AFC Notes: Ja’Marr Chase, Russell Wilson, Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports discussed how the recent inflated WR contracts have left the Bengals in a tough spot with WR Ja’Marr Chase. Robinson thinks Cincinnati will have to make Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback to get the deal done. 

“As for Chase, I think the Cincinnati Bengals are having a hard time wrapping their head around making Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, which is what multiple teams think it’s going to take to get that extension done,” Robinson said.

“As one general manager put it, ‘We’re to the point where every single good receiver just starts at 25 [million] now, and the best ones are heading toward 40 [million]. You can do those deals, but you’re going to lose one or two other starters in the process. It’s not a 1-for-1 tradeoff. Sometimes it’s a 2-for-1. So you have to ask yourself, do I want this receiver, or would I rather keep these other two starters and try to find a younger and cheaper receiver in the draft or a trade?'”

Ravens

• The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec thinks things are tracking toward Ravens sixth-round QB Devin Leary being cut and re-signed to the practice squad rather than starting the season on the active roster. 
• Zrebiec notes Ravens RB Owen Wright was making a strong bid for the No. 3 running back spot before breaking his foot in the preseason finale. He’s a candidate to go on injured reserve before being brought back. 
• Ravens WRs Deonte Harty and Tylan Wallace should have the last two spots sewn up, per Zrebiec, thanks to their special teams prowess, with veteran WR Anthony Miller making a strong run at a practice squad berth. 
• Zrebiec has his eye on the offensive line, either for a potential waiver claim or trade or for Baltimore to deal away a player like OL Ben Cleveland.
• Zrebiec notes the continued soft tissue injuries for third-round OLB Adisa Isaac could lead Baltimore to start him on injured reserve with the idea that he would ramp up to be a contributor later in the season.  
• At safety, Zrebiec believes veteran Daryl Worley and undrafted rookies Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade are all competing for one roster spot, maybe two. He thinks the youngsters have the edge.  

Steelers

Steelers QB Russell Wilson said he’s never used his doubters as fuel to continue pushing forward.

“I never had it to keep me going,” Wilson said, via PFT. “I’ve never been — I don’t know why — I’ve just never been worried about what other people think. I think ultimately I focus on, as I mentioned to you guys — obviously my faith means everything to me. God chose me for this, and He chose me to play this game. I’m one of 32 men in the world that get to do what I do, get to play this game every day. And you know, there’s eight billion people in the world, and for whatever reason, I get to be one of these guys. You know, I’m fortunate guys get to do this and walk into these white lines. And so, I always have to have great faith and just great belief. And so that’s just kind of in my spirit of me every day. And so for me, I don’t really focus on the outside part of it, I just focus on what God put in the inside and in terms of who he chose me to be, and just focus on that part of it. And then work your butt off every day. You know, this is the part where you just work on the fundamentals. You work on your craft. You’re obsessed with it. You’re obsessed with learning, that part of it, and that’s the part that makes it great.”