Bengals
- Regarding the impasse between the Bengals and first-round DE Shemar Stewart, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk points out that Stewart would’ve practiced at their offseason program if Cincinnati offered “an acceptable participation agreement,” which gives players financial protection if they suffer an injury during practice.
- Florio writes Cincinnati’s agreement applies if players “sustains a disabling NFL football-related injury.” Florio notes that at least one other NFL team removes the phrase “disabling” from its participation agreement.
- Florio cites that the other NFL team has a paragraph that explains the purpose of the agreement: “To provide financial protection for an injury resulting from participation in the offseason program, and to put him in approximately the same financial position he would have been in, but for the injury.”
- According to Florio, Stewart asked for the same default language in Bengals OT Amarius Mims‘ rookie contract.
Browns
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel spoke at length about his experience so far competing for the team’s starting job with three other notable quarterbacks after being picked in the third round back in April.
“I think just being able to adapt as quickly as possible,” Gabriel told Chris Easterling after practice last week. “I think that’s a challenge for anyone. There’s a time within that that you have to work through, but I just go back to being present and not being able to dwell on a regression or get too high with a progression and being just even keel throughout that. So I’ve been trying to just stay balanced in that way, but every single day there’s something to get better at. So just approaching it that way for sure.”
“That’s the challenge, but as a competitor you walk into the challenge and face it head on,” Gabriel continued. “That’s what you appreciate about the game, too. I think everyone in this game sees themselves as starters, and that belief of self is why a lot of guys are in the NFL.So you just continue to improve, continue to challenge yourself, and not a lot of people love it, but failure creates growth, yet we live in a production based business, so it’s hard for people to understand that balance.”
“You love to stay process driven,” Gabriel concluded. “I think for a lot of people, it’s a results-based business, so let’s not get that wrong, but you have to have a process behind it to be able to create consistent results. And I think whether it’s a microwave mentality or that ‘Amazon lifestyle’ of wanting it right away, sometimes it’s just not the case. So being able to have a process, stick to it, continue to listen to your coaches and try to get better that way. That’s what I want to do. I want to build a solid foundation so that you’re banking on the process and then allowing that to have consistent results.”
Ravens
Ravens WR DeAndre Hopkins has been making a positive impression on his teammates in Baltimore, including veteran CB Marlon Humphrey.
“I like D-Hop,” Humphrey said at his minicamp press conference, via Pro Football Talk. “I’ve gotten to have some conversations with him. He is ‘Mr. Contested Catch.’ That is for sure. Just having a conversation with him, I thought it was really humbling. We asked him — me and one of the strength coaches — ‘What do you think about the team from the outside looking in since you’ve been on other teams?’ And he said, ‘It seems like there’s been a piece that’s been missing. I could be that addition. I could not be that addition.’ To hear a veteran guy, All-Pro guy and Pro Bowl guy say he could be, or he could not be [the piece that’s missing], to me, that was extremely humbling. I feel that he fits the Ravens mold, and I think he’ll fit right in.”
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