AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Steelers, Kenny Pickett

Browns

Browns WR Amari Cooper feels that he belongs in Cleveland and thinks that there is a lot he can still accomplish in his career.

“There’s a great tradition here, a great football environment, which I love. I think this place suits me really well, actually — my personality and everything like that,” Cooper said, via ClevelandBrowns.com. “All I had to do was focus on what I wanted to. I didn’t put an emphasis on having fun in college, although I did have fun. That wasn’t what I was there for, and that’s not what I’m here for. I’m here to be a great player. I still want to accomplish a lot of things, and I feel like I can do that here.”

Ravens

Ravens DL Calais Campbell praised the organization and said that who they are and what they’re about aligns with his identity and interests, which made returning to Baltimore an easy decision.

“I knew it was likely to be here. Obviously, I think it’s just smart to always weigh your options and take your time, but I knew when I was making a decision that Baltimore was a great place for me. This organization, and what it represents, who they are, it fits right in line with who I am, and just knowing the guys…My family loves it here. It was always likely to be here,” Campbell said, via Ravens Wire.

Steelers

The Steelers aren’t in a rush to hand the starting quarterback job over to first-round QB Kenny Pickett. Steelers OC Matt Canada said that QB Mitchell Trubisky is the team’s clear-cut starter right now.

“Coach has been very clear that Mitch is one,” Canada said, via SI. “He’s working with the ones and doing a really good job with that. Mason (Rudolph) is the two and Kenny is the three. We are working it that way based on experience, based on resume. Coach made that decision. We have been very clear what that is. We have also been very clear this is a real laid-out plan of how we are going to evolve and find who our quarterback is going to be for the 2022 season. That’s where we are with it.”

While it’s not a foregone conclusion that Trubisky will take the first snaps under center in week one, it does appear as if it’s his job to lose at the moment.

“For us, you want to find the best guy,” Canada said. “However, what makes him the best? Does he take care of the ball, is it plays in the red zone, how he leads the team, and all those things? That’s a Coach Tomlin decision. We are making that decision every day. Right now, that plan is so clear. We’re putting in our offense and lots of our offense. We are going to try to find who does special intangible things. Through all of that, we’ll find our guy.”

• The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly writes the only other true competition for a starting job on Pittsburgh’s roster looks to be at left guard between Kevin Dotson and Kendrick Green. He adds Dotson is the frontrunner if he stays healthy. 
• Kaboly dismisses the idea of the Steelers bringing back Joe Haden and adds Pittsburgh’s plan is to roll with what they have in the room right now at cornerback.