AFC Notes: Roquan Smith, Todd Monken, Browns, Ravens

Browns 

The Cleveland Browns officially hosted the following 12 coaches for their Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship:

  • University of Toronto DC/DBs coach Jykine Bradley
  • University of Cincinnati co-DC/LBs coach Cortney Braswell 
  • Atlantic Coast High School HC Tony Gilbert
  • Southeastern University DBs assistant Jeremy Harris
  • University of Georgia STs coach Javier King
  • Lewis & Clark College OC Michael Machado
  • Mesquite Poteet High School HC Terrance Orr II 
  • Raiders STs assistant Kade Rannings
  • Broken Arrow High School RBs coach Jeremy Smith
  • Butler Community College WRs coach Tracin Wallace
  • Southern Miss TEs coach Dalton Williams 
  • University of Oklahoma defensive analyst DeShawn Williams

Browns

  • The Athletic’s Zac Jackson notes the Browns didn’t show a whole lot of HC Todd Monken‘s new-look offense in the spring given some key players were missing time, but it does seem like the Browns want to use a lot of pre-snap motion, a lot of screens and misdirection plays, and some designed quarterback runs/run-pass options. 
  • Following the trade of DE Myles Garrett, Jackson writes the Browns have to consider trading CB Denzel Ward if the right offer comes along, even if both sides have said they want the relationship to continue. Jackson mentions Ward was previously a mainstay at the offseason program but was one of the veterans not in attendance for most of the spring. 
  • Jackson doubts QB Dillon Gabriel‘s football future will be in Cleveland but he adds the Browns are going to be reluctant to just give him away and he expects them to work hard to maximize any trade value he has despite the quarterback roster crunch. 
  • Monken said in the spring he felt pretty good about four of the five spots on the Browns’ remade offensive line. Jackson expects first-rounder Spencer Fano to start at left tackle, Zion Johnson to start at left guard, Tytus Howard to start at right tackle and veteran Elgton Jenkins to get the first crack at center. Teven Jenkins is penciled in at right guard but Jackson believes if fifth-round C Parker Brailsford is ready, Elgton could get the nod over Teven at guard. 

Ravens

The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec says that Ravens LB Roquan Smith is the player with the most at stake in Baltimore this season, despite finishing second among inside linebackers behind 49ers LB Fred Warner in ESPN’s anonymous rankings.

“He’s coming off a season where the defense he leads struggled mightily and he finished without a sack or interception for the first time in his career,” Zrebiec wrote, per the Ravens website. “His 130 tackles represented his lowest total since 2019, when he played just 12 games. Smith turns 30 in April. Cutting him next offseason would create $20 million in salary-cap savings. He needs a big year to silence the talk that he’s on the decline.”

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