All five remaining unsigned 2014 draftees are on AFC teams, and the highest unsigned pick will play in the AFC North. But even without a contract in place, Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert doesn’t sound too concerned about his situation. Here’s the latest on the No. 8 overall pick, along with a couple more items out of the division:
- One of two first-round picks without a deal in place, Gilbert tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link) that his agent continues to work on his contract, though he’s not sure when it’ll get done. The two sides may be haggling over something like offset language, but when the deal gets completed, the Browns cornerback will be in line for a signing bonus worth more than $7.65MM.
- Browns GM Ray Farmer added several new faces to his staff yesterday and promoted a handful of executives to new roles, as the team announced in a press release. “We’re committed to building our roster through the draft, developing that talent once it’s here, and retaining it. Each of these people is central in that process,” Farmer said of the new additions to the player personnel staff.
- The Ravens parted ways with some veteran players this offseason, but signed or extended a handful of players in their 30s, including Daryl Smith, Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith, and Owen Daniels. As Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun writes, getting younger is always a consideration for the club’s front office, and a few young players will play increased roles this year, but getting better was the Ravens’ priority this year.
- Earlier today, I asked which team you expect to win the AFC North in 2014. So far, the Bengals hold a slim lead, with the Steelers and Ravens jockeying for the second spot.