AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger

Browns

• According to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, the team doesn’t believe Browns QB Baker Mayfield‘s left shoulder injury is affecting his throwing accuracy. She confirms Mayfield has a torn labrum but sources tell her that the tear is not affecting his arm strength or mechanics on his right side. 
• Mayfield has missed on a few passes, specifically to WR Odell Beckham, the past couple of weeks and was really off in Week 4 against the Vikings. While one source said it’s possible the left shoulder injury could be impacting his mechanics, the prevailing opinion Cabot gathered is that it’s not the issue. 
• Beckham said he’s played through a torn labrum since his college days and that he’s never required surgery despite his shoulder occasionally popping out: “That shit hurts.” (Scott Petrak)
• Browns LT Jedrick Wills Jr. is day-to-day with his ankle injury that’s not as serious as the team initially feared it could be. (Cabot)
• Browns DC Joe Woods expects cornerbacks Denzel Ward (neck) and Troy Hill (toe) to play in Week 5. (Petrak)
• Browns OC Alex Van Pelt is confident Mayfield will be able to play through his partially torn labrum to his non-throwing shoulder: “I haven’t seen it affect him out here in practice… so it shouldn’t carry over to the game.” (Jake Trotter)

Ravens

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson missed a couple of practices last week with a back injury that raised some eyebrows around the league. However, he says they were purely precautionary. He’s back to practicing this week and shrugged off the idea of a flak jacket or something to protect his back. 

• The Ravens hosted DB Kevin Toliver for a visit on Tuesday. (Aaron Wilson)

Steelers

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger said he believes he can improve upon his rough start.

“I know that I can play better football,” Roethlisberger said, via Joe Rutter. “I believe in myself. I know that no matter what is going on, I’m going to fight my butt off to get a win. If that is the way I need to lead right now by showing these guys I’m going to do everything I can to win a football game, then I’ll keep doing that.” 

• ESPN’s Adam Schefter says despite his poor play, the Steelers aren’t considering a quarterback change: “They are never going to bench Ben Roethlisberger. It’s never going to get to that.”
• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds he got a “heck no” when he poked around with his sources about the possibility of Pittsburgh benching Roethlisberger. 
• Steelers OC Matt Canada claimed responsibility for their failed fourth-down conversion in Week 4 on a play to WR JuJu Smith-Schuster: “To be honest, all our plays have answers in zone and man. The play didn’t work. It’s my fault. Every play we have has a zone beater and a man beater, but that play didn’t work so it’s my fault and that’s it.” (Brooke Pryor)
• Steelers OT Zach Banner (knee) said he suffered a “setback” late in the preseason but was not allowed to elaborate on the issue. (Mark Kaboly)