AFC Notes: Browns, Jaguars, Steelers, Titans

Browns

Browns HC Hue Jackson didn’t rule out the possibility of taking over as the team’s play-caller after Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers.

“It’s not going to be about butting heads,” Jackson said when asked about the possibility, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I’m the head coach of the football team. I will do what I feel I need to do to get this team where it needs to be.”

“I’m the head coach of the football team, period. Period,” Jackson added. “There’s nothing else that needs to be said. Nothing. I’m the head coach of the football team.”

Jaguars

The Jaguars made the decision to bench Blake Bortles in favor of Cody Kessler on Sunday.

Jaguars HC Doug Marrone mentioned after the game that the quarterback position is “open.”

Bortles told reporters that he has “no idea” whether he’ll keep the starting job.

“I’ll do the same thing I’ve always done — show up, work, prepare and get ready to go and work as hard as I can,” Bortles said, via Pro Football Talk. “If I play, I play. If not, then I’ll do whatever I can to help this team.”

• Joel Corry mentions that the offsets included in Bortles’ 2019 base salary could allow Jacksonville to recoup at least $6.5 million of the $10 million of dead money they’d incur by releasing him.

Steelers

• Jay Glazer reports that the Steelers spoke to Le’Veon Bell‘s reps late Saturday night about the terms of a two-week roster exemption, which both sides will need to agree to before he rejoins the team.
• Glazer says that the Steelers, at this point in time, don’t want to pay him during exemption and Bell, obviously, wants to be paid.

Titans

Regarding the decision to go for the win as opposed to kicking the extra point to tie the game, Titans HC Mike Vrabel explained that his faith in their players gave him the confidence to play for the win.

“I have a lot of faith in our players, we prepare, we work together and I’ve got confidence in them to go out and execute. It just didn’t work out. Faced with the same situation I’d like to think I’d do it the same way,” Vrabel said, via ESPN.com.