AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Browns

Browns RB Nick Chubb says his recent MCL sprain was โ€œnothingโ€ compared to his prior knee injury in which he tore his PCL, MCL, and LCL back in 2015.

โ€œThis was nothing compared to what I have been through in the past,โ€ Chubb said, via Scott Petrak of BrownsZone. โ€œIt was just maybe like a little hiccup. It is what it is. I am still blessed to be able to be here and not miss a whole season. That is behind me now. I am looking forward to getting out there on the field with the team.โ€

Chubb said he wasnโ€™t sure of the specific injury he suffered, but he felt confident it wasnโ€™t severe as his college injury. 

โ€œI was able to walk off the field, and I did not really feel anything,โ€ Chubb said. โ€œI never really had pain at all in my knee. A little loose, but other than that, it has always felt good, and that gave me confidence from the beginning that I knew I would be able to come back and play to be 100 percent healthy, which I think has come along well.โ€

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said they will determine Chubbโ€™s availability on Friday. 

โ€œHe is progressing,โ€ Stefanski said. โ€œWe will continue to use each of these days to move him along and then make a determination Friday on where he is.โ€ 

Ravens

  • Per the Athleticโ€™s Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens OC Greg Roman downplayed QB Lamar Jacksonโ€˜s comments from Wednesday about opposing defenses calling out Baltimoreโ€™s plays: โ€œCalling out plays on the defense is nothing new. Thatโ€™s the chess match. Thatโ€™s kind of where it gets interesting. If you are not good at anything, you have no tendencies.โ€
  • Roman said some teams allow their quarterbacks to change the play at the line, others donโ€™t: โ€œWeโ€™re somewhere in between.โ€ (Jamison Hensley)

Steelers

  • The Athleticโ€™s Mark Kaboly expects Steelers S Terrell Edmunds to keep his starting position going into 2021, however, heโ€™s not sure if Pittsburgh will pick up Edmundsโ€™ fifth-year option this offseason. 
  • Kaboly has some interesting comments about the dynamic between Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, OC Randy Fichtner and QB coach Matt Canada. Pittsburgh hired Canada to help implement more pre-snap motion into the offense, but Kaboly said you can tell Roethlisberger isnโ€™t necessarily a fan. While heโ€™s spoken glowingly about it at times, he also was used to doing things his way for 17 years. 
  • Kaboly notes Fichtner is a key mediator between Roethlisberger and Canada, as he allows Roethlisberger to take the wheel on offense more often, something Kaboly doesnโ€™t think Canada would be as receptive to if he were the offensive coordinator. Overall, the offense is scoring 29 points a game, so the marriage is going well so far. 
  • SNYโ€™s Ralph Vacchiano writes a lot of people in NFL circles have highlighted the Jets as a potential destination for Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason. Smith-Schuster is in the final year of his contract and Pittsburgh has a tight salary situation plus a history of letting receivers leave. Thereโ€™s also a feeling Smith-Schuster would welcome the spotlight in New Yorkโ€™s high-profile media market. 
  • The Athleticโ€™s Ed Bouchette notes Steelers third-round OLB Alex Highsmith is acquitting himself well to take over for OLB Bud Dupree after the latter likely leaves in free agency this offseason.
  • Bouchette expects extending OLB T.J. Watt before the start of 2021 to be one of the teamโ€™s top priorities next summer.

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