AFC Notes: Justin Fields, Tee Higgins, Justin Madubuike, Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. notes a key factor in negotiations between the Bengals and WR Tee Higgins will be the star wideout’s ability to stay on the field. While Higgins has only missed eight games, Dehner points out he has fewer than 3,000 career snaps in four years, with 805 snaps his career-high. Most of the other receivers in the range Higgins is hoping to be paid have multiple seasons above 825 snaps. 

Higgins tends to get banged up and there have been multiple games in the past couple of seasons where he has started and then been yanked completely because of a nagging injury. However, Dehner says past injury history isn’t necessarily predictive of future injury problems and the Bengals have zero problems with Higgins’ approach to managing nicks and bruises. 

“It’s a pleasure to coach that group because it’s guys trying to find ways on the field as opposed to the other way around,” Bengals HC Zac Taylor said in January regarding the whole receiving corps. “And that’s not always the case. Those guys give us a chance, and I appreciate that.”

Ravens

• The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec writes the expectation is the Ravens will either extend DT Justin Madubuike or use the franchise tag to retain him in 2024. He notes Madubuike could command as much as $25 million per year if he were to reach unrestricted free agency. 
• Zrebiec adds while the Ravens would love to keep LB Patrick Queen, they’re already paying LB Roquan Smith $20 million per year and will be hard-pressed to shell out big bucks to Queen as well, depending on the kind of interest in he gets in free agency. 
• Zrebiec notes the Ravens have had some discussions about G Kevin Zeitler returning. Although he’ll be 34, Zeitler has played well when healthy and Zrebiec points out Baltimore’s other starting guard, John Simpson, is a free agent too. The Ravens could let Simpson walk and hope for a comp pick while keeping Zeitler to avoid turnover at both guard positions. 
• Other players who could command bigger contracts elsewhere than the Ravens can or will want to match include OLB Jadeveon Clowney, S Geno Stone, CB Ronald Darby and OLB Kyle Van Noy, per Zrebiec.
• Zrebiec says if the Ravens keep WR Odell Beckham Jr., it likely would be for far less than the $15 million base he got last summer. He adds Beckham might also want to chase a bigger role with a different team. 
• He adds veteran WR Nelson Agholor is liked by the Ravens for his locker room presence and reliability, so he’s someone they could try to bring back. Fellow WR Devin Duvernay will likely chase a bigger role with another team. 
• At running back, Zrebiec notes RB Gus Edwards saw his efficiency drop and the team went away from him despite his red zone role earlier in the year, while RB J.K. Dobbins just has not been able to stay healthy. Zrebiec doesn’t rule out Baltimore bringing either back on a cheap contract but notes it’s not a given. 
• CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes the Ravens offered former Chiefs RB coach Greg Lewis a deal Kansas City couldn’t match to come coach their receivers. 
• Kansas defensive analyst Mark DeLeone is expected to join the Baltimore Ravens staff as a linebackers coach. (Bruce Feldman)
• Aaron Wilson reports the Ravens are giving defensive passing game coordinator/secondary coach Chris Hewitt the additional title of assistant head coach.

Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers could be in the mix to add another quarterback this offseason after underwhelming play from QB Kenny Pickett last season. Steelers HC Mike Tomlin has expressed his opinion on some of the available quarterbacks in the past, and Adam Schefter explained why QB Justin Fields is a name to watch closely.

“We know Pittsburgh’s going to go out and get some type of quarterback, whether that’s Ryan Tannehill, whether that’s Russell Wilson, whether that’s Justin Fields,” Schefter said, via, the Pat McAfee Show. “Mike Tomlin is a big fan of Justin Fields, keep that in mind during the offseason and the coming weeks.”