THREE OFFSEASON
MOVES FOR EACH AFC NORTH TEAM
Now that the
offseason is in full swing, front offices of all 32 NFL teams have begun to
assess priorities for the coming months. What areas should each team address? I
try my hand at General Manager and identifies three areas each team should
tackle this offseason. Today, MJD examines
the AFC North.
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
Even with Tuesday's meeting between Steelers owner
Art Rooney II and Antonio Brown --
in which "both
agreed that it is time to move on ..." -- there's still a
small chance the Steelers still
may not trade him if the price isn't right. If Brown gets traded, the Steelers will
then likely lose Brown and Le'Veon Bell in
the same offseason. If that happens, they should brace themselves for their
first losing season under Mike Tomlin.
1) Fill Ryan Shazier's
on-field void. Shazier was one of the best linebackers in the NFL at
the time of his spinal injury in December of 2017, and the Steelers have
yet to find a replacement who comes close. In this defense-heavy draft class,
Pittsburgh can find its guy.
2) Get cornerback talent. The Steelers'
cornerback group has been one of the weaker parts of the defense for a few
years. Spending a first-round pick on the position in 2016 (Artie Burns) didn't
solve the problem. This draft class offers another opportunity to snag a CB who
can make this group more competitive.
3) Sign more RB/WR talent. With Le'Veon Bell on
his way out of the Steel City, Pittsburgh must build a run game that can
consistently wear out defenses. James Conner was
brilliant for most of 2018, but he was injured down the stretch, and the run
game suffered. Bringing in another capable back to push and split carries with
Conner would be ideal for this team. In fact, I'd like to see the Steelers go
get Jordan Howard in
a trade with Chicago or sign free agent Mark Ingram.
With the possibility of Brown getting traded away, Pittsburgh should look to
add a receiver or two in the draft, since this year's free agency crop isn't
great.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
The Ravens'
focus should be on Lamar Jackson's
development and keeping the league's No. 1 defense intact as much as possible.
Jackson took the NFL by storm during the second half of his rookie campaign,
but there's plenty of room for improvement. That's why I would bring in his
former college coach, Bobby Petrino, to work with offensive coordinator Greg
Roman and quarterbacks coach James Urban to further Jackson's development. On
defense, the Ravens have
several big-name players set to hit free agency in C.J. Mosley, Za'Darius
Smith and Terrell Suggs.
They might be able to re-sign multiple guys, but Mosley is a must.
1) Get the ground game up to speed. Baltimore had the
league's No. 2 rushing offense in 2018, thanks to a great O-line performance
and a large committee of running backs. Buck Allen and Ty Montgomery are
set to be unrestricted free agents, but the Ravens could
decide to hang on to Gus Edwards (exclusive
rights free agent) and Alex Collins
(restricted free agent). Kenneth Dixon
has a year left on his contract. While this was an effective group last season,
an explosive three-down back could bring this Lamar
Jackson-tailored offense to new heights. Watching Le'Veon Bell line
up behind Jackson would be about as exciting as it could get, but there
are other viable
free agents or draft prospects who could fit the bill.
2) Find a big receiving threat. The Ravens'
receiving corps is shallow, with Michael
Crabtree and Willie Snead as
the top guys under contract. Baltimore has to find a big-bodied receiver to
bring some attention to the pass game. Dez Bryant could
be a late free-agent pickup. Better yet, Baltimore could draft the highly
touted D.K. Metcalf if he's still available when the Ravens pick
at No. 22. (UPDATE: NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport
reported Monday that the Ravens will release
Crabtree.)
3) Find the next Terrell Suggs. As
I pointed out in my mock draft,
the Ravens need
some young juice off the edge, with Suggs set to hit the open market at age 36.
There are plenty of options in free agency and/or the draft. One player who
would fit in well and apply pressure is Florida product Jachai Polite.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Now that the Bengals hired a defensive
coordinator in former Giants DBs
coach Lou Anarumo, they can turn the page. Up next, they need to.
1) Bulk up at LB. Linebacker was a weak link in
the Bengals'
defense last season, and it would serve them well to address this position in
multiple ways. Obviously, potential additions will depend on the unknown DC's
scheme, but there are players in free agency and the draft who can play in any
system.
2) Bring in a competitive QB. New head coach Zac
Taylor, who will call the offensive plays in 2019, has a quarterback that suits his system. But signing a free agent or drafting a
quarterback to push (and get the most out of) Andy Dalton could
greatly benefit this unit. The 2018 campaign started out hot for the Bengals'
offense, but Cincinnati sputtered after the injury bug hit at the midway point.
I still believe Dalton has the potential to produce at a high level in the
right environment, and a competitive room would only help.
3) Find a durable tight end. The Bengals seemed
to have a dominant tight end in 2015, when Tyler Eifert notched
13 touchdown receptions in his third NFL season. Unfortunately, he played in
just 14 games in the subsequent three years, battling injury after injury. This
draft is the perfect opportunity to nab a durable tight end.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
We saw what Baker
Mayfield did in his first NFL season. Now, the Browns need
to do everything in their power to make him comfortable and give him the tools
for a big Year 2. Promoting
Freddie Kitchens to head coach was a good start.
1) Improve at offensive tackle. Greg Robinson and Chris Hubbard played
well at times in 2018, but A) Robinson is a free agent and B) this is an area
that needs depth. Although extending plays is one of Mayfield's greatest
attributes, he was too often forced out of the pocket as a rookie. I wouldn't
mind the Browns re-signing
Robinson, but competition along the O-line will improve the unit's overall
protection. (UPDATE: NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport
reported Monday that the Browns and
Robinson have agreed to a one-year
deal.)
2) Put more weapons around Mayfield. IF Kareem Hunt makes it onto
the field, this Browns offense
will improve immensely. The pass game was respectable in 2018 with Jarvis Landry, David Njoku and Antonio
Callaway, but a Josh Gordon-like, big-bodied receiver could really boost
this unit.
3) Steve Wilks' D needs better linebackers. Wilks'
Cover 2 system requires speed across the board. He needs linebackers with
superb sideline-to-sideline speed for this unit to really make a lasting
impression on opposing offenses.
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