While we AFC North folks are waiting for the Bengals to finish their business, let’s check out the happenings around our favorite division.
- Bengals WR coach Troy Walters claims WR Ja’Marr Chase will never become a diva, citing his work ethic and maturity. While it’s all well and good to convey that impression after Chase’s exceptional rookie season, most divas don’t start out as divas. Terrell Owens, perhaps the NFL’s most well-known (and reviled) diva WR, was relatively quiet and unassuming his first few seasons in San Francisco. Lest we forget, it took the Bengals’ own Chad Johnson a few years to become “Ocho Cinco”. Guess we’ll find out how accurate this assessment is eventually.
- Former RB Marshall Faulk seems unconcerned about making friends in Cleveland after stating “we’re all laughing at the Browns” regarding WR Odell Beckham Jr. Such criticism is piling on a bit, but my take is Beckham was a bad fit in Cleveland from a scheme standpoint. The NFL is littered with players that find success (or failure) at their various stops; to suggest this was the fault of the organization seems a little uninformed and shortsighted. But hey, anything for a laugh, right?
- The Ravens are navigating through the injury status of several players for 2022, and their respective recovery status can impact many offseason decisions. Free agency interest in particular has to be very tough to project in light of possible returnees. While the team is saying largely positive things about the return of their slate of RBs and LT Ronnie Stanley, such optimism has to be guarded in light of this past season. All they can do right now is observe and pray all rehabilitation plans proceed quickly and properly.
- Recent rumblings and fan posts brought to mind this article, which quotes and infers S Minkah Fitzpatrick deserves a long-term deal in Pittsburgh before he’s eligible for free agency in 2023. Fitzpatrick has kept a low profile and has not made any public contract demands, but as a proven top-five safety in the NFL, he deserves all consideration from the team. Still only 25, this is the sort of player teams around the NFL covet and pay outlandish money to, so it would behoove the Steelers to act sooner rather than later.
Enjoy and Go Team.
