AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers

Bill Cowher wants to teach men about melanoma, a form of skin cancer that led to the death of his wife in 2010. But Cowher's name is in the headlines for another reason as well.

NFL analyst Boomer Esiason recently speculated on a couple of landing spots for Cowher, the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach who is his CBS Sports colleague.

“The only two coaching spots that I think that he would ever come out of retirement for ... one would be the New York Giants and the other one would be the Chicago Bears, because he’s that type of guy,” Esiason told WSCR-AM 670, via the Chicago Tribune. “Being so close to him over the last few years and watching him go through his total personal-life upheaval with the death of his wife and watching how he’s handled that with great dignity and professionalism, I’m just telling you, there is no dirt on that man. This guy is as good as he seems. He’s everything that you’d expect him to be.”

Cowher would instantly become the NFL's hottest coaching commodity if he makes it known he wants to coach again. But I'm not sure we'll ever see that jutting jaw on the sideline ever again. This will mark his sixth season out of coaching.

It was only December when Dan Marino, another one of Cowher's pregame show colleagues, said he didn't think Cowher would coach again.

"I would love to see [Cowher] be the Dolphins' coach or if he wanted to coach again because that would be great for the NFL, but I don't think his mindset is that he wants to coach again," Marino said told the Dolphins' official website six months ago. "And he may change that over time, but my feeling is that he's a pretty straightforward guy that tells the truth most of the time ... and he said on TV that he doesn't have any plans of coming back, and I believe him."

When he left coaching at the end of the 2006 season, his 161-99-1 record ranked him fourth among current-era coaches in career wins. He won a Super Bowl in the 2005 season after six trips to the AFC Championship Game and took the Steelers to the playoffs 10 times.
Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

Offensive tackle Andre Smith continues to look in "terrific shape" as the Cincinnati Bengals began their fifth week of offseason conditioning, according to the team's official website.

Smith, who reported at 330 pounds, hopes to lose another five pounds.

"Last year I wasn't in as good [of] shape as I could have been, but it was the smallest I'd been in the NFL so I was able to maintain it playing the game," Smith said. "This year I want to be in tip-top shape. Put together strength and wind so I can breathe."

Hensley's slant: Smith, the sixth overall pick in the 2009 draft, looked like a bust after starting five games in his first two seasons. But he was one of the most improved players in the AFC North last season. In 2011, Smith gave up two sacks and was called for one holding penalty.

BROWNS: Even though the Browns didn't practice with pads, quarterback Brandon Weeden called running back Trent Richardson "a freak" by the third day of rookie minicamp. "Just look at him," Weeden told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Whatever he is, 5-[foot]-10, 225 pounds and he's 2 percent body fat. He's got a special ability when the ball's in his hands. You can tell when you hand it to him, he takes it from you. He runs hard, and I'm really anxious to see him when he puts the pads on." Hensley's slant: The most important part of camp for Richardson was that he was on the field. The third overall pick said he's 100 percent after undergoing a minor knee scope after the college season. He did practice with a rubber sleeve on his left knee, but it was considered precautionary.

RAVENS: Wide receiver Torrey Smith told the Carroll County (Md.) Times that he has fully recovered from surgery in February to repair a double sports hernia that he played through last season. He has been cleared for offseason workouts and the team's June minicamp. "Yeah, I'm good," Smith said . "I've been running routes. I'm good to go. I'll be doing everything. I played in my [charity] basketball game and had like five dunks." Hensley's slant: Smith had three catches of at least 29 yards in the month of December. That's impressive considering he did that while playing injured. Plus, the ability of Jacoby Jones (averaged 16.5 yards per catch last season) to stretch the field could free up Smith even more.

STEELERS: Rookie seventh-round pick Kelvin Beachum received his Master’s degree from SMU and delivered the commencement address for his class at SMU’s Simmons School of Education & Human Development on Saturday. The offensive lineman earned his Masters in Liberal Studies with a concentration on organizational behavior in only 16 months. “I don’t know the statistics on how many people go into the NFL with their Masters, but to be able to succeed on the football field and in the classroom go hand in hand for me,” Beachum told the team's official website. “You have to work hard on the football field and in the classroom just to be able to stay on the field.” Hensley's slant: While other teams in the division are making headlines with injuries, the Steelers continue to make news with their players earning degrees (quarterback Ben Roethlisberger attended his commencement earlier this month). Beachum's next goal is to make an improving Steelers offensive line. He could become the third rookie to earn a spot along with David DeCastro and Mike Adams, the team's top two picks of this year's draft.

AFC North links: Weeden ready to compete

May, 14, 2012
May 14
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Baltimore Ravens

Sixth-round pick Tommy Streeter has been working out with linebacker Ray Lewis ever since he was drafted, writes Matt Vensel of the Baltimore Sun.

Vensel also reports that rookies Kelechi Osemele and Gino Gradkowski spent most of minicamp playing guard and will compete with Jah Reid.

Courtney Upshaw made good use of the three-day rookie minicamp, the Sun's Jeff Zrebiec writes.

Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer wraps up the Bengals' minicamp.

Cleveland Browns

The Akron Beacon's Nate Ulrich reports that Trent Richardson's goal is to become one of the greatest running backs of all time.

Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer says rookie Brandon Weeden is ready to compete against Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Former Steelers wide receiver Limas Sweed struggled in a tryout with the Giants.

The recent success of the Steelers helped the AFC North finish second in the Sporting News' analysis of the strongest divisions over the past five seasons.

AFC North programming note

May, 14, 2012
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With the bulk of free agency over as well as the draft, I'm going to squeeze in an extra day for family time. I will be off Monday but will return Tuesday with some thoughts on rookie minicamps as well as any other issues facing each team.

The blog editors will take care of you today if any news breaks, and if you're lucky, another update on Terrell Suggs' injury. I'll check back with everyone on Tuesday. Play nice while I'm away.
Cole from Ontario, Canada, writes: I'm a huge Ravens fan and though I like Jacoby Jones as a player we all know that Cam Cameron's offense barely acknowledges the third wide receiver. With that being said, why would they pay a two-year, $7 million deal to a guy who is going to be a return specialist? I just don't understand the move.

Jamison Hensley: I didn’t know the Ravens’ fandom crossed the border. As for your question, I don’t think Cam Cameron has ignored a third wide receiver. I get the feeling that the Ravens want to become a more pass-oriented team as Joe Flacco progresses. The problem has been Baltimore catching veterans at the end of their careers -- T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Lee Evans -- who never lived up to expectations as the No. 3 receiver. You saw toward the end of last season that the Ravens put more of a focus on getting Evans the ball. Baltimore showed that it wanted to spread the ball around. And while Jones will never be a primary target, he has more years left than Houshmandzadeh and Evans. The reasons for the size of the contract are: Baltimore needed more experience at the receiver position and it had to pay that much so it wouldn’t lose Jones to the Panthers.


Zach from Ohio writes: Looking at all the players drafted by AFC North teams, what three offensive and defensive players do you think will have the best season and biggest impact on their team?

Hensley: For offense, Browns running back Trent Richardson is a no-brainer. He is my pick for offensive rookie of the year. The easy picks for the other two would be the two guards, the Steelers’ David DeCastro and the Bengals’ Kevin Zeitler. If you want to go beyond the first round, I would keep my eye on Steelers running back Chris Rainey and Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones.

On defense, Ravens linebacker Courtney Upshaw will have to step up in place of the injured Terrell Suggs. The same goes for Browns defensive tackle Billy Winn, who has a chance to fill in for the injured Phil Taylor. Those two likely will make the biggest impact on their teams. While many will point to Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, I can see defensive tackle Devon Still playing a big role in Cincinnati’s rotation up front.


Michael from Oldenburg, Indiana, writes: What do you think about the Bengals potentially adding Braylon Edwards to their suddenly crowded wide receiver position?

Hensley: I'm not saying it would be a move that would definitely work out, but it's a move Cincinnati should explore. Unlike a lot of teams, the Bengals have the cap room to take a chance on Edwards. Cincinnati needs a No. 2 wide receiver and a target with experience. As I pointed out in a "Wake-up Call" this week, no wide receiver on the Bengals has more than 65 career receptions. Edwards has 341 catches (but just 15 last season) and has averaged 15.6 yards per reception for his seven-year career. One question is whether he would ready for the season. He is still rehabbing a knee injury and expects to participate in training camp.


Frank from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., writes: As a regular follower, I was a little nervous about the changing of the guard at first, but you have done a fine job since taking over our division's blog. Keep it up. My question revolves around the best rivalry in football, the Steelers and Ravens. As a Steelers fan, last year’s rivalry games were miserable for us: A Week 1 blowout making me want to cry, and a Week 9 loss that the Ravens stole from us with eight seconds to go. With the additions to the offensive line for the Steelers, and not any "significant" additions to the Ravens, do you see the sweep going the other way, in favor of the Steelers, this year? Also, since the two games are played in a span of 15 days, do you think momentum will be a force here? If Suggs is back in time, will he be the difference maker?

Hensley: To start off, I think it’s absolutely crazy that the NFL schedule makers put the Steelers-Ravens games so close together. There should be a rule where they play one game early and one game in December. That will allow the teams to gauge where they stand in the first half of the season and to fight for a playoff spot (or division title) at the end of the season. As far as predictions go, I usually say it will be a split. It’s tough for these teams to sweep one another. The health of Suggs is a major factor. He plays some of his best games against Pittsburgh. Suggs also has the distinction of sacking Ben Roethlisberger more times than anyone else.


Kenneth from West Salem, Ohio, writes: Just had a question involving the statement of Colt McCoy being able to compete for his starting role. If Brandon Weeden struggles early does it open the door for a quarterback controversy? My thoughts are a resounding yes. The Browns should have just released him. We gave a third rounder [for McCoy], but gave a first for Weeden. The fans would not be chanting Seneca nearly as quickly.

Hensley: If Weeden gets the starting job -- and I believe everyone can agree this is going to happen -- it would take a major rut for the Browns to turn back to McCoy. Browns fans can chant for McCoy all they want, but the team knows the importance of Weeden playing this season. Weeden would have to throw a lot of interceptions, lose composure and look lost in the offense for the Browns to pull him.

Head coach Pat Shurmur would have to be convinced that Weeden’s confidence would be damaged if the Browns left him in there. Just remember that Cleveland averaged 13 points per game with McCoy as the starter last year and the Browns didn’t bench him. And, just like last year, Cleveland has to figure out if Weeden is the franchise quarterback. I don’t see the Browns sitting down Weeden unless there is an injury.
Here are some highlights -- because there are never any lowlights -- for this week's AFC North chat. If you want more, click here for a full transcript.

Kris (Missouri): How devastating is the loss of Terrell Suggs? Ray [Lewis] and Ed Reed only have how many more shots at a title.

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): When Suggs got hurt, most talked about how the Ravens would miss him in the pass rush. But Suggs was a really good run defender as well. I think people are underestimating his absence when it comes to stopping running backs.

Brian (Philadelphia): Assuming the Bengals follow up last season with a successful 2012 season, who do you think would be more likely to leave for a head coaching position: defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer or offensive coordinator Jay Gruden?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): I say Gruden. He has the name recognition plus he has the advantage of having developed a young QB on his resume. Whatever team is looking for a head coach is probably in a position to take a QB in the first round. That's why Gruden would be more enticing.

Jordan (Raleigh): What are Mike Wallace's options? Sign or sit out? Can he be dealt? Can teams even make trades at this point in the offseason?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Wallace can sit out as long as he wants if he doesn't sign the tender. He is technically not under contract until he signs it. Wallace has until June 15 to sign it or the Steelers can reduce his RFA tender after that point.

Bodman34 (Ada,OH Home of the Wilson Football Factory): Is there any reason the Browns shouldn't take a look at Terrell Owens and offer a minimum salary with incentives? He would be an instant upgrade at receiver, and if it didn't work out, not much invested.

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Have you seen the effect of T.O. on the other teams he played for? Not happening.

Brad (Berkeley, CA): Maurkice Pouncey was the first Steelers rookie to start 13 or more games in like 30 years (he started all 16, I know). Will [David] DeCastro be the only Steelers rookie this year to do the same?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): DeCastro is battling two players who were originally undrafted rookies, Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster. It would be a major surprise if DeCastro doesn't start from the first day of camp.

Andre (Tallahassee, FL): Is John Harbaugh on the hot seat if Baltimore misses the playoffs? And will Joe Flacco be gone too?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Are you not aware that the Ravens and Flacco have made the playoffs for the past four seasons? If you think they would be on the hot seat after missing the playoffs for one year, you have crazy expectations.

Dillion (Ohio): Should the browns sign T.O to help show the younger reciver on the team how to catch the ball and he can catch the ball

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Again, has anyone else except me seen the negative effect of TO on teams?

Aaron (Bloomington IL): With Pittsburgh upgrading its offensive line, there appears to be few weaknesses remaining from the three teams pushing for the AFC North title. Which unit from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Baltimore do you see as having the greatest weakness this year?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Steelers: Cornerback. Bengals: Wide receiver. Baltimore: Left guard and outside linebacker (Suggs' absence).

Michael (Cincinnati): Can you ban people who think the Browns should sign TO?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Only [NFL commissioner Roger] Goodell has the power to ban people in football. Sorry.
The AFC North blog wanted to know what the fans thought about the drafts for each of the division teams. Now, let's compare your grades against the ones given by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

The picks: CB Dre Kirkpatrick (first round), G Kevin Zeitler (first round), DT Devon Still (second round), WR Mohamed Sanu (third round), DT Brandon Thompson (third round), TE Orson Charles (fourth round), CB Shaun Prater (fifth round), WR Marvin Jones (fifth round), S George Iloka (fifth round), RB Dan "Boom" Herron (sixth round).

Kiper's grade: A-minus

Fans' grade: A (42 percent in the SportsNation poll)

Fans' comments:

Adam from Dayton: Bengals Draft Grade: A -- I thought that the Bengals did an excellent job in adding depth. The one "head scratcher" that seemed to come about this year was trading their second first round pick when they could have got David DeCastro, the highest-rated guard. Granted they received an extra pick and still grabbed a very big and strong guard a few picks later in Kevin Zeitler with that trade, I think it really boiled down to the fact they could have got the best guard, instead all of Bengal Nation saw him go to the Steelers. All-in-all, everyone knows the AFC North is an old-school run -first division, so beefing up the D-Line with a couple of huge, strong, and athletic linemen was a sound way to go and I for one am happy to see the new blood that the team has. These Bengals have tapped into the fountain of youth rather quickly, yet they are getting better and being built for the future.

Andheez: I went for an A. Kirkpatrick is solid. Zeitler is a beast. Some publications had Still as the top DT pre-combine. Not sold on Sanu, but I think the Charles pick was fantastic. I am not one to ostracize someone for a DUI. Prater, Iloka and Herron probably won't stick, but sounds like Jones was a nice find.

mann_usmc: I give the Bengals a C. Here we go drafting a CB in the first round again. Keep Johnathan Joseph and you can fill other spots (safety). The next four picks draw a big question mark. If you're going to draft an OG, then why not take the best prospect in a decade in DeCastro? You pass on him and allow the Steelers to draft him and all you gain is a third-round pick. That is a big miss in my opinion. Secondly, you draft two DTs when you already have Domata Peko and Geno Atkins. Sure these guys provide depth, but I would think that with my second-round and third-round picks to be a contributor. I wouldn't use draft picks that high for backups.


CLEVELAND BROWNS

The picks: RB Trent Richardson (first round), QB Brandon Weeden (first round), OT Mitchell Schwartz (second round), NT John Hughes (third round), WR Travis Benjamin (fourth round), LB James-Michael Johnson (fourth round), G Ryan Miller (fifth round), LB Emmanuel Acho (sixth round), DL Billy Winn (sixth round), CB Trevin Wade (seventh round), TE-FB Brad Smelley (seventh round).

Kiper's grade: B-minus

Fans' grade: B (38 percent)

Fans' comments:

Kovacs from Dallas: This draft is an A if Weeden works out but probably a low B or high C if he doesn't. Worst case the draft added two starters at key positions, RB and RT, and much-needed depth at areas where it was badly needed, DT and LB. If that's the worst case it's still a nice-looking haul.

Kyle from Columbus, Ohio: The Browns did a pretty good job of filling some holes and adding some depth. I really like the T. Richardson pick, but I think they reached a little for B. Weeden. My only complaint is that if you decide to take a first-round QB, you have to give him some weapons. T. Benjamin looks like a special-team guy, who may help out in the slot.

JBT1MIAMI: Simple D-minus. I'm still waiting for any fan to address why it's not an issue that Trent Richardson didn't compete at the combine because he had his knee scoped. How is he any better injury-wise than [Montario] Hardesty, knowing he's also had both ankles reconstructed. Why no issue with this? Why not just trade for [Rashard] Mendenhall if it's no issue. He's proven on the pro level. Think Steelers believe this kind of thing is an issue with running backs? I guess it's like training a dog, people have to separate emotional attachment of drafting a hyped running back, and learn about calm reasoning. Emotions just gave the Browns a 3-13 record.


BALTIMORE RAVENS

The picks: OLB Courtney Upshaw (second round), OT-G Kelechi Osemele (second round), RB Bernard Pierce (third round), C-G Gino Gradkowski (fourth round), S Christian Thompson (fourth round), CB Asa Jackson (fifth round), WR Tommy Streeter (sixth round), DT DeAngelo Tyson (seventh round).

Kiper's grade: B

Fans' grade: B (40 percent)

Fans' comments:

Shadowwolf1001: It's really toss-up. There are some strong picks here that would warrant an A, but there are also some picks I'm not too sure about which probably warrant a B. I'd have to vote B-plus with the potential of an A grade later on.

jdille123: C-plus. Ozzie [Newsome] must have taken this one off. Still got some good talent, but he usually does better.

youmadbromad: I gave them a D because they did not draft a new FG kicker.

Dave from Mansfield, Ohio: I'm giving the Raven a 'B.' They came into the draft with holes at LB, OT, OG and filled all of these needs. However while Upshaw should help feel the void left by Terrell Suggs, Kelechi Osemele should step in and start at guard and hopefully Gino Gradkowski develops as the replacement for Matt Birk. Plus Tommy Streeter has the potential to be a huge steal if his football skills catch up to his physical stature and speed.


PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The picks: G David DeCastro (first round), OT Mike Adams (second round), ILB Sean Spence (third round), NT Alameda Ta'amu (fourth round), RB Chris Rainey (fifth round), WR Toney Clemons (seventh round), TE David Paulson (seventh round), CB Terrence Frederick (seventh round), G Kelvin Beachum (seventh round).

Kiper's grade: B

Fans' grade: A (61 percent)

Fans' comments:

WhoDeyAJGreen: As a Bengal fan (obviously) and an OSU football fan, I graded them as a A-minus. Great value picks while also filling needs. The player that will make the difference between an A-minus and A-plus is Mike Adams. If he can get his [act] together, then they had one heck of a draft from top to bottom.
nyontopin2003: This draft looks like the 2002 draft from a potential standpoint and one can only hope it is that good. Interesting to see if the Steelers are going the four year route on players rounds 2 through 7 due to the Wallace situation, small cap issues expected in 2013-2015, or because they see those players being that good through the depth of this entire Steelers draft class. Only time will tell.

Tyrion_Scannister: Putting aside the fact that grading a draft right away is the dumbest thing ever, I gave it an "A". On paper, DeCastro looks like he was a steal, and Ta'amu will fit perfectly in that defense after some grooming. If those two pan out, and Mike Adams develops into a legitimate starting LT, this could be one of the best drafts for any team in a number of years.

When Steelers offensive tackle Mike Adams signed his contract Wednesday, the second-round pick received a $1.01 million signing bonus.

Adams
There had been speculation that Adams would defer a signing bonus to show he could remain drug-free. Adams reportedly tested positive for marijuana at the NFL combine in February.

The reason why the Steelers put Adams back on their draft board wasn't an offer to defer a bonus. The team considered him again after he showed how much he wanted to wear the Black and Gold.

By now, everyone knows the story of how Adams requested a face-to-face, pre-draft meeting with general manager Kevin Colbert, Art Rooney II and coach Mike Tomlin to explain himself. He then had to meet certain stipulations which included counseling.

Adams grew up in Farrell, Pa., about 70 miles north of Heinz Field. How much of a Steelers fan was Adams growing up? According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, he had Steelers sheets on his bed and a Jerome Bettis clock on the wall of his bedroom.

It's now up to Adams to make sure there is a happy ending to his childhood dreams coming true. He has a chance to become the team's starting left tackle this season, but that's not his priority at this point.

“I think step one is proving myself off the field because that’s where my issues have been,” Adams told the Tribune-Review at rookie minicamp. “I haven’t had any issues on the field. To prove myself to the people in this organization, the people in this city, that’s what I’m here for.”
Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said the team isn't close to signing free-agent wide receiver Braylon Edwards, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

A move wouldn't happen until next month because Edwards is still rehabbing his knee. He is expected to be ready for training camp.

“We’re pretty full with players and we’ll keep seeing if there are guys who are released who can help us and make us competitive,” Lewis said. “We want to strike the balance with the young players too. I don’t want to fill up our 90 spots with all old players. We’ve got to have some young guys to help supplement the draft picks and so at the end of the day you have an opportunity of guys trending up. We don’t want to have too many guys on the other side of their careers.”

Lewis doesn't think Edwards would disrupt chemistry because the receivers room belongs to A.J. Green, adding "it's his offensive football team and he has come back with that attitude."

Hensley's slant: The Bengals have the cap room to take a chance on Edwards. Cincinnati needs a No. 2 wide receiver and a target with experience. No wide receiver on the team has more than 65 career receptions. Edwards has 341 catches (but just 15 last season) and has averaged 15.6 yards per reception for his seven-year career.

BROWNS: Phil Taylor's agent said the defensive tackle is remaining positive while awaiting results of the MRI. Taylor injured his pectoral muscle Thursday while lifting weights. "Phil is staying positive. He's got a great attitude," Peter Schaffer told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "He'll either be 100 percent [when the results come in] or if he needs surgery, he'll come back 100 percent. Things happen. Phil is going to be fine either way. If he misses time, he'll come back strong." Hensley's slant: The surprise contributor of the 2012 draft could be defensive tackle Billy Winn, a sixth-round pick out of Boise State. He slid in the draft because of questionable work ethic, but his skills could make him the top candidate to fill in for Taylor.

RAVENS: Fellow cornerback Lardarius Webb has high expectations for Jimmy Smith, last year's first-round pick. Smith's rookie season was thrown off course after he basically missed the first five games of the season with an ankle injury.“He can make a huge step,” Webb told the team's official website. “With his talent, his knowledge, I think he’s going to be a Pro Bowl corner coming up next year.” Hensley's slant: It was only last month when Webb said he wanted to be better than Darrelle Revis, so he obviously likes to think big. But as I said at that time, Smith has a chance to be better than Webb this season. Smith has the size and speed to be a shutdown cornerback.

STEELERS: Ben Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he majored in education at Miami (Ohio) because he wanted to teach and coach. He received his degree last weekend. “I still may want to coach, still like to be a coach," he told the paper. "I wouldn’t rule teaching out, but I’d say it’s unlikely.’’ As the Post-Gazette pointed out, Roethlisberger would have to serve as a student-teacher if he wanted to teach. Hensley's slant: Just imagine the pressure on the quarterback for the team Roethlisberger would be coaching. You see the Super Bowl rings when Roethlisberger is holding the play-calling sheet, and you know you can't leave the game unless you have two or three broken bones. Those are some high standards to meet.
In a race that doesn't earn you anything except a blog post like this, the Baltimore Ravens became the first team in the NFL to sign their entire 2012 draft class.

That means all eight draft picks had signed contracts as they attended their first team meeting Thursday night.

This shouldn't come as a surprise because the Ravens were one of five teams not to have a first-round pick. Baltimore wrapped up its signings Thursday afternoon by agreeing to terms with second-round pick Courtney Upshaw and sixth-round pick Tommy Streeter.

The new collective bargaining agreement has sped up the signings. In previous seasons, teams wouldn't begin striking deals until after the July 4th holiday. Now, NFL teams are signing picks at a record pace.

As far as the rest of the AFC North, the Steelers have two more picks left to sign while the Browns have five remaining, including both first-round picks (running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden). The Bengals have signed two of their 10 draft picks.
None of the first-round picks in the AFC North have signed yet, but 23 picks have reached deals less than two weeks after the draft ended. There are 15 picks who remained unsigned.

Here's the team-by-team update:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

SIGNED: CB Shaun Prater (fifth round), S George Iloka (fifth round).

UNSIGNED: CB Dre Kirkpatrick (first round), G Kevin Zeitler (first round), DT Devon Still (second round), WR Mohamed Sanu (third round), DT Brandon Thompson (third round), TE Orson Charles (fourth round), WR Marvin Jones (fifth round), RB Dan "Boom" Herron (sixth round).

CLEVELAND BROWNS

SIGNED: NT John Hughes (third round), WR Travis Benjamin (fourth round), LB James-Michael Johnson (fourth round), G Ryan Miller (fifth round), CB Trevin Wade (seventh round), TE-FB Brad Smelley (seventh round).

UNSIGNED: RB Trent Richardson (first round), QB Brandon Weeden (first round), OT Mitchell Schwartz (second round), LB Emmanuel Acho (sixth round), DL Billy Winn (sixth round).

BALTIMORE RAVENS

SIGNED: OLB Courtney Upshaw (second round), OT-G Kelechi Osemele (second round), RB Bernard Pierce (third round), C-G Gino Gradkowski (fourth round), S Christian Thompson (fourth round), CB Asa Jackson (fifth round), WR Tommy Streeter (sixth round), DT DeAngelo Tyson (seventh round).

UNSIGNED: None.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

SIGNED: OT Mike Adams (second round), NT Alameda Ta'amu (fourth round), RB Chris Rainey (fifth round), WR Toney Clemons (seventh round), TE David Paulson (seventh round), CB Terrence Frederick (seventh round), G Kelvin Beachum (seventh round).

UNSIGNED: G David DeCastro (first round), ILB Sean Spence (third round).
Someone restructured a contract in the AFC North and it didn't involve the Pittsburgh Steelers for once.

The Baltimore Ravens restructured the contract of guard Marshal Yanda, which allowed them to sign wide receiver Jacoby Jones (two year, $7 million contract) and defensive tackle Ryan McBean (one year, $1.2 million), according to the Carroll County (Md.) Times. Baltimore had the smallest amount of salary-cap room in the AFC North before the move.

Yanda, who signed a five-year, $32 million deal last year, created $2.8 million in cap space by restructuring his contract. His cap number was reduced when the Ravens converted $3.8 million of his scheduled $4.5 million salary into a signing bonus. So, Yanda doesn't lose any money in this restructuring. The result is his salary-cap number increases over the remaining years of his contract (because the new signing bonus is prorated over 2013, 2014 and 2015).

It is believed to be the first contract that the Ravens have restructured this season, which puts them far behind the Steelers in cap-manipulating moves. Pittsburgh restructured five contracts this offseason to create additional cap room: quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, tackle Willie Colon, cornerback Ike Taylor and linebackers Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley.

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May, 10, 2012
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Got a question about the AFC North? Well, I have some answers.

Feel free to send your questions right here about the Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers. I will post answers in my weekend mailbag.

You can follow me on Twitter at @espnafc_north and @jamisonhensley and on Facebook.


Aldon SmithKyle Terada/US PresswireAldon Smith had 2.5 sacks of Ben Roethlisberger in the Week 15 game in San Francisco.

While Ben Roethlisberger didn't accuse the 49ers of putting a bounty on him, the Steelers quarterback did suggest that San Francisco was targeting his injured ankle.

When asked about the last time he felt a team was going after his knees, ankles or head, Roethlisberger said on "The Dan Patrick Show," via Comcast SportsNet Bay Area: "Um, wow, that's tough. I don't really complain about that stuff, either. But I think when we played San Fran, I felt like there were some things going on, some extra ... "

Roethlisberger added, "Now, obviously, I did have the ankle and I was playing, so there was kind of a bulls-eye on there anyway. But for the most part, guys play tough and you go into a game expecting it. I expect to be tougher than them."

I attended that Dec. 20 game in San Francisco and don't remember anything close to a cheap shot on Roethlisberger in that game. The 49ers weren't penalized or fined for any illegal hits in that game.

My thorough colleague from the NFC West, Mike Sando, went even further. In his blog post on this subject, he reviewed every Pittsburgh offensive play from that game and saw nothing that bordered on dirty play. Roethlisberger was hit eight times by the 49ers, and Sando said defenders didn't twist the quarterback's lower body or roll onto his sprained ankle. So, unless the 49ers went after Roethlisberger when the lights went out at Candlestick Park that night, it's difficult to figure out what Roethlisberger was talking about when he said "there were some things going on."

If Roethlisberger did suspect the 49ers were going after his ankle, this is another reason why he shouldn't have been allowed to finish the game. Roethlisberger was still on the field late in the fourth quarter when the Steelers trailed by 17 points. I questioned the decision that night on exposing him to further injury. I really question it now after hearing Roethlisberger's concerns.

Roethlisberger said after that game that he didn't hurt his ankle more by playing in that game. He did, however, miss the next game against St. Louis, which was played five days later (it was a Christmas Eve game that followed a Monday night one).

He never mentioned any questionable hits in his press conference following the 20-3 loss in December, when reporters repeatedly asked him about his injured ankle. He seemed frustrated but not angry after a performance that included three interceptions and a fourth-quarter fumble. "I was probably the best 49er tonight," Roethlisberger said after the game.
Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

When Browns running back Trent Richardson reports to rookie minicamp Friday, the first-round pick wants one less thing to worry about -- his contract.

Richardson said signing was his top priority and hears it's "really close to being done."

"I want it done by [Thursday], because I want to get everything done with," Richardson told 92.3 FM The Fan in Cleveland. "I'm here to play football, and I'm here to win."

Richardson seems motivated to prove he's worthy of being the third overall pick in the draft.

"People have made comments about me being an ordinary running back," Richardson said, referring to comments made by Jim Brown on draft day. "As of now, I haven't been in the league, so I do have to make a name for myself."

Hensley's slant: While the Browns say they won't hand the starting job to quarterback Brandon Weeden, team officials have made it clear that Richardson will carry a lot of the weight of the offense this year. The stat that jumps out to me is Richardson scored 24 touchdowns last season at Alabama. That's four more than what the Browns' offense scored in 2011.

BENGALS: When the Bengals begin their rookie minicamp Friday, they will take a look at a couple of wide receivers who went undrafted but bring a lot of speed. Connecticut's Kashif Moore ran the 40-yard dash art the NFL combine in 4.42 seconds, and New Mexico State's Taveon Rogers was timed at 4.33 seconds at his pro day in March. "The more [speed] you can get, the better; let's see it," Cincinnati wide receiver coach James Urban told the team's official website. Hensley's slant: It will be difficult for any of the undrafted rookie receivers to make the Bengals this season. They don't have a clear-cut No. 2 wide receiver as of yet, but they have plenty of depth at that position with A.J. Green, Jordan Shipley, Andrew Hawkins, Brandon Tate, Ryan Whalen, Armon Binns along with draft picks Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones.

RAVENS: Newly signed defensive tackle Ryan McBean told the team's official website that he's grateful for another chance and put a positive spin on the three-game suspension that he received for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. “It gives me time to get myself ready and focus on improving my craft," McBean said. "Whatever aches and pains I have, maybe those three weeks will help me heal whatever it is. Whatever the situation is, I’ll use that time to get better.” Hensley's slant: It was a low-risk move by the Ravens, who need experienced depth on the defensive line. According to the Carroll County (Md.) Times, McBean signed a one-year, $1.2 million deal that includes no signing bonus. That means the three-game suspension will cost him a little over $200,000.

STEELERS: Fourth-round pick nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu heard a familiar voice when he answered the phone the other day. It was Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. "I answered the phone and I didn't know what number it was," Ta'amu told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I answered it and was kind of star struck. I tried to play it cool. You hear his voice and you remember those Head & Shoulders commercials." Hensley's slant: It's says a lot about the locker room when veterans reach out to the rookies. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger called first-round pick David DeCastro to congratulate him after being drafted. But DeCastro made the mistake of thinking Roethlisberger was the team's travel coordinator setting up his flight to Pittsburgh.
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