Bengals

Bengals HC Zac Taylor enters the season among the favorites to be the first coach fired in 2026. Cincinnati TE coach James Casey stood behind Taylor, calling him intelligent, confident, and a great person to work under. 

“Zac is just one-of-a-kind type of unique human being,” Casey said, via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “I’ve seen coaches come and go. He’s extremely intelligent, extremely confident, and just an unbelievable human being. The No. 1 thing that I always appreciate and respect is he’s just always himself. He’s never trying to be somebody he’s not. He’s never trying to put on a show. He’s all genuine. He’s sincere with what he’s saying, and the players can sense that.”

Bengals GM Duke Tobin also expressed faith in Taylor, saying he still has a “great vision” for their roster.

“I believe in Zac,” Tobin said. “I believe in what he does. I believe in how he manages people and the staff he has put together. I believe he is very quick-minded. I think he has a great vision for players and willing to change the vision based on what he has. I have seen that in action. He’s had high-level success. He has taken us to the Super Bowl. He understands what it takes to get to the Super Bowl. He is very organized. He is team-oriented. The players respond and respect him very well. They enjoy playing for him.”

Taylor understands that the Bengals must be playing their best football down the stretch. 

“You got to figure out your team early in the year and then you got to be ready to improve every week,” Taylor said. “That’s what I’ve learned over time is the key is just your team has got to improve every week over the course of the season and to where you’re playing your best ball down the stretch.”

• Taylor said WR Ja’Marr Chase (knee) and Tee Higgins (heel) are expected to play in Week 1, but he is unsure about DE Shemar Stewart‘s (knee) availability. (Kelsey Conway)
• As for CB Daxton Hill‘s hamstring strain during training camp, Taylor said he is ready to play: “Love how he’s come back and attacked the process. Really like his demeanor. Excited to have him back in the mix.” (Jay Morrison)

Browns

Browns HC Todd Monken reiterated that he fully supports QB Deshaun Watson after he lost his composure and vented about “disrespectful” behavior from the Browns’ fanbase. 

“I mean, after that game — I’ll just say during the game and then after the game, certainly Deshaun was not in a great headspace. Let’s be real honest about it,” Monken said, via PFT. “He said it after the game; he was frustrated and didn’t particularly play well. And we don’t coach well and call it well around him. So, we certainly all have to own that. I looked at it more along the lines of a speed bump and just a blip on the radar more than the norm of what I had seen over the course of the five months being here, in terms of his confidence, how hard he’s worked to get back to where he’s at today. And he did, he came to me right after that, him and I had a good conversation, and he said, ‘I’m not sure I handled that the right way. But I did have things that were on my heart.’ And I asked him, I said, ‘Do you feel like you’ve gotten rid of it?’ Because it’s one thing to say it. It’s another thing to really believe it, that OK, I needed to get this off my chest, it’s over, I just want to go out there and play great football. I’ve worked awfully hard to get back.”

Monken added that he’s excited for the team’s opener and believes Watson is in a good headspace.

“The only way you’re going to get the best out of your players is to have a verbal contract that says, I’ve got your back. I’ve got your back, I’ve got you,” Monken said. “That’s what we’ve done with Deshaun, and we look forward to playing this weekend.”

Monken added that he understands the fanbase’s negative reaction around Watson and believes that winning is the cure for the skepticism around him and the team.

“[T]he fans just want us to win and play good football. So, I do understand some of the frustration,” Monken said. “I do think that, unfortunately, it’s viewed a little bit like hate and hope — is really the way I put it. The fans really just want hope. And Deshaun, over the years that he’s been here, has frustrated the fans and, certainly, himself in terms of wanting to play better for the Cleveland fans and the organization. And I get where they’re coming from, but ultimately, any great fanbase like ours wants to win, wants to see a great product on the field. And that’s what we’re aiming to do starting this week and as long as I’m the head coach here.”

• Monken said they expect Teven Jenkins (undisclosed injury) to be their starting right guard but will observe him throughout the week before making a final decision: “We anticipate Teven (Jenkins) being our right guard. But we’re going to let it play out through the week.” (Tony Grossi)
• Jenkins left practice with a back issue this week, putting his spot in the lineup in jeopardy.  
• Monken said he expects Shedeur Sanders to be their primary backup in Week 1, per Zac Jackson.

Ravens

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson said he has “nothing to prove to anybody but himself” and is looking forward to a fresh start this year.

“I believe we have a lot in store. New season, new breath of fresh air. My guys are ready to get out there and start flying,” Jackson said, via PFT. “I feel great. I feel healthy, 100 percent healthy. I’m just ready to get after it.”

Steelers

Steelers QB Mason Rudolph is entering the ninth year of his career. Veteran QB Aaron Rodgers said HC Mike McCarthy has already made an impact on Rudolph and has seen a lot of improvement from him this offseason. 

“I thought he’s really gotten better this year, which is rare for like a nine, eight, nine-year veteran because this was the first time I think he really dug into his fundamentals in this way,” Rodgers said, via SteelersWire. “And it stressed. That’s kind of always been the Mike McCarthy quarterback school of stress and fundamentals carried out by Tom Clements over the years with me and with Tom Arth here in Pittsburgh.”

Rodgers thinks Rudolph has solidified himself as the team’s primary backup. 

“I think he’s really gotten better with his fundamentals, which allowed him to play on time more,” Rodgers said. “You saw in his only action he was 10 for 11 against Green Bay, and I think he kind of just closed the door on that who’s going to be the backup conversation.”