I’ve done a lot of research on this over the summer so I’ve been looking forward to writing this for a long time. So here it goes.
All the numbers that come after players’ names represent how they were rated on ESPN’s Free Agent Tracker.
AFC NORTH
BALTIMORE RAVENS
GET: DE Elvis Dumervil (82), LB Daryl Smith (81), DT Chris Canty (78), DE Marcus Spears (75), S Michael Huff (75)
LOSE: S Ed Reed (84), S Bernard Pollard (77), LB Paul Kruger (75), LB Dannell Ellerbe (75), NT Ma’ake Kemoeatu (74), CB Cary Williams (73), WR Anquan Boldin (trade) LB Ray Lewis (retired)
RE-SIGNS: QB Joe Flacco (84), FB Vonta Leach (78), OT Bryant McKinnie (76), TE Dennis Pitta (74), DE Arthur Jones (69), TE Ed Dickson (68)
DRAFT: 1st round: S Matt Elam, Florida 2nd round: OLB Arthur Brown, Kansas State 3rd round: DT Brandon Williams, Missouri Southern State 4th round: DE John Simon, Ohio State FB Kyle Juszcyk, Harvard 5th round: OT Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin 6th round: DE Kapron Lewis-Moore, Notre Dame G Ryan Jensen, Colorado State-Pueblo 7th round: WR Aaron Mellette, Elon CB Marc Anthony, California
SUMMARY: After a great Super Bowl run, the Ravens lost their two biggest stars as well as some of their best defensive players. The biggest hit of all was the loss of LB Dannell Ellerbe. Many thought that Ellerbe would become the star linebacker of the franchise, only to watch him leave to go to South Beach. However, management did a decent job of filling the holes. After an agent’s mistake, the Ravens were able to grab veteran DE Elvis Dumervil, following that up with the signing of Daryl Smith, an underrated LB from Jacksonville. S Michael Huff and DE Marcus Spears will help provide leadership to the secondary and defensive front, respectively. While the Ravens did a good job with filling in the holes, there’s no doubt that this is not the same team. No linebacker in the league right now can replace the talent and ability of Ray Lewis, and his presence in the front seven will surely be missed. Michael Huff is no Ed Reed and their secondary will suffer this year. The loss of WR Anquan Boldin, who was one of their strongest offensive stars last year, as well as TE Dennis Pitta to a season-ending hip surgery, will hamper the offense this year, but despite all of these negatives, I believe this team still has the talent to win the AFC North.
SCHEDULE PROJECTED RECORD: 10-6
Week 1: @ DEN Week 2: vs. CLE Week 3: vs HOU Week 4: @ BUF Week 5: @ MIA Week 6: vs. GB Week 7: @ PIT Week 8: BYE Week 9: @ CLE Week 10: vs. CIN Week 11: @ CHI Week 12: vs. NYJ Week 13: vs. PIT Week 14: vs. MIN Week 15: @ DET Week 16: vs. NE Week 17: @ CIN
CINCINNATI BENGALS
GET: LB James Harrison (78), QB John Skelton (off waivers)
LOSE: CB Nate Clements (73), LB Manny Lawson (72), K Josh Brown (65)
RE-SIGNS: DE Michael Johnson (83), LB Rey Maualuga (83), RT Andre Smith (78), CB Terrance Newman (75), DE Robert Geathers (70), DE Carlos Dunlap
DRAFT: 1st round: TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame 2nd round: RB Giovani Bernard, North Carolina DE Margus Hunt, Southern Methodist 3rd round: S Shawn Williams, Georgia 4th round: OLB Sean Porter, Texas A&M 5th round: OT Tanner Hawkinson, Kansas 6th round: RB Rex Burkhead, Nebraska WR Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas 7th round: OT Reid Fragel, Ohio State C T. J. Johnson, South Carolina
SUMMARY: The Bengals were able to keep most of their star players and are mostly the same team as they were last year, but with a few additions. LB James Harrison is no longer in his prime, but will still help aid the pass rush and provide leadership to a young team. The defense is definitely the key to this team but the offense is slowly maturing. QB Andy Dalton is improving and WR A.J. Green is a constant threat as well as one of the best receivers in the league. RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis is not an elite runningback, but he puts out constant production, stays healthy for the most part, and causes few turnovers. However, aside from that, the Bengals struggle on offense. If Green-Ellis can’t get the chains moving and Green is in double coverage, the Bengals struggle to score. While the drafting of TE Tyler Eifert and RB Giovani Bernard should help, I don’t think it will be enough. Their number two receiver is Mohamed Sanu. He played 9 games last year and had a total of…wait for it…16 receptions.
SCHEDULE PROJECTED RECORD: 9-7
Week 1: @ CHI Week 2: vs. PIT Week 3: vs. GB Week 4: @ CLE Week 5: vs. NE Week 6: @ BUF Week 7: @ DET Week 8: vs. NYJ Week 9: @ MIA Week 10: @ BAL Week 11: vs. CLE Week 12: BYE Week 13: @ SD Week 14: vs. IND Week 15: @ PIT Week 16: vs. MIN Week 17: vs. BAL
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
GET: TE Matt Spaeth (68), CB William Gay (67), RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (66)
LOSE: WR Mike Wallace (84), NT Casey Hampton (82), G Willie Colon (78), LB James Harrison (78), RB Rashard Mendenhall (77), CB Keenan Lewis (75), OT Max Starks (73), S Ryan Mundy (66), S Will Allen (65), OL Doug Legursky (64)
RE-SIGNS: LB Larry Foote (75), G Ramon Foster (71), WR Emmanuel Sanders (68), WR Plaxico Burress (67), RB Jonathan Dwyer (65), RB Issac Redman (64), NT Steve McLendon (64), QB Byron Leftwich, QB Charlie Batch
DRAFT: 1st round: OLB Jarvis Jones, Georgia 2nd round: RB Le’veon Bell, Michigan State 3rd round: WR Markus Wheaton, Oklahoma State 4th round: S Shamarko Thomas, Syracuse QB Landry Jones, Oklahoma 5th round: CB Terry Hawthorne, Illinois 6th round: WR Justin Brown, Penn State ILB Vince Williams, Florida State 7th round: DT Nicholas Williams, Samford
SUMMARY: My hometown Steelers have a tough season ahead of them. They had to let some of their best players go because of the salary cap. I wasn’t upset about WR Mike Wallace’s departure nor was I bothered by G Willie Colon, RB Rashard Mendenhall, and LB James Harrison leaving. However, CB Keenan Lewis had a great year last year and with the secondary hurting as it is, I was hoping a one-year deal might be possible. OT Doug Legursky was also a great weapon on the line because he could play both guards or play center if C Maurkice Pouncey couldn’t play. Why the Steelers signed Foster instead of Legursky, I don’t know. I like the drafting of OLB Jarvis Jones. While he probably won’t start, I do expect him to have a decent amount of playing time. Some experts say that Bell might start this year. I don’t expect this to be the case, but if he does start, it would mean a lot to this team. They need offense wherever they can get it. Aside from WR Antonio Brown and WR Emmanuel Sanders, their wide receiving core is Plaxico Burress, Jerricho Cotchery and the newly drafted Markus Wheaton. TE Heath Miller will most likely miss the first four games if not more recovering from his knee injury that he suffered last year, which means even less offensive stars on the field. It will be a tough year for the Steelers, but I still think they can edge out the Browns for third place.
SCHEDULE PROJECTED RECORD: 8-8
Week 1: vs. TEN Week 2: @ CIN Week 3: vs. CHI Week 4: @ MIN Week 5: BYE Week 6: @ NYJ Week 7: vs. BAL Week 8: @ OAK Week 9: @ NE Week 10: vs. BUF Week 11: vs. DET Week 12: @ CLE Week 13: @ BAL Week 14: vs. MIA Week 15: vs CIN Week 16: @ GB Week 17: vs. CLE
CLEVELAND BROWNS
GET: LB Paul Kruger (75), WR David Nelson (72), TE Kellen Davis (68), QB Jason Campbell (66), K Shayne Graham (58), WR Davone Bess (trade)
LOSE: K Phil Dawson (77), Sheldon Brown (76), TE Ben Watson (73), WR Mohammed Massaquoi (72), WR Josh Cribbs (71), DE Frostee Rucker (70), S Usama Young (68), LB Kaluka Maiava (67), QB Thaddeus Lewis
RE-SIGNS: none
DRAFT: 1st round: DE Barkevious Mingo, LSU 3rd round: CB Leon McFadden, San Diego State 6th round: S Jamoris Slaughter, Notre Dame 7th round: DE Amonty Bryant, East Central Oklahoma G Garrett Gilkey, Chadron State
SUMMARY: The Browns made some key pick-ups this offseason. LB Paul Kruger had a great postseason for the Ravens and can add a new element to the pass rush as will DE Barkevious Mingo. WRs Davone Bess and David Nelson will provide new targets for QB Brandon Weeden. However, the defensive front is sure to suffer after the loss of Frostee Rucker and the secondary is Joe Haden and no one. This is definitely a team that is better than past years, but once again it relies on the performance of one player, except this time the Browns aren’t relying on their quarterback. They’re relying on their runningback.
SCHEDULE PROJECTED RECORD: 5-11
Week 1: vs. MIA Week 2: @ BAL Week 3: @ MIN Week 4: vs. CIN Week 5: vs. BUF Week 6: vs. DET Week 7: @ GB Week 8: @ KC Week 9: vs. BAL Week 10: BYE Week 11: @ CIN Week 12: vs. PIT Week 13: vs. JAC Week 14: @ NE Week 15: vs. CHI Week 16: @ NYJ Week 17: @ PIT
wordsofwistim 