AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Lamar Jackson, Steelers

Browns

• Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal believes that trading for 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo is the Browns best chance to save the season, as they can’t expect to go far with Brissett, whom she says is a career backup for a reason.
• Browns QB Jacoby Brissett said he’s not taking his opportunity to start lightly and is focused on being himself: “I don’t take it lightly. I just want to go out there and continue to be the man that I am and the teammate that I am.” (James Palmer)
• As for playing Philadelphia in Sunday’s preseason game, Brissett reflected on his time with Eagles HC Nick Sirianni while at Indianapolis: “There’s so many memories. I remember he was trying to fight fans one time they were booing us. …A great friend. A great coach. …I’m a big fan of him.” (Zach Berman)
• Browns HC Kevin Stefanski says that seventh-round DE Isaiah Thomas will be able to play with padding and a cast on his right hand and expects him to return to practice this week. (Scott Petrak)

Ravens

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is returning from the most significant injury of his career, which he says happened not while on the run, but in the pocket trying to shed a sack.

“Do you know how the injury happened? Trying to pass in the pocket,” Jackson asked Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “I’ve been good [with] how I’ve been playing. But when I tried to shed and stay in the pocket, I got hurt for the first time. So, yes, I think it speaks for itself.”

Ravens OC Greg Roman, HC John Harbaugh, FB Patrick Ricard, and QB coach James Urban all weighed in on how Jackson is looking ahead of the new season.

“I told him he looks like a different guy,” Roman said. “When I shake his hand, it feels a little different; you know that I mean? The thing about Lamar is that he is probably one of the best athletes at the position in the history of known mankind. So, to not tap into that would be somewhat silly, would it not? He’s a magician when it comes to contorting his body to avoid hits. When I see him kick it into fifth gear here, his engine is bigger this year. So, he might be a little bit faster. We’ll just see how it goes, but it’s looking pretty good.”

“You’re going to be concerned about that with any quarterback — quarterbacks can get hit in the pocket — but he’s got a knack,” Harbaugh said. “He’s done it his whole life; I think he’s just good at it, and he doesn’t really get hit that much and that hard. Now, of course, it’s football, and I think he’s going to have to manage and play the long game that way, certainly. But I kind of trust him with that.”

“Whenever people ask me about running quarterbacks, I always think Lamar is in a different category,” Ricard said of Jackson. “I feel like typical quarterbacks, who are running quarterbacks, have really good linear speed. Lamar can move in so many directions and not decrease his speed. So, I think that’s why his durability is so good, because he’s not taking direct hits. And he’s just a strong guy. I mean, you see how he looks right now?”

“I always tell him, ‘Don’t let me coach you out of being a great player. Trust your instincts,’” Urban added. “We want to run the first play the way that it’s been designed. So, if the design of the play is to throw an in-cut, and the in-cut is there and we’re protected, let’s throw it. If not, now we go talk about the second play, and that’s when he lets his great natural ability take over and run. So, there’s a fine line, but we want to run the first play first — and then let your great natural ability come through.”

Steelers

• Steelers C Mason Cole on the performance of the offensive line: “Our effort is there. Our abilities are there. We know we can use the right technique. We’ve just gotta trust ourselves in using the technique and really play to win, not play to not lose.” (Brooke Pryor)