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With discussion going on in the Free Agency thread about the landscape of the AFC North, I figured I'd start this thread now, looking at the off-seasons of each of the AFC North teams.
I'll put up a poll once the free agency dust settles a bit, but it's too early in the process for that.
Let's keep the AFC North discussion in here.
Cleveland Browns
Additions:TE Gary Barnidge; DT Desmond Bryant; LB Quentin Groves; LB Paul Kruger; P Spencer Lanning; P Jake Schum; OL Dominic Alford; TE Kellen Davis; CB Chris Owens; WR David Nelson; QB Jason Campbell; CB Kevin Barnes; K Shayne Graham; WR Devone Bess; RB Dion Lewis; DE Barkevious Mingo; CB Leon McFadden; S Jamoris Slaughter; DE Armonty Bryant; OL Garrett Gilkey
Subtractions:DE Frostee Rucker; LB Kaluka Maiava; K Phil Dawson; TE Ben Watson; QB Josh Johnson; WR Mohamed Massaquoi; LB Chris Gocong; LB Scott Fujita; S Usama Young; TE Alex Smith; QB Colt McCoy; LB Emmanuel Acho
Re-Signed: RB Chris Ogbonnaya; LS Christian Yount; WR Jordan Norwood
Notable Differences:
Backup QB Colt McCoy > Jason Campbell
#3 WR Mohamed Massquoi > Devone Bess
Starting TE Ben Watson > Jordan Cameron/Kellen Davis
Starting DL Frostee Rucker > Desmond Bryant
Starting LB Kaluka Maiava > Paul Kruger-Sheard/Barkevious Mingo
Starting CB Sheldon Brown > Buster Skrine/Leon McFadden
Starting FS Usama Young > Tashaun Gipson/Jamoris Slaughter
K Phil Dawson > Shayne Graham
P Reggie Hodges > Spencer Lanning/Jake Schum
Notes:Unproven front office; Revamping both sides of the ball; Very young & inexperienced team & head coach
Great coordinators to help the transition; Front office very smart in terms of cap & contracts; Continuing to draft well & develop the young players will be the key.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Additions: QB Bruce Gradkowski; CB William Gay; TE Matt Spaeth; QB John Parker Wilson; LB Jarvis Jones; RB Le'Veon Bell; WR Markus Wheaton; S Shamarko Thomas; QB Landry Jones; CB Terry Hawthorne; WR Justin Brown; LB Vince Williams; DT Nicholas Williams
Subtractions: RB Rashard Mendenhall; WR Mike Wallace; LB James Harrison; CB Keenan Lewis; G Willie Colon; S Ryan Mundy; S Will Allen
Re-Signed:WR Plaxico Burress; LB Larry Foote; G Ramon Foster; RB Jonathan Dwyer; TE David Johnson; LS Greg Warren; WR Emmanuel Sanders; DT Steve McLendon; LB Stevenson Sylvester
Notable Differences:
Backup QB Charlie Batch > Bruce Gradkowski
Backup RB Rashard Mendenhall > Le'Veon Bell
Starting WR Mike Wallace > Emmanuel Sanders
#3 WR Emmanuel Sanders > Markus Wheaton
Starting LT Max Starks (? - Still a FA)
Starting LG Willie Colon > Ramon Foster
Starting LB James Harrison > Jarvis Jones
Starting CB Keenan Lewis > William Gay/Cortez Allen
Notes:Aging D; Horrible O-Line; Ben 1 hit away from career ending injury
Well run organization, however, and always seem to know how to recover & put a good football team on the field; Always seem to make right calls on decisions
Baltimore Ravens
Additions:DT Chris Canty; DE Marcus Spears; DE Elvis Dumervil; S Michael Huff; LB Rolando McClain; QB Caleb Hanie; S Matt Elam; LB Arthur Brown; DT Brandon Williams; DE John Simon; FB Kyle Juszczyk; OL Ricky Wagner; DE Kapron Lewis-Moore; OL Ryan Jensen; WR Aaron Mellette; CB Marc Anthony
Subtractions: LB Dannell Ellerbe; LB Paul Kruger; WR Anquan Boldin; C Matt Birk; LB Ray Lewis; SS Bernard Pollard; CB Cary Williams; OL Bobbie Williams; S Ed Reed; LB Brandon Ayanbadejo
Re-Signed:[/B]RB Damien Berry; G Ramon Harewood; LS Morgan Cox; SS James Ihedigbo; WR David Reed; QB Joe Flacco; DB Chris Johnson; DE Arthur Jones; LB Josh Bynes
Notable Differences:
Starting WR Anquan Boldin > Jacoby Jones
Starting LT Bryant McKinnie (? - Still a FA)
Starting C Matt Birk > Reggie Stephens/Ryan Jensen/Gino Gradkowski
Starting DL Ma'Ake Kemoeatu > Chris Canty
LB Ray Lewis-Paul Kruger-Darnell Ellerbe > Elvis Dumervil-Rolando McClain-John Simon-Arthur Brown
Starting CB Lardarius Webb returning from injury
*Which means Starting CB Cary Williams > Corey Graham*
Starting FS Ed Reed > Michael Huff
Starting SS Bernard Pollard > Matt Elam
Notes:Lost heart & soul of their D; Have to revamp LB core & majority of D; 2 best defensive players more than likely gone (Reed still a FA)
Like Pitt, Ozzie seems to work magic; More than likely will have a good draft & will find at least 1 suitable replacement LB via FA; Bolstered DL with Canty addition; Has QB & RB locked up.
Cincinnati Bengals
Additions: LB Aaron Maybin; QB Josh Johnson; LB James Harrison; TE Alex Smith; QB John Skelton; G Mike Pollak; TE Tyler Eifert; RB Giovani Bernard; DE Margus Hunt; S Shawn Williams; LB Sean Porter; OL Tanner Hawkinson; RB Rex Burkhead; WR Cobi Hamilton; OL Reid Fragel; C T.J Johnson
Subtractions:K Josh Brown; QB Bruce Gradkowski; LB Manny Lawson; DT Pat Sims; LB Dan Skuta; RB Brian Leonard; CB Jason Allen
Re-Signed:DE Robert Geathers; DE Wallace Gilberry; DE Michael Johnson (Franchised); P Kevin Huber; K Mike Nugent; RB Cedric Peerman; LS Clark Harris; LB Rey Maualuga; CB Adam Jones; OL Dennis Roland; WR Brandon Tate; TE Richard Quinn; CB Terence Newman; RB Bernard Scott; S Jeromy Miles; OL Andre Smith
Notable Differences:
Backup QB Bruce Gradkowski > John Skelton
Backup RB Cedric Peerman > Giovani Bernard
#2 TE Orson Charles > Tyler Eifert
Starting LB Manny Lawson > James Harrison
Notes: A team that there's nothing too flashy about, yet they are on the rise in the division; Nothing too earth shattering yet this off-season and it looks like the draft will be the key.
I wanted to get this up in a hurry, so excuse the notes. I'll polish them up a little more when I have time again, and I'll keep this 1st post updated as more moves happen.
So, where do you think the landscape of the AFC North stands right now? Will Baltimore & Pittsburgh keep finding ways to put contending teams on the field? Are Cincinnati & Cleveland prime to pass them up?
I'll put up a poll once the free agency dust settles a bit, but it's too early in the process for that.
Let's keep the AFC North discussion in here.
Cleveland Browns
Additions:TE Gary Barnidge; DT Desmond Bryant; LB Quentin Groves; LB Paul Kruger; P Spencer Lanning; P Jake Schum; OL Dominic Alford; TE Kellen Davis; CB Chris Owens; WR David Nelson; QB Jason Campbell; CB Kevin Barnes; K Shayne Graham; WR Devone Bess; RB Dion Lewis; DE Barkevious Mingo; CB Leon McFadden; S Jamoris Slaughter; DE Armonty Bryant; OL Garrett Gilkey
Subtractions:DE Frostee Rucker; LB Kaluka Maiava; K Phil Dawson; TE Ben Watson; QB Josh Johnson; WR Mohamed Massaquoi; LB Chris Gocong; LB Scott Fujita; S Usama Young; TE Alex Smith; QB Colt McCoy; LB Emmanuel Acho
Re-Signed: RB Chris Ogbonnaya; LS Christian Yount; WR Jordan Norwood
Notable Differences:
Backup QB Colt McCoy > Jason Campbell
#3 WR Mohamed Massquoi > Devone Bess
Starting TE Ben Watson > Jordan Cameron/Kellen Davis
Starting DL Frostee Rucker > Desmond Bryant
Starting LB Kaluka Maiava > Paul Kruger-Sheard/Barkevious Mingo
Starting CB Sheldon Brown > Buster Skrine/Leon McFadden
Starting FS Usama Young > Tashaun Gipson/Jamoris Slaughter
K Phil Dawson > Shayne Graham
P Reggie Hodges > Spencer Lanning/Jake Schum
Notes:Unproven front office; Revamping both sides of the ball; Very young & inexperienced team & head coach
Great coordinators to help the transition; Front office very smart in terms of cap & contracts; Continuing to draft well & develop the young players will be the key.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Additions: QB Bruce Gradkowski; CB William Gay; TE Matt Spaeth; QB John Parker Wilson; LB Jarvis Jones; RB Le'Veon Bell; WR Markus Wheaton; S Shamarko Thomas; QB Landry Jones; CB Terry Hawthorne; WR Justin Brown; LB Vince Williams; DT Nicholas Williams
Subtractions: RB Rashard Mendenhall; WR Mike Wallace; LB James Harrison; CB Keenan Lewis; G Willie Colon; S Ryan Mundy; S Will Allen
Re-Signed:WR Plaxico Burress; LB Larry Foote; G Ramon Foster; RB Jonathan Dwyer; TE David Johnson; LS Greg Warren; WR Emmanuel Sanders; DT Steve McLendon; LB Stevenson Sylvester
Notable Differences:
Backup QB Charlie Batch > Bruce Gradkowski
Backup RB Rashard Mendenhall > Le'Veon Bell
Starting WR Mike Wallace > Emmanuel Sanders
#3 WR Emmanuel Sanders > Markus Wheaton
Starting LT Max Starks (? - Still a FA)
Starting LG Willie Colon > Ramon Foster
Starting LB James Harrison > Jarvis Jones
Starting CB Keenan Lewis > William Gay/Cortez Allen
Notes:Aging D; Horrible O-Line; Ben 1 hit away from career ending injury
Well run organization, however, and always seem to know how to recover & put a good football team on the field; Always seem to make right calls on decisions
Baltimore Ravens
Additions:DT Chris Canty; DE Marcus Spears; DE Elvis Dumervil; S Michael Huff; LB Rolando McClain; QB Caleb Hanie; S Matt Elam; LB Arthur Brown; DT Brandon Williams; DE John Simon; FB Kyle Juszczyk; OL Ricky Wagner; DE Kapron Lewis-Moore; OL Ryan Jensen; WR Aaron Mellette; CB Marc Anthony
Subtractions: LB Dannell Ellerbe; LB Paul Kruger; WR Anquan Boldin; C Matt Birk; LB Ray Lewis; SS Bernard Pollard; CB Cary Williams; OL Bobbie Williams; S Ed Reed; LB Brandon Ayanbadejo
Re-Signed:[/B]RB Damien Berry; G Ramon Harewood; LS Morgan Cox; SS James Ihedigbo; WR David Reed; QB Joe Flacco; DB Chris Johnson; DE Arthur Jones; LB Josh Bynes
Notable Differences:
Starting WR Anquan Boldin > Jacoby Jones
Starting LT Bryant McKinnie (? - Still a FA)
Starting C Matt Birk > Reggie Stephens/Ryan Jensen/Gino Gradkowski
Starting DL Ma'Ake Kemoeatu > Chris Canty
LB Ray Lewis-Paul Kruger-Darnell Ellerbe > Elvis Dumervil-Rolando McClain-John Simon-Arthur Brown
Starting CB Lardarius Webb returning from injury
*Which means Starting CB Cary Williams > Corey Graham*
Starting FS Ed Reed > Michael Huff
Starting SS Bernard Pollard > Matt Elam
Notes:Lost heart & soul of their D; Have to revamp LB core & majority of D; 2 best defensive players more than likely gone (Reed still a FA)
Like Pitt, Ozzie seems to work magic; More than likely will have a good draft & will find at least 1 suitable replacement LB via FA; Bolstered DL with Canty addition; Has QB & RB locked up.
Cincinnati Bengals
Additions: LB Aaron Maybin; QB Josh Johnson; LB James Harrison; TE Alex Smith; QB John Skelton; G Mike Pollak; TE Tyler Eifert; RB Giovani Bernard; DE Margus Hunt; S Shawn Williams; LB Sean Porter; OL Tanner Hawkinson; RB Rex Burkhead; WR Cobi Hamilton; OL Reid Fragel; C T.J Johnson
Subtractions:K Josh Brown; QB Bruce Gradkowski; LB Manny Lawson; DT Pat Sims; LB Dan Skuta; RB Brian Leonard; CB Jason Allen
Re-Signed:DE Robert Geathers; DE Wallace Gilberry; DE Michael Johnson (Franchised); P Kevin Huber; K Mike Nugent; RB Cedric Peerman; LS Clark Harris; LB Rey Maualuga; CB Adam Jones; OL Dennis Roland; WR Brandon Tate; TE Richard Quinn; CB Terence Newman; RB Bernard Scott; S Jeromy Miles; OL Andre Smith
Notable Differences:
Backup QB Bruce Gradkowski > John Skelton
Backup RB Cedric Peerman > Giovani Bernard
#2 TE Orson Charles > Tyler Eifert
Starting LB Manny Lawson > James Harrison
Notes: A team that there's nothing too flashy about, yet they are on the rise in the division; Nothing too earth shattering yet this off-season and it looks like the draft will be the key.
I wanted to get this up in a hurry, so excuse the notes. I'll polish them up a little more when I have time again, and I'll keep this 1st post updated as more moves happen.
So, where do you think the landscape of the AFC North stands right now? Will Baltimore & Pittsburgh keep finding ways to put contending teams on the field? Are Cincinnati & Cleveland prime to pass them up?
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