Bengals

The Bengals added two veterans to the defensive front in Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen in an effort to revamp that side of the ball. Besides the obvious on-field impact those two are projected to have, QB Joe Burrow has loved their ability to make the coaches’ lives easier while bringing a strong locker room presence.

“I think we have guys that have been there and done that and also guys who have had a lot of individual success and not necessarily the team success that we’re looking for,” Burrow said, via the team’s website. “Guys like Dexter and guys like Jonathan, bringing guys like that in is so advantageous to a lot of different people. Players trying to improve makes it easier on coaches. We have guys with so much talent, and I’m just excited to put it all together.”

“It’s helped that we’ve brought some veteran guys in here that can help me do that. Dex has been amazing getting guys together, trying to build that off-the-field relationship that you need. Nothing specifically. Usually watch whatever game is on.”

Bengals HC Zac Taylor echoed Burrow’s thoughts and couldn’t say enough about how those two are able to create advantages with their football IQ and communication skills.

“I think what’s kind of lost with the physical talent that they both bring is the above the neck,” Taylor said. “The alignments they see in the backfield. The weight on the guard’s hands. How the centers hold the ball. All that kind of stuff they’ve seen over the course of their career.”

“There’s an intent behind everything that they do, and just hearing the communication, when I stand over the walkthroughs, they hear Jonathan Allen say something, he’s seeing something as soon as we line up … Really good defensive players, they cut the playbook in half on offense the second you line up, based on the backs alignment, tight ends alignment, they can look at the guards and get some indicators there, and so it’ll be good for us as an offense too to hear some of that.”

Browns

The Browns signed LB Quincy Williams in free agency who projects to be an every-down starter next to LB Carson Schwesinger. Cleveland LB coach Jason Tarver and DC Mike Rutenberg both said Williams’ top superpower is his smile and infectious energy.

“I wish I could smile as big as he does to show you what it is, because that smile, it’s his superpower,” Tarver said, via Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. “His superpower is a smile and his speed. And when he is who he is, it’s contagious.”

“Quincy’s Quincy, and would never want anybody to be an extension of me,” Rutenberg said. “I want them all to live in their superpower. His superpower is his smile, his infectious personality, his run and hit, his fist pump. His other superpower is getting along with people. And, together, that linebacker room transfers to the D-line room, the DB room, the coaching staff. Quincy, to them, we’re all together. So it’s great having him here. I love seeing his smile every day.”

Ravens

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has had a significant impact during his time in the NFL, but said in a recent interview that he isn’t considering the legacy he will leave behind and won’t think about it until he begins to consider retirement.

“That’s a good question,” Jackson said, via Pro Football Talk. “I really don’t have an answer for that question. I was not expecting that. I really don’t think about my legacy. I just try to be the best player I can be, keeping God first and doing what I can do when I can do it, being on the field and just trying to be the best player I can be at every moment. I don’t really think about my legacy. Probably when I start thinking about retiring, I’ll probably be thinking about that — but not now.”