AFC Notes: Nick Chubb, Browns, Steelers, Texans

Browns

Browns RB coach Stump Mitchell strongly believes that RB Nick Chubb could have a career year in 2023.

“Nick will probably go all year and have about 15 runs where he probably could have pressed the run track a little bit more,” Mitchell said of Chubb’s progression on The Dawgs podcast. “If we can improve upon that he can probably lead the league in rushing despite guys having 100 more carries than him, it doesn’t matter. He’s averaging over 5.2 yards per carry and if we improve he can average around six yards per carry.”

Steelers

Steelers DL Larry Ogunjobi sees growth in QB Kenny Pickett this offseason, adding that his confidence and demeanor have been on full display.

“You see that demeanor and confidence and that’s where you can really see the true growth,” Ogunjobi said, via PFT. “I’m excited for him. Like I said before, the sky is the limit for him. I know he’s gonna do his thing, so no worries about that.”

Texans

Texans DC Matt Burke highlighted what he expects to see out of the team’s defensive front heading into the season.

“We’re going to base out of a four-down front, and I would just say if you wanted to do the whole pick one word, it would be attack,” Burke said, via Texans Wire. “We play our defensive line in a penetrating style, try to edge them up, play nine techniques, those sort of things to cause disruptions.”

Burke plans on creating enough disruption by rushing four and allowing the team to play seven in coverage and allowing the back seven to clean up anything that’s left over.

“Our goal is to be able to affect plays with our front by the style that they play, the attack mode they play in and penetrate and disruption and reset the line of scrimmage and those sorts of things,” Burke said. “I would say if you just wanted to bottle it up, that would be the main thing. Again, the more that you can pressure a quarterback with four and not have to commit other resources to doing that, that helps kind of protect your coverage a little bit so you can play multiple coverages and change that element up if you can affect the quarterback and the offense with your front. That’s kind of the general approach and philosophy that I’d say we’re taking.”