AFC Notes: Browns, Patriots, Ravens

Browns

Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. said he is “beyond excited” for the opportunity with a new team and hopes to “hang banners” in Cleveland. 

“I’m beyond excited about an opportunity I have to start over. Obviously, the goal is always going to be the same: to hang banners,” said Beckham, via Field Yates. 

Beckham said he must “adjust” to the speed of Browns QB Baker Mayfield‘s passes. 

“I have to get adjusted to the speed because he’s got an arm. He’s throwing that ball hard,” Beckham said, via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “So just catching it from the first day I was like wow, this is completely different. It just takes time.”

Patriots

Jeff Howe of TheAthletic.com writes that first-year assistant coach Jerod Mayo got an opportunity to call the defense during minicamp earlier this week.

“The same stuff [Mayo] carried when he was a player, he’s definitely still got it,” Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower said. “He’s a hell of a coach. Honestly, I wouldn’t expect anything less. He’s got so much knowledge and so much wisdom that he brings — not just as a football player. He’s definitely done it. He’s seen it. He’s played it. The reputation that he has, he’s an all-pro, so it’s great to have a linebacker coach who has been through so much and can relate to a lot.”

• Albert Breer believes Bill Belichick is at least considering having Mayo be the de facto coordinator for them this year just like Brian Flores was before taking the Dolphins’ job.

Ravens

Regarding their interest in DT Gerald McCoy before he signed with the Panthers, Ravens HC John Harbaugh said he “didn’t want to be here.”

“He’s a good player. We went after him, tried to get him and he didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be somewhere else,” Harbaugh said, per Luke Jones. “I’ll move on and forget about him until we play him. And I don’t think we play Carolina, do we? So, I’m not worried about him.”

• Former Navy and Georgia Tech HC Paul Johnson attended Ravens’ practice on Thursday and met with HC John Harbaugh to go over film. (Jeff Zrebiec)
• Ravens got some players back at practice including rookie WR Miles Boykin, RB Kenneth Dixon and rookie DL Gerald Willis. (Jeff Zrebiec)