Bengals

Bengals CB D.J. Ivey enters the fourth year of his career and is looking to earn a larger role. Ivey feels like he has a real “opportunity” to get more playing time this season. 

“I definitely feel like there is opportunity out there,” Ivey said, via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “Any chance I get, I’m taking the opportunity to make plays and show the coaches I’m here to be seen and I’m here to make an impact.”

Tacario Davis is also competing for more time. He feels like he is “trending in the right direction” in training camp. 

“To get to where I want to go and be one of the greatest, you got to keep stacking days,” Davis said. “It’s a good thing, trending in the right direction, but keep moving forward. Instead of making the PBU, make the great play and get the interception.”

Browns

Browns rookie WR Denzel Boston said his early success in training camp comes from understanding his assignments and building strong communication with the quarterbacks.

“I think it really comes from just knowing my job, knowing what I’m doing, having good communication with the quarterback,” Boston said, via the team’s website. “When you’re able to do that, you kind of can just play fluid, play free, and just go out there and have fun.”

Boston said his ability to win contested catches comes down to an aggressive mindset when the ball is in the air.

“I think it just comes down to a mentality of ‘that’s my ball,‘” Boston said. “I think that’s what it comes down to. I do have that height advantage that I can abuse when I can, but at the same time, I think it comes down to a mentality of I’m going to go get it.”

Boston said Cleveland’s receiving corps has complementary skill sets that allow the group to make plays in different ways.

“We have the quick, fast, twitchy guys,” Boston said. “We got tall guys that go make plays above the rim. And then I think we’re just meshing very well, and I think that we’re able to make plays across the board.”

Boston added that veteran WR Jerry Jeudy has helped him refine the details of his route-running and avoid tipping off defenders.

“Like just certain routes, hinge routes, when we’re doing out cuts, in cuts,” Boston said. “Just making sure we’re not giving away hints of where you’re going to go as in like leaning before you’re about to break into the route.”

Ravens

Ravens S Malaki Starks enters his rookie season after being a first-round pick in this year’s draft. Starks said that S Kyle Hamilton has given him a lot of advice throughout training camp. 

“He’s the best safety in the league, and he will be for a long time. Just to have a guy like him to be able to lean on and talk to, and just be able to watch his footwork, his movements, his thought process… Sitting beside him in meetings has been really huge for my development,” Starks said, via RavensWire. 

Baltimore also signed veteran S Jaylinn Hawkins to a two-year contract this offseason. Starks said he’s also learned a lot from Hawkins thus far. 

“Yes, I think the biggest thing with adding Jaylinn Hawkins is just the versatility and the knowledge that he brings to the room. Just to be able to learn from a guy like him, and pick up on his process, how he does things… It’s been a great addition for everybody,” Starks said. 

As for his development, Ravens HC Jesse Minter wants Starks to anticipate things before the snap.

“I think it is building that confidence and that pre-snap look to where you can look and anticipate things. Then, when you do that, your natural ability allows you to be ahead of the play rather than behind the play,” Minter said. 

• Ravens HC Jesse Minter said QB Lamar Jackson will not play in the preseason games. (Josh Tolentino)