Bengals

Bengals DT Dexter Lawrence isn’t worried about his declining sack numbers and believes he’s still a disruptive force on the defense.

“If you turn on the tape, you’ll see what you’re supposed to see,” Lawrence said, via ESPN. “It’s more about proving myself right. I know who I am. People have been talking about me my whole life. It’s just the way this game goes. It’s just the way I’ve been in the spotlight my whole life.”

Lawrence added that his new chapter doesn’t signal the twilight stages of his career.

“I’m still out there clangin’ and bangin’,” Lawrence said with a laugh when asked about the notion. “Fresh start is more a retirement. But I would just say continuing my legacy and this is part of my journey.”

Browns

Browns OC Travis Switzer knew he always wanted to be involved in football, even after his playing career.

“I mean, football was always a love of mine,” Switzer said, via Akron Beacon Journal. “I mean, it was always a huge part of my life. I was going to try to play as long as I could. When they told me I wasn’t good enough to play anymore, I was going to coach. I knew it had to be a part of me. I wanted to be a part of a team. There’s nothing like that in the world, being part of a team, everybody working together for one goal. So, yeah, I think that’s really what led to that.”

Browns HC Todd Monken looks to bring Baltimore’s style of run-first, pass-second offense to Cleveland with him.

“When I first got to Baltimore, Greg Roman had been the offensive coordinator, designed the whole run game,” Monken said. “Where everywhere else I’ve been, the O-line coach had a huge hand in the run game. So when I got there, Joe D’Alessandris, who’s passed away since then, he did more of the protections. When I interviewed Travis to decide whether to just keep him on the staff, he went through the run game and absolutely killed it. “Our job was to mix, blend what I’ve done in the past and then what Lamar did well. vEver since then, he’s just grown leaps and bounds in all aspects of his coaching, not just run game, dealing with players, pass game, overall thoughts, philosophically how to attack people. We wouldn’t have had the success we had in Baltimore without him.”

Ravens

• Ravens S Kyle Hamilton was voted as the top safety in the league in a poll by execs and coaches around the NFL: “His size and physicality stand out,” an AFC offensive coach said. “He’s that big-bodied DB who can play nickel or safety that teams are looking for. He’s a talented cover player, but his ability to play the run at the point of attack and his effectiveness as a blitzer make him somebody you really have to account for in game planning.” (Jeremy Fowler)
• “He’s an average safety but he’s an elite big nickel, which he’s in most of the time,” an NFL offensive coach said. “He’s only in safety in base. That’s why teams try to keep [the Ravens] in base. He’s a big nickel vs. 11 personnel.” (Fowler)
• Ravens LB Roquan Smith was voted as the second-best off-ball linebacker in the NFL by coaches and execs around the league: “Still has the instincts, physicality and playmaking that’s a class ahead of the others outside of Fred [Warner],” an NFL coordinator said. (Fowler)
• “He’s f—ing nasty coming downhill,” an NFL personnel evaluator said. “He sees it fast, good blitzer, good eyes, cuts the ball off in the run game.” (Fowler)