AFC Rumors: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Lamar Jackson, Steelers

Browns

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes the Browns have had a “significant” long-term offer on the table to TE David Njoku for some time.
• Other league execs think Njoku will make north of $10 million a year and a franchise tag (projected to be $10.8 million for tight ends this year) is a real possibility, per Fowler. Cleveland did in fact tag Njoku on Monday. 
• NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reports the Browns have an extension on the table for Njoku worth around $13 million per year.
• Fansided’s Matt Verderame has heard similar but he’s also heard the total figure is a bit misleading as the deal is backloaded. 

Ravens

• CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports numerous sources around the league and close to negotiations between the Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson say the team has not offered a deal in the $40-$45 million range that other promising young quarterbacks have signed. 
• Instead, La Canfora claims the Ravens have been offering longer deals, in the range of five years, with an APY of closer to $35 million a year. 
• They also tell La Canfora that Jackson is well aware of the financial landscape at quarterback around the league and is not a naive negotiator. 
• La Canfora notes there was rampant speculation from agents and executives at the Combine about Jackson’s endgame with negotiations. One agent thought Jackson planned to play out his deal, force the Ravens to tag him twice, then hit unrestricted free agency: “I hear he is looking at a three-year deal, or something short term. It’s always about the money, and they aren’t close on that, but it’s also about the term. He already played for almost nothing ($1.7M base salary) last year. He’s getting $23M (fully guaranteed) this year. You think he’s scared of a franchise tag? I keep hearing he’s looking at Cousins.”
• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes his sense of negotiations is the Ravens have proceeded cautiously and placed a premium on establishing trust with Jackson since they’re negotiating with him directly.
• Breer says the Ravens have made a point to keep the circle small, do whatever they can to limit leaks to the public and not play typical negotiating games with Jackson like lowballing early offers. 

Steelers

• Ed Bouchette of The Athletic wants to see the Steelers re-sign S Terrell Edmunds, as well as cornerbacks Joe Haden and Ahkello Witherspoon.
• Bouchette adds that Edmunds has been solid despite drawing criticism at times, believing that it would be a long shot for the team to draft a safety and replace him this offseason.
• As for Witherspoon, Bouchette remembers that interest in him was poor during free agency last season and thinks the team can bring him back on a deal that would ultimately be cheaper than what Haden would command.