Bengals

Bengals WR Tee Higgins doesn’t like the narrative that the team needs to get off to a hot start in order to have a great season, adding that the team will need to execute in all three phases to win games in the playoffs.

“It’s just stop with the narratives, just go out there and just play football,” Higgins told Adam Schein on Mad Dog Sports Radio. “Execute as a team. That’s really all I can really say about it.”

Bengals

Bengals HC Zac Taylor said that the safety position is an area where the team is slightly concerned about their depth.

“I think that’s a group that we’re looking to make sure we’re deep enough there,” Taylor said, via NY Times.

Taylor said it will be time for DB Daijahn Anthony and DB Tycen Anderson to prove they’re capable of stepping up and being meaningful contributors on defense and special teams.

“They’re gonna continue to get a lot of opportunities, certainly with Geno being out,” Taylor continued. “So I think it’s a good chance to really see where they’re at in their development. They’ve got to contribute on special teams. They’ve got to prove that they can walk in there and help us on defense as well. Those are guys that these next six practices will be really good for.”

Bengals assistant HC Darrin Simmons said that just simply being contributors on special teams isn’t enough to justify a safety spot on the depth chart.

“That’s the definition,” Simmons said. “That’s what the job description is for that position, is they have to be great special teams players. No. 3 and No. 4 have to be great. That’s got to be the core of your group. Any core special teams group I’ve ever been a part of that’s been good, we’ve had great safety play.”

Browns

During a recent interview with GQ Magazine, Chiefs TE Travis Kelce spoke about growing up as a Browns fan and wearing his emotions on his sleeve. He recalled being 23 years old and meeting with then Browns HC Rob Chudzinski ahead of the draft.

“I cried in Chud’s office and said, ‘I will fucking die for this city!’ ” Kelce told Sean Manning. “I literally was in tears. I said, ‘I’m sorry I’m getting emotional. I grew up down the street. I would fucking do anything to play for the Cleveland Browns.’ He looked at me like I was insane. I don’t think he’d ever had somebody just pour out their emotions.”

“When I was younger in the league,” Kelce added. “I used to have some of the older players come up to me and be like, ‘Man, you celebrate after every fucking catch!’ I’m like, ‘I’m in the NFL, dude! I love this shit! I finally get the ball in my hands and I have millions of people watching me, this shit is exciting!’ ”

• Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said third-round QB Dillon Gabriel can do 11-on-11, but they are still mindful about his hamstring tightness. He also mentioned QB Kenny Pickett has not progressed to 11-on-11 yet. (Zac Jackson)
• Stefanski said they will get through this week before deciding when they will name a starting quarterback. (Scott Petrak)