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Baltimore Ravens

Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times says a Steve Spagnuolo-Ravens partnership could benefit both parties. Zenitz: "For the Ravens, they add a highly regarded defensive mind to their coaching staff. And for Spagnuolo, the job is a bounce-back opportunity of sorts after being fired following each of the last two seasons."

Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun offers an update on the Ravens' salary-cap situation.

Cincinnati Bengals

Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times isn't a fan of the decision to have cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones speak at the NFL Rookie Symposium. Plaschke: "Isn't this like allowing an accused arsonist to speak to young firefighters while playing with matches?"

Coach Marvin Lewis is looking forward to his team being featured again on HBO's "Hard Knocks."

Cleveland Browns

Barkevious Mingo is setting the bar high for the Cleveland defense. "If everything is going well, I think this defense could be the best in the league," Mingo said.

The Browns' rookie class received a tour of Cleveland on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Rookie wide receiver J.D. Woods knows how important special teams is to his future.

Adam "Pacman" Jones will speak at the NFL Rookie Symposium for the second straight year despite his recent arrest for assault.

Troy Vincent, the NFL's vice president of player engagement, told the Cincinnati Enquirer on Sunday that the Cincinnati Bengals cornerback's talk made an impression on the NFL's rookie players last year and his experiences are authentic.

"You are not going to trick an athlete. They know when it is dressed up and not real," Vincent told the newspaper. "When you can sit among your peers and just talk about your life, someone is learning from that. They can look at him and see themselves from the way they look to where they have originated."

The rookie symposium will be held June 23-29 in Aurora, Ohio. Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett has said he also is on the list of speakers at the event.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw talks about the Immaculate Reception, the state of the Steelers, whether Ben Roethlisberger is one of the NFL's top QBs and more.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens were pleased with what they saw from left tackle Bryant McKinnie during offseason workouts. “Bryant did a really good job,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. “He moved really well in this camp, as well as he moved at the end of the year last year when he started practicing so well and playing so well. He looks healthy, and he will continue to work on his conditioning. He seems to be very committed. Love the way he’s playing and his effort.”

After a turbulent offseason, the Ravens are sitting pretty heading into training camp, writes Matt Vensel of The Baltimore Sun.

Cincinnati Bengals

Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones is scheduled to speak again this year at the NFL Rookie Symposium.

Wide receiver A.J. Green doesn't consider himself one of the NFL's elite receivers -- yet.

Cleveland Browns

Running back Greg Pruitt comes in at No. 30 on The Plain Dealer's list of the top 100 Cleveland Browns.

Davone Bess is being counted on to help the Browns' production from the slot.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Nick Veronica of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette discusses how life is good for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Defensive end Brett Keisel showed off his outdoors side in hosting four boys from Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC for a day of fishing.

Baltimore Ravens

Rookie inside linebacker Arthur Brown is working his way back after sports hernia surgery.

Steve Spagnuolo is enjoying his new role as a senior defensive assistant with the Ravens.

Cincinnati Bengals

Terrell Owens visited his former Bengals teammate Chad Johnson in the Broward County, Fla., jail on Saturday.

The Bengals will be in the spotlight again as the team will be featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks."

Cleveland Browns

Father's Day has a special meaning for Norv and Scott Turner.

Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer dips into her mailbag to discuss all things Browns related.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski is excited about how things went for him this offseason.

Mike Golic Jr. was the recipient of some sound advice before signing with the Steelers.

Earlier this month, I wrote a column on how John Harbaugh's impressive start has put him in line to be recognized as the NFL's next great coach. ESPN's Greg Garber believes Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin deserves to be included in the conversation as well.

These AFC North coaches have produced comparable and highly successful numbers. Harbaugh and Tomlin both have won a Super Bowl. In five seasons, Harbaugh has a 63-30 record (.677), won two AFC North titles and advanced to the AFC Championship game three times. In six seasons, Tomlin has a 68-36 record (.654), won three division titles and went to two Super Bowls.

Where Harbaugh has separated himself, in my opinion, is the past four years. The Steelers have missed the playoffs in two of the past four seasons and haven't won a postseason game since beating the New York Jets in the AFC Championship Game in January 2011. Over that same span, the Ravens went to the playoffs each year and won seven playoff games, including four on the road.

So, let's project who is going to be considered the more accomplished coach when their careers are over. Record your vote for either Harbaugh or Tomlin in the poll and let me know your thoughts by dropping me a note (let's limit it to three or four sentences) to the AFC North mailbag. Your comment could be used in a blog post when I return from my short break.

Today is sort of like the last day of school for the AFC North. Every team has completed their offseason workouts and won't reconvene until training camp in late July. The players and coaches all take their vacations during this time, so I thought it would be a good time to take a week off as well. I will have one or two more posts before leaving AFC North headquarters. See you on June 24.

If you want to mark your calendars, here are the scheduled starts for training camps:

Baltimore Ravens: First full-team practice is July 25

Cincinnati Bengals: July 24

Cleveland Browns: July 25

Pittsburgh Steelers: July 27

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

The major question facing each team in the AFC North as summer break looms:

Baltimore Ravens: How do the Ravens replace the leadership void left by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed? Leadership has never been a problem in the Ravens' entire existence. This was Lewis' team for 17 years, and Reed was a major influence in the locker room for the past decade. With Lewis retired and Reed on the Houston Texans, the Ravens need to prove they can move on. Don't expect one player to step up and become a polarizing leader like Lewis. It will likely be leadership-by-committee for now. Linebacker Terrell Suggs has to become the voice of the defense, and running back Ray Rice has to be the vocal leader for the offense. Quarterback Joe Flacco, who has become the new face of the franchise, is expected to lead through his take-charge attitude.

Cincinnati Bengals: Who is the starting center? There will be other position battles for the Bengals. Cincinnati will find out in training camp who will take over spots at No. 2 receiver and strong safety. But the most important competition is on the offensive line. Trevor Robinson and Kyle Cook both started games for Cincinnati at center. And the offensive line surprisingly played better with Robinson, an undrafted rookie last season, than Cook, a four-year starter. The Bengals have the two best offensive tackles in the division in Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith. Right guard Kevin Zeitler looks like a future Pro Bowl player. To elevate this line to another level, Cincinnati needs either Robinson or Cook to take control of center spot.

Cleveland Browns: Can running back Trent Richardson stay healthy? The Browns and Richardson have downplayed the latest injury, a pulled muscle in his shin. And, honestly, many concerns will be quelled if Richardson is taking handoffs when training camp opens in late July. But, based on Richardson's history (knee, ribs, ankle and now shin) over his 14-month NFL career, it's valid to wonder if Richardson will ever play at full strength. There are certainly other questions for the Browns: inside linebacker, cornerback and free safety. Still, none of those issues will impact the Browns more than Richardson's ability to break long runs and punch the ball in the end zone. Perhaps the Browns should reconsider their stance on Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach, who would make a great lead blocker/bodyguard for Richardson.

Pittsburgh Steelers: When will tight end Heath Miller return? Many assume Miller will be ready for the regular season, or at least not miss any significant time, because the Steelers didn't take a tight end in the draft or sign a pass-catching one in free agency. That's just speculation at this point because team officials won't give a timetable and Miller was vague about a return date when asked about his recovery from ACL surgery last month. Miller did say there's a "chance" he could play in the Sept. 8 season opener against the Tennessee Titans. Miller led the Steelers with 71 receptions last season and tied for the team lead with eight touchdowns. The departure of No. 1 receiver Mike Wallace to the Miami Dolphins only increased the need to get Miller back as quickly as possible.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley created headlines in June 2011, when he said Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco wouldn't go to the Super Bowl "in his lifetime." As you know, Flacco didn't just go to the Super Bowl last season. He won it and was the game's Most Valuable Player.

When I asked Woodley about those comments a few days ago, he said he doesn't regret saying it even though he still hears about it from fans on Facebook and Twitter.

"I don't take it back at all," Woodley told the AFC North blog. "As a player on any team, you're never going to say your rival is going to win the Super Bowl. That's knocking you out of the tournament that year. Somebody on their team pretty sure would say that as well. That's the nature of what it is. A lot of people don't understand. They're going to take it the way they want to take it."

To his credit, leading up to the Super Bowl between the Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, Woodley told a radio station in Florida that he was rooting for the Ravens because he wanted to see Ray Lewis get a ring in his final game.

"The year we beat Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game, I saw Ray Lewis out in Tampa (before the Super Bowl). He was telling me to go out there and win the game," Woodley said. "That speaks a lot coming from a rival. But, early in the season, you just can't never say your rival is going to win the Super Bowl."

Woodley was also the target of a quote from a anonymous teammate, who said Woodley's lack of production stemmed from him not working out in the offseason. According to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, safety Ryan Clark convinced Woodley to work with his trainer in Arizona this year.

"Whatever he's doing appears to be right," linebackers coach Keith Butler said. "We'll see when we get to training camp. The biggest thing for him is we have to keep him on the field. We've talked to him about that, and he understands that. Lamar is a prideful man, and he understands that he has to play at a certain level to fulfill his contract, you might say. He's working at it."

All of the mandatory minicamps for the AFC North teams are over. There was a fight over at the Ravens this week, a notable absence with the Bengals and an unexpected return for the Steelers at Wednesday's practice. But the best news for all of the teams is that no starter sustained a significant injury that will linger deep into training camp. Even offensive tackle Mike Adams, who was stabbed this month in an attempted carjacking, isn't expected to miss time. For more on where the teams stand, here's the wake-up call ...

RAVENS: First-round pick Matt Elam is picking up the defense fast and should challenge for a starting safety spot, as expected. “He’s tough, he’s fast, he gets football," secondary coach Teryl Austin told The Baltimore Sun, "and I think he is going to be a fine player for us soon.” ... Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (sprained left knee), tight end Ed Dickson (strained groin), guard Marshal Yanda (shoulder) and nose tackle Terrence Cody (hip) didn't practice. Linebacker Arthur Brown (sports hernia) participated in team drills.

BENGALS: Coach Marvin Lewis was pleased with how his team has progressed this offseason. “I think we’ve improved mentally and physically," Lewis told The Cincinnati Enquirer as the team wrapped up mandatory minicamp. "We’ve improved with personnel and we’ve been fortunate not to have a longer-term injury. We’ve had some soft-tissue injuries and so forth, but not to have a longer-term injury so far is real fortunate.”

STEELERS: Ben Roethlisberger was throwing at Wednesday's practice less than a week after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee. Maybe no one should be surprised because Roethlisberger did say he would play this week if there was a game. “He was actually out at practice, throwing around to all of the receivers, being involved, giving plays to the quarterback," center Maurkice Pouncey told the NFL Network on Wednesday, via The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Everybody knows Ben. He plays through all types of different injuries.” ... The Steelers signed quarterback Landry Jones (fourth round) and became the first team in the division to reach agreements with their entire draft class.

BROWNS: A day after Vonta Leach's agent said the Browns had interest in the Pro Bowl fullback, two reports disputed it. According to The Plain Dealer and the Akron Beacon Journal, Leach's agent talked to Browns general manager Mike Lombardi but no visit was scheduled. Leach, 31, would significantly upgrade the fullback position for the Browns, but as the Beacon Journal pointed out, it would go against the Browns' trend of signing free agents in their mid-to-late 20s.

The bad weather in the Mid-Atlantic area stopped me from getting back to Baltimore in time to hit the final day of minicamp. I spoke with coach John Harbaugh and it looks like I'm going to avoid the fine for missing mandatory camp. I'm hoping to put up a post at some point tomorrow off the interviews conducted today. In the meantime, here's some highlights of the AFC North weekly chat. You can click right here for a full transcript.

Baltimore Ravens

Steve (Sydney): Hey Jamison, have you seen/heard anything about the Ravens new fullback in respect of his ability to open holes? Everyone calls out his pass catching. Wasn't too worried about the WR inexperience on the assumption that it will take them a few games to adapt to the pace, and they could rely on Ray Rice, Bernard Pearce and Vonta Leach in the mean time. I guess offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell will earn his money perhaps with a bit more trickery!

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): There's no hitting in OTAs, so it's hard to judge any blocking. My guess is the Ravens will use a lot more two-tight end, one-back formations.

Rob (Baltimore): Do you think Deonte Thompson can produce in game situations for the Ravens because I hear good things about him in camp.

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): I see Thompson more in a returner role for the Ravens this year, especially if Jacoby Jones is the No. 2 WR.

Cincinnati Bengals

Dan S. (Pasadena, CA): Do you think Bengals have a realistic shot at signing defensive tackle Geno Atkins long-term? Do they need to free up money by extending Michael Johnson first?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Atkins, who is signed through the 2013 season, has to be the priority. The Bengals have the cap room to get it done, but they have a history of not overpaying players even when they have the room. And Atkins has to make the decision on whether he can make more money in free agency. If Atkins becomes a UFA, the Bengals would have to franchise him to keep him around for another year. The franchise tag for defensive tackles this year was $8.45 million. That's nearly $3 million less than what Cincinnati spent on the tag for Johnson. So, at worst, the Bengals will have Atkins for two more seasons.

Scott (Northglenn, CO): Any chance that Gio Bernard starts the season at RB? BenJarvus Green-Ellis is so un-dynamic.

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Don't see a true competition until next year. Bengals will give Bernard eight to 10 touches a game as a rookie.

Cleveland Browns

Rodney (Seattle,Wa): Did the Browns really make the right choice in drafting Barkevious Mingo? He's coming in as a backup when we still have a struggling secondary. I heard he's not doing too bad but I can't help but think that Xavier Rhodes or Dee Milliner would've been a better value/impact pick.

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Browns made the right move in terms of their philosophy. They wanted to focus on getting more pressure on the quarterback. It will take some time for Mingo to develop into an every-down linebacker because he was a college DE. But he should make an immediate impact getting to the QB.

Rich (South Euclid): Any thoughts on Paul Brown being rated No. 6 on ESPN's greatest coaches list. He basically invented the pro game, founded two franchises, won like nobody else and every coaching tree comes off of his.

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): I would have had Paul Brown in top 3, and definitely ahead of Shula. You could make the case for Brown at No. 1.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Rich S (Pittsburgh): It has been reported that the Steelers brass let cornerback Keenan Lewis go because they believe Cortez Allen is better. Do you agree?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Cortez Allen is also cheaper. That was a big factor, as well.

John Styz. (Swamps of Jersey): Is this the last year for Ziggy Hood?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): I see the Steelers re-signing him. Next year it could be Hood, Steve McLendon and Cameron Heyward on the defensive line.

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said the goal is to be world champions. But he isn't emulating one -- well, at least not the current champions.

While the defending Super Bowl champions Baltimore Ravens conducted practice for all three days of mandatory minicamp, Tomlin canceled the final day for the Steelers. Pittsburgh joined the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as teams who decided to start vacation a little earlier than other teams.

You can certainly make the case that the Steelers should be the ones working and the Ravens should be rewarded. Pittsburgh finished a disappointing 8-8 last season and failed to make the playoffs for the second time in four years. And this doesn't really fall in line with the team's theme of "less talk, more work."

I just get the sense that Tomlin doesn't really get much out of the non-contact offseason training activities. It was last month when Tomlin called it "football in shorts."

Asked Wednesday whether he can make any evaluations off of the spring workouts, Tomlin said, "We could trick ourselves into believing something that would be untrue. Football is a game that’s played in pads, so I’m not going to rush to judge or search for things to grasp onto at this time of year."

I was aware of how the Pittsburgh Steelers rarely start rookies. Since the Steelers selected tight end Heath Miller eight years ago, only one first-round pick (center Maurkice Pouncey) was an immediate starter for Pittsburgh.

But I didn't realize how long it's been since the Steelers put a rookie in the starting lineup on defense. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette provided an eye-opening history lesson on this subject.

The last rookies to start on the Steelers' defense were nose tackle Casey Hampton and inside linebacker Kendrell Bell, both of whom did it in 2001. Hampton became a five-time Pro Bowl player while Bell only lasted four seasons in Pittsburgh.

The only rookie to start at outside linebacker for the Steelers since 1970 has been Jack Ham. That was in 1971. To put it in perspective, that was the second year for Three Rivers Stadium, which is currently a parking lot.

While the odds seem stacked against Jarvis Jones, he isn't battling history. He just has to beat out Jason Worilds, an underachieving second-round pick from 2010. The Steelers didn't show much faith in Worilds when they tried to restructure James Harrison's contract (instead of just cutting him immediately) and used the No. 17 overall pick on Jones in April.

As the Steelers wrap up their offseason spring workouts today, Jones has stood out to the coaching staff.

"He's showing us things, and, if he keeps showing those things he's going to be a big part of that, hopefully," linebackers coach Keith Butler said. "The best thing for him is his background, he played linebacker at Georgia, so he understands concepts as opposed to being a defensive end who doesn't know anything. He's picked some things up. There's a lot we're throwing at him right now, as we do everybody. He's still learning, but he's learning at a quicker pace than most guys we drafted at that position as a defensive end."

Determining the No. 2 wide receiver has been the biggest offseason question for the Baltimore Ravens' offense. Wide receivers coach Jim Hostler provided the answer during the team's mandatory minicamp.

"Jacoby [Jones] right now is the No. 2 guy," Hostler said. "So right now, Torrey [Smith] and Jacoby are starting."

While Jones hasn't won the job, he certainly has the edge "right now." This development shouldn't come as a surprise. The Ravens picked up Jones' $1 million roster bonus on March 16, which was five days after the team traded Anquan Boldin to the San Francisco 49ers. Knowing the Ravens weren't going to pay Boldin $6 million to be a starting receiver, you had to figure they were going to ask Jones to be more than a returner when he's making $4 million in 2013 ($3 million salary plus the roster bonus).

Jones' last competition didn't turn out the way he wanted (he finished third on "Dancing With The Stars"), but he is clearly the most experienced receiver of this second group behind Smith. As the team's No. 3 receiver last season, he caught 30 passes for 406 yards and one touchdown. Jones stepped up with big catches in the playoffs, where he had a game-saving 70-yard touchdown in Denver and 56-yard score in the Super Bowl. Jones' best regular season came in 2010 when he had a career-high 51 receptions.

Hostler also made the point that Tandon Doss, Deonte Thompson, David Reed, Tommy Streeter and Aaron Mellette are all competing for that second, third and fourth spots on the depth chart. "And it's all real close," Hostler said. “It wasn’t like last year when we had two guys that were the two front-runners."

The No. 2 receiver storyline may be overblown for Baltimore. There's a chance that the Ravens' second wideout won't be among the top four pass-catchers for the Ravens. Smith, tight end Dennis Pitta and running back Ray Rice are good bets to be the top three in receptions. And, in watching the Ravens' offseason workouts, tight end Ed Dickson could rank right behind them.

"Whatever they want me to do, I’m ready to do it," Jones said last month. "I think the whole receiving corps as a whole, we’ve all got to step up and make plays."

PITTSBURGH -- As long as there are no weather delays, I am flying back to Baltimore this morning to catch the final day of the Ravens' mandatory minicamp. That will wrap up my "three camps in three days" tour. I actually did need a wake-up call to make sure I got to the airport on time this morning. Now, here's your wake-up call ...

RAVENS: Coach John Harbaugh said Terrell Suggs "looks tremendous." Suggs, who couldn't train last offseason because of an Achilles injury, has put a lot of work into his workout regimen this year. "The goal was to train so that you can be the best player for your team, for your organization and for a city that's given you so much," Suggs said, via The Baltimore Sun. "I would have to say that the organization and the fans have really been patient with me, especially coming off an injury. So I really wanted to show them the player that I really am."

BENGALS: Tight end Orson Charles has been moved to fullback during the Bengals' offseason workout program. With Chris Pressley out with a quad injury, John Conner was the only fullback on the roster before Charles' position switch. “I'm just embracing it,” Charles told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “The more things I can do the more valuable I can be. At the end of the day, I just want to be on an NFL roster.” The Bengals have plenty of depth at tight end with Jermaine Gresham, Tyler Eifert and Alex Smith.

STEELERS: Like defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, safety Troy Polamalu isn't ready to think about retirement yet. “I don't look beyond tomorrow's practice," Polamalu told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I hope I'm not scratching and clawing for a year (hanging on). I hope I can call it quits when I know it's time. But no, we don't talk about.” Polamalu, 32, is signed through the 2014 season. He is scheduled to make $7.5 million in 2013 and $8.25 million in 2014.

BROWNS: The Browns are among the teams that have expressed interest in Vonta Leach, the Pro Bowl fullback's agent told a Houston television station. Leach was cut Tuesday by the Ravens after the sides couldn't agree to a restructured deal. The Houston Texans, New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs are also in the mix for Leach, who visited the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday. The Browns are in need of an established lead blocker for Trent Richardson. Owen Marecic, the only pure fullback on the roster, was benched last season.