AFC Notes: Trey Hendrickson, Cam Heyward, Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson recently said to reporters that a text from HC Zac Taylor about fines for missing mandatory minicamp was what set him off and prompted a public response from him. Taylor said he’s spoken to Hendrickson since the text. 

“I put a lot of time into thinking — those situations, there’s real money at stake,” Taylor said, via the team’s YouTube. “So I put a lot of time and energy into thinking about how to communicate, when to communicate. And so, that’s just how I handled that one. And, yeah, Trey and I have spoken.

Taylor said dealing with every player is different, and he’s trying to adapt. 

“I think every situation is unique,” Taylor said. “Every personality is different, every player is different. The timing of everything is different. So, you just adapt as you go with that stuff.”

Taylor called Hendrickson an “elite rusher” and still considers him a valuable part of the team. 

“I mean, he’s an elite rusher. He’s done a great job in this league for a long time and since he’s been here. So, obviously, he’s a valuable part of our team.”

Ravens

Ravens LB Roquan Smith was quite excited when he saw that the team would be going against the Bills in a Week 1 rematch from the playoffs.

“Yeah, just how I like it,” Smith said, via NFL.com. “Revenge is best served as a cold dish, you know. So, it will be nice to get up to Buffalo and get a little payback for those guys from the end of the year. Honestly, man, those guys won the game fair and square last year, you know that. Misery sets in all offseason, and you use that as motivation throughout the offseason. So, just knowing that we have everything it takes to be the best team in the NFL. You have to show that game in and game out, and it’s going to start up there in Buffalo. Just like everything we’ve gone through throughout the offseason and how it ended, it’s just about unleashing it on those guys. And I’m sure they have the same plan.”

“I’m very excited for that one, you know,” Smith added. “I have a couple of guys over there that I still know, keep up with, and a lot of my friends are still in Chicago. So, I know a lot of them are going to be here at the game. It’s going to be one that I’m looking forward to for a little while now. I’m very excited about it, so whenever and wherever we play them, I’m excited about that one.”

Steelers

Steelers veteran DL Cameron Heyward told the media that the team’s track record of trading wide receivers is positive and added that they may be a better team after moving WR George Pickens to Dallas.

“I think we’ve got to look at the track record of trading wide receivers,” Heyward said. “There’s been some good history behind this and when to do it, what to expect. I was looking at a stat. There’s only been like three or four receivers that made it past the rookie contracts with the Steelers. It’s crazy. You had AB; you had Diontae Johnson; you had Hines Ward; I think you had JuJu [Smith-Schuster] for another year. For the most part, they know when to re-sign and when to trade, and we’ll see what happens. We could be a better team because of it.”

“I didn’t know anything about it. . . . I woke up the next morning, and he had been traded,” Heyward added on the trade. “Was I surprised? Yeah, but the game is the game. I know it benefits both teams. We get another third-round pick. They get a wide receiver to go along with CeeDee Lamb. Would I have liked to see George and DK play together? Yeah, but hopefully there’s something in the works. I don’t know.”