The AFC North- Prelude to the Draft...

Well... here we are again, less than two months away from the NFL Draft. Hopefully there will be an agreement between the owners and the players so we have something to look forward to besides watching the Pirates steep in their ineptitude... but I digress..

Here is a brief summary of what I believe are the true needs of the AFC North.

The Cleveland Browns:

Cleveland is an enigmatic team. They seem to put all the pieces together on paper, but cannot ever make it happen on the field. Cleveland took tremendous steps in the right direction however by hiring Mike Holmgren. If anyone can save this franchise, it is Holmgren. It seems that Holmgren and company have a good quarterback. Colt McCoy has shown signs of great promise. However, he needs receivers in the worst way. Additionally, he needs to establish a running game. So- I believe Cleveland will go after some speedy wide receivers and power backs. Additionally- Cleveland needs to upgrade their defense as well. They do not have a bona fide pass rusher. So, I look for the Brownies to pick up a defensive lineman or two.

The Cincinnati Bengals:

The Bengals are a troubled group. Carson Palmer wants out, Chad Johnson (Ocho Stinko) wants the world, and Terrell Owens is probably the most talented head case in

professional football. The Bengals laid an egg last year. This egg was caused by the lack of a running game and inconsistency on the part of Carson Palmer. If Carson gets his way and leaves the organization, look for the Bengals to go after a quarterback in free agency and clean house with the receiving corps. I look for the Bengals to draft speedy receivers and also go after a speedy running back. Defensively- the Bengals are pretty solid- it is the offense that needs re-tooling.

The Baltimore Ravens:

Much can be said about Coach Harbaugh. Since Harbaugh has joined the Ravens, the team has bec

ome quite solid and has adopted a can-do attitude. Harbaugh is a true master motivator who gets the most out of his players. However, there is not much left in the tank for Harbaugh to work with regarding the Raven Defense. Ray Lewis has lost a step. Ed Reed is starting to show his age. Wear and tear issues are showing up regularly with this team. Additionally, Todd Heap, their sage Tight End is showing signs of fraying. Look for Baltimore to draft linebackers and corners to solidify their once dominate defense. Also- look for Baltimore to go after a durable tight end to add to their arsenal of receivers for Joe Flacco.

The Pittsburgh Steelers:

I love this team. But, this team also has issues. The offensive line was truly offensive all season. It had more patches than my Great Grandmother's Patchwork Quilt! Pittsburgh needs offensive linemen if Big Ben is going to save his brain from another concussion. I look for the Steelers to use their first three draft picks on the offensive line. Also, Troy Polamalu is starting to show signs of decline. Pittsburgh needs to look for another cornerback in this draft. If the Steelers can address these issues, there is every reason to believe that they will win the AFC North.