To say it has been an eventful week in the AFC North would be an understatement.
Cincinnati Bengals fans know the drill. Trey Hendrickson got an extension. So did linebacker Logan Wilson. The team has continued to work through training camp, too, producing big highlights and headlines as the fight for roster spots continues.
Elsewhere in the AFC North, though, things don’t appear as rosy. The Cleveland Browns got in some hot water during practices recently and frustration boiled over in Baltimore, too.
Here’s a quick look at some of the biggest headline items coming out of the rest of the AFC North.
Fights and sprints in Cleveland
Things got wild for the Browns recently at camp, with multiple fights forcing head coach Kevin Stefanski to make his players run sprints:
Here’s video of the 1st #Browns fight that started between Ogbo Okoronkwo and James Hudson III pic.twitter.com/NyCJE0Gl6N
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) July 30, 2023
#Browns Stefanski makes his players run 3 sets of sprints after 2 separate fisticuff incidents late in the last practice at The Greenbrier pic.twitter.com/0r8a7aaQOF
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) July 30, 2023
Player injured during fights
According to ESPN’s Jake Trotter, offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. got injured during one of those fights.
“Fighting, skirmishes, jawing happens in every training camp at every level of football,” Stefanski said, per Trotter. “They’re tired, they’re hot, they’ve been going against each other, so I’m not surprised at that at all. They talked about it. It’s over. We don’t throw punches, so I’ll review that stuff, and there’s obviously penalties.”
Frustration in Baltimore
Things got heated enough in Ravens practice recently that the face of the franchise was punting footballs and a star was making gestures at referees:
Ravens practice just ended. There was some frustration among offensive players. Frustrated by another play being halted by a free blitzer, Lamar Jackson punted ball downfield and threw off his helmet to ground.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 4, 2023
TE Mark Andrews was also not pleased with not getting a PI call. He threw up the one-finger salute in direction of referee and Marcus Williams who had been in coverage. Then shouted an expletive and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 4, 2023
John Harbaugh explains
The Ravens head coach said the following about what was documented by reporters, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec:
“It’s a reflection of their perfectionism. They’re chasing perfection, and that’s what you want to see from your players. When your players take that mindset, you’re going to have a chance. Coaches pretty much always have that mindset. When the players take on that personality because they feel like they’re capable of it, that’s what you want to see. The offense had a good practice today.”
Kenny Pickett excelling in Pittsburgh
The hype for Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett continues to grow:
Kenny Pickett in Friday night's practice.
11/12, 108 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs.
Only incompletion was Pickens making the catch but stepping out of bounds in 7 shots. No pass Pickett threw hit the ground.
His best day of camp. #Steelers
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) August 5, 2023
