Bengals
Bengals K Evan McPherson missed five games due to a torn abductor last year, and it impacted him even before it deteriorated to the point he had to go on injured reserve. It’s sparked a renewed focus on health and body management for the 26-year-old kicker.
“Health is the most important thing I’m focusing on. I can’t play this game if I’m hurt,” McPherson said via Geoff Hobson of the team website. “This offseason, I’m trying to figure out more ways to strengthen the small muscles that I had problems with and just continue to do that. With all that work in strengthening it, I’m making sure I’m back stronger than ever. Training those little muscles you don’t even think about.”
“Some guys work out before games really getting their muscles firing and ready to go. I feel like I could use more of that,” McPherson added. “Not fatigue your muscles before games and practice, but actually getting them woken up. It’s the balance. You have to find out what works best for you.”
McPherson is 55 points away from reaching 500 for his career. He discussed that and some of his other goals.
“My kicking goals are basically just to improve in certain areas. I feel like I’m always trying to improve in ball striking and ball flight on field goals,” McPherson said. “Being able to control it in various winds. Where we play throughout the year, it tends to get pretty windy. My goals are more centered on things I can work on in my kicking game. Not necessarily numbers. If I improve and I’m where I want to be, I feel like the goals I would set numbers-wise are going to be met.”
Browns
Browns third-round QB Dillon Gabriel was asked what he thought about the team adding QB Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the draft.
“Yeah, I love it,” Gabriel told reporters, via Pro Football Talk. “You know, I love it because of who it is. I think just for us both, you can learn from one another. But also, it’s not just us two in the room. At least for right now [during rookie minicamp] is, but, you know, going into the year, Kenny [Pickett], Joe [Flacco] and even Deshaun [Watson], just a bunch of guys who played a bunch of ball that we can all learn from one another.”
“It’s not new to me,” Gabriel added on competing for the starting job. “I’ve done it at every stop, and I’ve done it at every level. So, thank goodness for that and great preparation in that. But also know that, you know, my competition is yesterday. How can I be better than I was yesterday? So that’s what I’m focused on and continue to create an environment that you want to be a part of and that’s all you can do. I only know one way to prepare. I only know one way to work, and that is as the starter. You know, I’ve played a bunch of ball and have a lot of experience, so I’m going to use that to my advantage. . . . I’ve got to continue to dominate the moment and have great practices.”
Ravens
Baltimore took second-round DE Mike Green, who comes to the organization with character concerns after twice being accused of sexual assault. One executive thinks the Ravens have questions to answer, given K Justin Tucker‘s ongoing sexual misconduct allegations.
“They said it is unfair to link Justin Tucker and Mike Green, but there is an obvious link, and it is the Ravens, so they should answer for that,” they said via Mike Sando of The Athletic .
Another executive thinks the culture around Baltimore’s organization makes it easier to draft a player with off-the-field concerns like Green.
“You can drop a guy like that into a sound culture easier than at a place that is rebuilding without leadership,” another exec said.
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