AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Lamar Jackson

Browns

• Browns DE Jadeveon Clowney said that the organization acquiring Deshaun Watson was a major influence on his decision to return: “I told them, I was all about what my boy Deshaun was doing. When I played with him [with the Texans], he kept us off of the field a lot… I just wanted to go play with him.” (Anthony Lima)
• Clowney explained that he spoke to Watson the week he was acquired by Cleveland and gave a “huge endorsement” of the Browns while the quarterback was considering still the Falcons, Saints, and Panthers. (Jake Trotter)
• Jake Trotter reports that Browns CB Denzel Ward (ankle/foot) should be ready for training camp after suffering his injury towards the end of minicamp.

Lamar Jackson

Ravens QB coach James Urban believes that QB Lamar Jackson has mastered the ability to block out the outside noise and distractions that have surrounded both his play and his future contract.

“We’ve always had this mentality when we come to this building, when you walk through the doors of The Castle here in this beautiful facility, we go to work. When we walk out onto the field, it’s time to work. We don’t worry about the outside distractions. He is a master of that. He is tremendously good at focusing on the task at hand. When we’re in meetings, that’s the task. Or when we’re on the field, that’s the task,” Urban said, via Pro Football Talk.

Ravens

Ravens WR Devin Duvernay is excited for the opportunity to step up in Baltimore’s receiving core following the team trading WR Marquise Brown. 

“[B]ut we have an opportunity in front of us and we’re all excited about it and excited for the future,” Duvernay said, via ProFootballTalk. “[I] can’t wait to see how the season goes.”

As for the outside perception about the Ravens’ receiver, Duvernay thinks that the coaching staff has faith in him and Rashod Bateman after being drafted by the organization. 

“I feel like they kind of believe in the guys that they have,” Duvernay said. “They drafted us for a reason, I feel like. So, I feel like they feel strongly about us. Every day on this practice field we just try to prove them right in their decisions.”

Duvernay thinks his skills as a return specialist will help him as a receiver and is focused on proving himself to their coaches this offseason. 

“I just want to keep gaining these coaches’ trust, and as long as they trust me, believe in me, I feel like I’ll have no problem,” Duvernay said. “So, I just come out in practice and just do what I can do and have fun with it and show them that I’m a very capable wide receiver and can help this team win.”