AFC Notes: Browns, Steelers, Eric Ebron

Browns

• Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said QB Baker Mayfield and QB Case Keenum both got practice reps on Wednesday. (Mary Kay Cabot) 
• Jeremy Fowler reports Mayfield is still week-to-week with his shoulder injury, and the team is not thinking about shutting him down.
• Stefanski added WR Jarvis Landry has a new knee issue that held him out of practice. (Nate Ulrich)
• According to Nate Ulrich, the Browns disciplined S Richard LeCounte III for violating team rules.
• Browns WR Jarvis Landry said Week 8 against the Steelers is a “must-win game.” (Nate Ulrich)
• Browns DC Joe Woods said he’s hopeful DE Jadeveon Clowney (ankle, groin, knee) will be available for Week 8, while he was uncertain about CB Denzel Ward (hamstring). (Nate Ulrich)

Steelers

Steelers TE Eric Ebron hinted that he’s not completely satisfied with his role and usage within OC Matt Canada‘s offense, but he prefers to put good tape together over being outspoken about his role.

“I have been putting a lot of good stuff on tape, and hopefully, they recognize it,” Ebron said, via The Athletic. “There’s no use in me saying anything. My reputation is that I am always saying something, and for me, it is time that I don’t say anything, and I am going to continue to let my tape and my coaches work for me.”

When asked how hard it was to remain silent instead of voicing his displeasure, Ebron responded: “It’s hard as f–k.”

Ebron said that it’s out of his control who’s the quarterback or the offensive coordinator of the team, and he’s focusing on going out and doing his job week in and week out.

“There is nothing I can say, do or anything,” Ebron said. “I just come out and do whatever there is to do. At the end of the day, he’s the QB, the offensive coordinator is the offensive coordinator, and I want to execute my job.”

Ebron said that rookie TE Pat Freiermuth is a student of the game and leans on Ebron for advice and pointers.

“I honestly feel that we have some talented players, that this offense should be dominant,” Ebron said. “Freiermuth asks me more questions than anybody. He’s like my third child. He’s a student of the game. He’s very young and you understand that. He’s a student of the game, and yes, he picks my mind. I offer him a lot of details because I’ve played against a lot of these teams.”

Ebron offered support for the Steelers’ tight end room, and says that the group from the top down is one of the more talented groups he’s been a part of.

“I love our room,” Ebron said. “I love our tight ends. We are all so talented and we all bring so much to the table. When I came into this league, I didn’t have the mental mindset that he (Freiermuth) has. (TE) Zach (Gentry) puts so much work into getting better, and as an older guy, you love to see people have the feel and want to be good at something. Nowadays people just give up and quit and it seems like the easy thing to do. (TE Kevin) Rader can literally be on the 53-man roster with somebody else.”