they have him late in the season and is being extra cautious. 
• Diana Russini of ESPN spoke with Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, who said he turned down an offer from the team worth around $160-180 million in guaranteed money.

Steelers

• The Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora says, citing several sources involved in the Steeler’s preseason work, that it became clear early on that the locker room was gravitating toward QB Mitchell Trubisky as a leader and that gave him a significant edge in the competition over first-round QB Kenny Pickett.
• Said one source: “Mitch was the leader of this team. You could see that right away. The guys love him: the way he handles himself, the kind of person he is. You could see it. Nothing against Kenny or Mason [Rudolph], but it was just different with Mitch, how badly everyone wants to play for him.”
• One scout who has done advance work on the Steelers for one of their opponents had a more cynical take, telling La Canfora they thought the Steelers were sacrificing Trubisky behind a shaky offensive line to protect Pickett early in his career: “Did you see the preseason offensive line film? And that’s with Tomlin playing the guys he thinks are his starters. He’s old-school that way. It’s ugly for them up front. Would you really be in a hurry to put your first-round pick, the guy you think can be the heir apparent to Ben [Roethlisberger], behind that? Mitch is going to take his lumps. He’s going to earn his money there.”