AFC Notes: Patrick Queen, Mason Rudolph, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Browns

Browns RBs coach Stump Mitchell said RB Jerome Ford has heavily improved his pass protection this offseason. That will be a must for Ford as he’s expected to take on a much larger role as the primary backup to starting RB Nick Chubb.

“Jerome’s got a skillset that allows him to do anything and everything,” said Mitchell, via BrownsWire. “Pass protection, we worked a lot (on that) this spring, so that was the really the only thing we didn’t really have a good handle on because he didn’t do it a lot in college. He’s worked extremely hard… We know about his skill set with the ball in his hands.”

Ravens

• The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes with the rising cost of interior defensive linemen and the lack of players at that position under contract for Baltimore in 2024, it makes a lot of sense for the Ravens to get an extension done with DL Justin Madubuike this year. 
• He adds the catch will be asking price, as while the Ravens view Madubuike as an ascending player and an important starter, he has yet to have that true breakout season. Madubuike meanwhile has to weight whether to take an early contract offer or whether he can make more by betting on himself in a contract year. 
• Baltimore also has DL Broderick Washington entering a contract year but Zrebiec suspects they’d prioritize getting something done with Madubuike first and evaluating Washington in his first year as a full-time starter in 2023. 
• Zrebiec says the Ravens do like LB Patrick Queen a lot, and if he’s willing to accept a deal closer to the mid-range of the positional market than the top, an in-season extension is possible. 
• Zrebiec thinks some common ground on a short-term extension could be found between G Kevin Zeitler and the Ravens, as Zeitler has remained productive despite being 33 years old. 

Steelers

When appearing on the Steel Here podcast, Steelers QB Mason Rudolph said he had interest from other teams but decided to stay put in Pittsburgh. 

“I’m not gonna name teams, because I’m a part of the only team that matters now, but I had opportunities,” Rudolph said. “I tried to be reasonable with the expectation that I’ve got two starts in the last three seasons, not a whole lot of game tape to go off of. But at the same time, there’s so many things that are attractive about this place.”