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It has been a fairly interesting week around the AFC North. After calling out Le’Veon Bell last week for not showing up to OTAs, Antonio Brown has also become a no show, perhaps because of golden showers. Lamar Jackson is still getting used to the transition to playing among an NFL offense. The Browns-Mychal Kendricks saga is one for ages; who would’ve seen that coming.
Antonio Brown wants you to pee on him
No other words are needed here.
Pee on me tell me it’s raining
— Antonio Brown (@AB84) June 4, 2018
There’s probably a reason for this tweet that doesn’t included Brown really wanting someone to excrete human waste on him...we hope.
Of course, the Twitter replies are glorious.
— G (@yunggurado) June 4, 2018
— Pittsburgh Clothing Co. (@PGHClothingCo) June 4, 2018
— Chunky Ragu (@mistahfichta) June 4, 2018
— Nate Henny (@nobringer) June 4, 2018
— The official Knutter account (@OfficialKnutter) June 4, 2018
This R. Kelly's burner account or nah?
— Normal Collar (@pmc1423) June 4, 2018
Excuse me while I go take a shower...in water.
Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger skip out on the Steelers OTAs
Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown have skipped out on a few days of OTAs now. The duo missed at least four workouts. The reason?
Maurkice Pouncey said Ben Roethlisberger has been on a family vacation, thus his absence from OTAs. Multiple #Steelers said Antonio Brown's absence is only b/c of his preference to work w/ his starting QB. Players uniformly said this isn't holding back any "install" of new OC's O
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) May 31, 2018
How we haven’t heard from Bell since this series of events is incredible to me. Although, maybe he is in the lab working on his next diss track. Some may be wondering why it’s a big deal that Roethlisberger and Brown are missing voluntary OTAs.
Admittedly, it wouldn’t be if Brown had not called out Bell for skipping only days before he himself would decide not to show up. That seems like a real jerk move to put a teammate on blast who is trying to get a long term deal and then bail.
What makes it worse is Brown has already secured a long-term deal from the Steelers, so if he is trying to set the example of how to get that deal then he is doing a terrible job. I found this quote to help send a message to Brown.
“The first rule of getting better is showing up. You can’t make anything better without showing up. So I think if you show up, I think everyone will understand where you want to be. That you wants to be here not just this year but for years to come. Come out here and show up, show you want to get better and show guys you’re serious.”
If that looks familiar to you Antonio Brown, it is because you told that to Trib Live.
So to recap: Bell failed to show up to OTAs, Brown critiqued him for it and then both Brown and Roethlisberger failed to show up to OTAs, because apparently a Roethliberger family vacation is more important than an optional NFL practice and Brown can’t practice without his quarterback.
Lamar Jackson still getting the hang of the little things
We’ve heard some rumblings about Lamar Jackson this offseason. He has caught some eyes early, but it appears that Jackson still needs to work on some of the little things the Ravens do offensively first, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.
The Ravens knew it was going to take time for Jackson to develop. Remember, Jackson is learning to play from under center and call plays with much more verbiage than his college days. His throws have been inconsistent, but he has been explosive when he scrambles in the open field.
Having to call plays is a huge change from the way the majority of offenses are called in college. That’s especially true of more up tempo offenses have quicker ways of relaying plays than the quarterback telling the play to everyone in the huddle. I wouldn’t say that is surprising or a big deal.
The bigger thing I’d take away from this is that they are making Jackson learn to play from under center. It is easy to see that Jackson is made for more of a spread style offense.
Usually a staple of those offenses is having the quarterback in shotgun so he can make quick reads and throws. It doesn’t bode well that the Ravens aren’t adjusting around Jackson, but that may come when he becomes the guy.
They are prepping him in case he has to go in for an injured Joe Flacco at this point. this way the offense won’t be limited by his strengths and weaknesses while Flacco is the starter. It is something to keep an eye on, though.
The Browns signed, then didn’t sign and then did sign linebacker Mychal Kendricks
On Sunday Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Mychal Kendricks had signed with the Browns. This was all well and good until Kendricks heard the news.
You will never have my respect
— Mychal Kendricks (@MychalKendricks) June 3, 2018
Kendricks also didn’t use the most work safe language when asked to comment on the report.
Mychal Kendricks on report he is signing with the Browns: 1/2: “No, it’s not accurate. I don’t know who the (bleep) said that. That (bleep) is (bleep). Whoever said that (bleep) is (bleep). That’s all I have to say, man. I’m not really talking to anybody else about it...
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) June 3, 2018
That probably made the official news later that day that the Browns have in fact signed Kendricks to a one-year deal worth $3.5 million, a little more awkward.
It is very hard to tell why Kendricks would be so upset with the fact his deal was apparently leaked early. Some thought it was the idea that he would even play for the Browns, but that clearly can’t be the case if he decided to play for them.
As far as the on the field impact, it seems like the Browns got one heck of a player. He was Pro Football Focus’ eighth ranked linebacker in 2017. He was a major piece of an Eagles defense that won the Super Bowl as well.
Kendricks should instantly make the Browns’ linebacking group a little bit more stout after struggling last season. Although, the attitude he is bringing to the locker room may be questionable now.
It is just so strange, and it really couldn’t happen to anyone else besides the Browns.