It has already been an eventful day in the AFC North, where the Browns have officially signed Robert Griffin III to a two-year contract and ex-Browns linebacker Karlos Dansby is paying a visit to the division-rival Bengals. Those aren’t the only items of note worth passing along from out of the division today though, so let’s dive in and round up the latest…
- Veteran free agent guard Geoff Schwartz is visiting the Steelers today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. Pittsburgh currently has a strong trio of Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, and David DeCastro penciled in for its three interior line spots, so it’s not clear what sort of role the Steelers would have in mind for Schwartz if he signs with them.
- Newly-signed Browns quarterback RGIII told reporters, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), that it wouldn’t bother him “at all” if Cleveland drafts a QB early, adding that he’d “take the guy under my wing.” One potential target for the Browns is North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com notes (via Twitter) that Hue Jackson, Pep Hamilton, and Andrew Berry were all at Wentz’s pro day on Thursday.
- The Steelers had a noteworthy contingent at the University of Houston’s pro day, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (all Twitter links), who reports that GM Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin were in attendance. Pittsburgh is believed to be eyeing cornerback William Jackson III, who had a dinner meeting on Wednesday night with Colbert and Tomlin, according to Wilson.
- Asked about the possibility of extending head coach Marvin Lewis‘ contract beyond the 2016 season, Bengals owner Mike Brown was somewhat noncommittal. “He’s going to be our coach this year. That’s in the bank,” Brown said, per Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Where it goes, we’ll see how it plays out.” Of course, that doesn’t mean Lewis’ job is in jeopardy by any means, but if he doesn’t get a new deal in the coming months, it’s a situation worth watching.
Schwartz’s lack of a market is interesting, with arguably less-talented guards/tackles signing for likely more money. A one-year deal where he attempts to establish value with a contender makes sense, and with his ceiling and positional versatility, said contender would benefit should Schwartz stay healthy.