Bengals
Bengals LB Logan Wilson expects the defense to be more fundamentally sound this year.
“Everyone is going to be on the same page,” Wilson said, via the team’s website. “Guys are going to be flying around. We’re going to be a better tackling team this year. And we’re always trying to find ways that we can affect the ball. That’s why we practice it all the time. We didn’t use to do that, where we practice that before pre-practice, working on it in practice, during the game. When you’re coming in on a tackle and someone’s got them wrapped up, don’t go in and try to get the guy down necessarily. Try to get him down while also making a play on the ball. There is literally a direct correlation with plus-two in turnover margin and how much you win. The more turnovers we have, the better our chances to win the game because it gives our offense more opportunity to put points on the board.”
Wilson added that the biggest difference this year is the team hoping to create more turnovers.
“We’re talking about it all the time, so it becomes second nature when you’re out there playing. You’re not even thinking about it. It’s like, OK, I’m running over here, the ball carrier has it high and tight. How do I affect this ball? You’re not literally talking through all that. In terms of attacking the ball, you’re kind of formulating a game plan with attacking it as you’re running toward the ball carrier.”
Wilson added that he feels fully healthy following knee surgery and was in Florida this offseason training to prepare for the season.
“For starters, the first part of the offseason I went to Tampa to train at a performance gym instead of going to Wyoming and training on my own. Trying to make sure this knee was right and I could just feel better so that when I came into OTAs, I was in the best shape at that point in the year than I would normally be, which I feel has helped propel me forward. I went right away in January and was there until early April. Brought the whole family. Got some warm weather. I feel really good. Body feels really good. Just honestly, going out there and proving myself right. I don’t really care what all the naysayers and negative Nellies want to say out there. It’s just on me to go prove myself right, and prove people that believe in me right because I know what I’m capable of. Just going out and executing.”
Browns
Browns G Wyatt Teller said he came away “embarrassed” by last year’s 3-14 result, but is confident that there are a lot of things they can correct “fairly easily.”
“Coming out of last year, I just felt horrible, embarrassed, upset, all those things,” Teller said, via Zac Jackson of The Athletic. “You get a little further away from it and it’s like, ‘OK, that was bad but we can clean some things up fairly easily.’ We still have a lot to work on, but a play here or there and maybe last year’s a little different. There needs to be a little more maturity with this stuff. I feel like Coach Stefanski is trying to build the foundation of a hungry, angry team, so we’ll see where it goes.”
Browns’ fellow G Joel Bitonio thinks Stefanski is responding well to last year’s struggles and is effectively addressing their issues.
“I think Kevin is willing to wear last year’s failure even though it’s obviously not all on him,” Bitonio said. “Since the spring, he’s talked to us about correcting mistakes right away and paying attention to little details. If we’re in a meeting going over a bad play, it’s not just ‘OK, that was wrong, let’s move on.’ We’re addressing it and fixing it. He’s addressing it and making sure it’s fixed. A different energy (or) a different urgency, I guess you can call it whatever you want. I think he knows what has to work and he’s going to be involved in making sure things are done a certain way.”
Ravens
Ravens TE Mark Andrews downplayed his return to Buffalo and said that he’s remorseful for how the team’s season ended.
“At the end of the day, this is a new season,” Andrews said, via ESPN. “It’s two really good teams going against each other. I’m going to play my part, I’m going to do my job to the best of my ability, which I’m excited about. It’s an incredible opportunity for this organization, for me, this team.”
Andrews wants to re-establish himself as one of the best tight ends in the league.
“I’m a pro; this is what I do,” Andrews said. “This is what I love to do. This is my whole entire world. So, for me, it’s about focusing, doing my job, and just knowing the type of player that I can be in this offense and for this organization, for the city, and I’ve never lost sight of that.“
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