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Andrew Whitworth

AFC North Notes: Browns QBs, Whitworth

May 9th, 2015 at 8:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Many have already given up on Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel after a rookie season consisting of on- and off-the-field problems, but new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo still has high hopes for the 22-year-old.

“All I know is Johnny the football player, and he’s been awesome,” DeFilippo said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. “He’s been working hard, very hard with myself and (quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell), and doing what we want him to do on the field.”

DeFilippo believes there are obvious strengths to Manziel’s game, also stating that the offense will be tailored to his skillset if he beats out likely starter Josh McCown for the No. 1 job.

“I think Johnny has a lot of traits that good quarterbacks in this league have. It’s just a matter of getting better at them,” said DeFilippo. “I’m the last guy – the last guy — that’s going to take Johnny Manziel’s athleticism away from him. I will not do that.”

While DeFilippo seems bullish on Manziel, Browns coach Mike Pettine declared McCown the favorite to start earlier this week. DeFilippo is familiar with McCown from the pair’s time in Oakland in 2007 (DeFilippo was the Raiders’ quarterbacks coach). Cabot writes that McCown mainly signed with the Browns to work with DeFilippo again. As he did with Manziel, DeFilippo spoke glowingly of the 35-year-old McCown.

“Josh has been the total guy we thought he was going to be. He has taken command of this offense and he has taken command of the room,” said DeFilippo.

Here’s more on the Browns and a couple of their AFC North rivals:

  • Cleveland didn’t draft a quarterback this year because no prospects other than Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are seen as capable of stepping in and starting by 2016, according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Grossi believes the Browns will ride out 2015 with McCown and hope to land a QB in next year’s draft, when as many as four passers could go in the first round.
  • Although the Bengals’ Andrew Whitworth has been one of the best offensive tackles in the league over the past few years, the team used its top two picks on fellow OTs Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher in last week’s draft. That didn’t sit well with Whitworth, who is a year from free agency and who has pushed for a contract extension. However, he did say that he would help his two new teammates adjust to the NFL game, and still hopes to remain with the club long term, according to an Associate Press article in USA Today.
  • Browns fourth-round pick Vince Mayle will undergo surgery to repair his broken right thumb after rookie camp, writes Cabot. Mayle, who sustained the injury at the Senior Bowl in January, should be ready to go by training camp, according to Pettine. “We wanted him to come out, just see how it was, test it,” said Pettine. “Found out real quick yesterday that there’s still some lingering pain there. So, we’re going to go ahead and get it corrected.”
  • Ravens head coach John Harbaugh says that undrafted defensive back Julian Wilson will remain with the team despite being lost for the year with a broken leg, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

Bengals’ Andrew Whitworth Pushing For Extension

May 4th, 2015 at 6:13pm CST by Zachary Links

In late April, tackle Andrew Whitworth made it known that he didn’t want the Bengals to draft his successor. Days later, Cincy drafted tackles in both round one and in round two. Now, with his future more uncertain that ever, Whitworth is being vocal about his desire for an extension and is frustrated with the lack of dialogue on that front so far, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com writes.

“At the end of the day, I am the captain and leader and I want to go above and beyond and do more than the average guy in this locker room and have always,” he said. “It’s hard to do that when that feeling is not reciprocated and is just a one way street. We’d like you to prepare two guys to be really good football players, we’d like you to be the leader of football team, but we’d also like to have the best situation possible for us. We’ll talk to you when we want to.”

With Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi and Oregon tackle Jake Fisher now in the fold, Whitworth is entering his walk year and wants a new pact to reflect his contributions, both on the field and in the locker room. Last year, Whitworth was rated as the second-best tackle in the NFL by the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The 33-year-old is also regarded as the Bengals’ locker room leader, but he’s now using his booming voice to let the world know that he’s unhappy with his contract situation.

AFC Notes: Bengals, Rivers, Mercilus, Browns

April 28th, 2015 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Multiple reports and mock drafts in recent weeks have suggested the Bengals could use their first-round pick to add a young tackle, perhaps envisioning that player as an eventual replacement for Andrew Whitworth. As he tells Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer though, the idea of the team adding his potential replacement doesn’t worry Whitworth.

“I’ve always had the opposite mentality,” Whitworth said. “Mess up and draft somebody at my position because you are going to sit around and watch him sit the bench. That’s always been my mentality. I see it as a challenge.”

While we wait to see which direction the Bengals decide to go on Thursday, let’s check out a few more notes from around the AFC….

  • The Chargers met with Philip Rivers‘ agent in person last week and are still focused on extending the quarterback’s contract, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. If Rivers is still a Charger on Sunday, it should signal that the team is relatively confident it can get something done.
  • Speaking today to reporters, including John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links), Texans general manager Rick Smith said he and the club are still deciding whether to pick up the fifth-year option on Whitney Mercilus. “Whether we pick it up or not, we want him around long time,” Smith said of the outside linebacker. For his part, McClain doesn’t expect the team to exercise its 2016 option.
  • On the heels of ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reporting that Sam Bradford wants to play for the Eagles, and Philadelphia is unlikely to trade him, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the Browns would still like to acquire the former first overall pick — however, it’s not likely to happen.
  • Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com ranks the Raiders‘ top five draft needs, and according to Bair, the No. 1 priority is finding a pass rusher that can take some of the heat off of Khalil Mack. Oakland could use a defensive end and they could very well use the No. 4 pick to shore up that spot. Bud Dupree, Leonard Williams, and Dante Fowler Jr. are candidates to end up in Oakland next season, Bair writes.
  • Chiefs president Mark Donovan has signed a long-term contract extension to remain in Kansas City, the team announced today in a press release.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: Gilbert, Hill, White, Bills

August 2nd, 2014 at 12:56pm CST by Matt Feminis

Buried underneath the news of Shaun Suisham‘s contract extension, Triblive.com’s Mark Kaboly notes the Steelers have been talking with agent Drew Rosenhaus about a contract extension for offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert, who is in the final year of his rookie deal. Gilbert “always possessed the natural talent to excel in the NFL,” writes Ray Fittipaldo in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Now, he believes he has developed the off-field habits that will help him take the next step in his career.”

Read on for several more AFC news and notes:

  • Texans No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney caused a minor stir when he left practice early and spent time icing his leg on the trainer’s table, but the Houston Chronicle’s Brian T. Smith caught up with head coach Bill O’Brien, who said the team is just managing the rookie’s “pitch count.
  • The Jets traded up to draft Stephen Hill 43rd overall (two spots ahead of Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery), but the talented wide out’s first two seasons have been plagued by inconsistency and injury, writes the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta, who calls Hill an “enigma who leaves you wanting more every time you see him.”
  • Status quo for Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno, which means continued uncertainty, writes Adam Beasley in the Miami Herald.
  • ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss relayed Bill Belichick quotes from an interview the Patriots head coach did with Sirius XM NFL Radio, and NESN’s Doug Kyed quoted quarterback Tom Brady. Both men were speaking about rookie running back James White, is making a strong first impression thanks to his versatility and maturity, seemingly earning trust as a three-down back.
  • In a preview of the Browns, CBS’ Pat Kirwan says he wouldn’t be surprised if four rookies start — including third-round linebacker Christian Kirksey, who is already getting some first-team reps — and two more (running back Terrence West and cornerback Pierre Desir) play important roles.
  • Bengals stalwart left tackle Andrew Whitworth is nursing a strained calf muscle, but he’s being patient, writes Cincinnati.com’s Paul Dehner.
  • “The sale of the Buffalo Bills has evolved into an event Ringling Bros and Barnum & Baily would have been proud of,” in the opinion of Forbes’ Mike Ozanian.

AFC North Notes: Whitworth, Steelers, Hood

February 23rd, 2014 at 4:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier, we took a look around the AFC South, so let’s head north for a few more notes: