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Who is one potential breakout player for each AFC North team in 2013?

Baltimore Ravens: Kelechi Osemele. It can be argued that Osemele did, in fact, break out at the end of his rookie season. And it could be argued that the Ravens’ shuffling of their offensive line -- moving Osemele to left guard from right tackle, Michael Oher from left tackle to right tackle and inserting Bryant McKinnie at left tackle -- was the single biggest reason for their spectacular Super Bowl run. But while the argument holds true that Osemele excelled at left guard, I believe he is just scratching the surface and will become a Pro Bowl-caliber player and one of the elite guards in the game. Still new to the position, Osemele is a massive human being with extremely long arms and huge, powerful hands. But unlike some offensive tackles who move inside, leverage and pad level is not a problem for this extremely talented young man.

Cincinnati Bengals: Mohamed Sanu. There wasn’t a Bengals player who jumped up as a breakout candidate, unlike with the other three teams. That isn’t to suggest that Cincinnati has drafted poorly. I view young players Kevin Zeitler and Vontaze Burfict as already having broken out. Last year’s first-round pick, Dre Kirkpatrick, certainly is a candidate, but we haven’t seen enough at the NFL level to judge him. The same is true for Devon Still and Brandon Thompson. That left receivers Sanu and Marvin Jones, who logged about double the snaps as Sanu in 2012. Either could develop into a quality second option opposite the great A.J. Green, but Sanu is the better prospect in my opinion. While he isn’t a perimeter burner like Green, he is a sure-handed, big-bodied wideout who fits well with Andy Dalton, who gets the ball out quickly and allows his receivers to perform after the catch. Like the defensive players mentioned above, there isn’t a lot of film of Sanu to go off. He caught just 16 passes before a Week 12 foot injury ended his rookie season, but he should be penciled in as a starter and see plenty of favorable matchups.

Cleveland Browns: Jordan Cameron. There were easier choices for the Browns than Cameron, namely on the offensive side of the ball, from their impressive rookie class from a year ago. Trent Richardson, Josh Gordon and even Mitchell Schwartz all have extremely promising young careers after impressing as rookies. I expect all three to drastically improve and for Richardson to be one of the top running backs in the league in 2013. But I went with Cameron, a relatively unknown tight end, because of his abilities, the coaching and a major increase of snaps. Cameron is the typical athletic former basketball player with the long frame to really excel against safety and linebacker coverage. But why do I really expect this breakout? Look no further than Cleveland’s new head coach, Rob Chudzinski. Going back to his days as the tight ends coach at the University of Miami, Chudzinski has a spectacular track record for developing great talent into great production at this position. Cameron is his latest project; expect it to go very well.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Cortez Allen. Recent first-round selections David DeCastro and Cameron Heyward crossed my mind for this honor, but I went with Allen over those linemen. Allen fits the mold of what Pittsburgh does at cornerback to a T. On a regular basis, the Steelers draft big, developmental cornerbacks in the middle rounds. Those players tend to have nondescript rookie seasons while making their bones on special teams and learning “The Steeler Way” in Dick LeBeau’s defense. In Year 2, these cornerbacks often take a step forward, playing in sub packages and filling in for injured starters. And if that development goes well, as it did for last year’s starting cornerbacks, Ike Taylor and Keenan Lewis, they take over a starting position. It’s Allen’s turn to do exactly that. The Steelers allowed Lewis to leave for New Orleans, showing they have all the faith in the world in Allen. They did sign William Gay -- another corner they once drafted and who fits this mold -- but Gay is a depth player who is obviously familiar with the system and franchise. Allen gets the opportunity to step up. Expect big things.

The NFL combine is supposed to showcase the next wave of players coming into the league. But it's also the time when agents sit down with teams about prospective free agents. Of course, agents only talk to the players' current teams. They're no such thing as tampering in the NFL, right? If you didn't get the hint, there's a lot of free-agent talk in today's wake-up call ...

RAVENS: Besides meeting with the agent for quarterback Joe Flacco, the team is scheduled to sit down with the representative for free-agent linebacker Dannell Ellerbe at the NFL combine. "I think Dannell has proven himself to be one of the elite young linebackers in the NFL," agent Hadley Engelhard told The Baltimore Sun. "His best football is in front of him. Hopefully, there's a home for him in Baltimore. If not, I'm sure plenty of other teams will be happy to have him on their roster." The Sun estimates that it could take twice as much to retain Ellerbe as it did to keep inside linebacker Jameel McClain ($10.5 million over three years) last season.

BENGALS: The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy said you can't rule out the Bengals using the franchise tag on a special teams player. If the Bengals wanted to tag kicker Mike Nugent for a second straight season, it would cost the team about $3.185 million. He also indicated that it's a possibility the Bengals could tag either punter Kevin Huber or kicker Josh Brown. As Reedy pointed out, six of the 21 tags last season were on punters or kickers. If the Bengals did this, it would be a major misstep considering offensive tackle Andre Smith and defensive end Michael Johnson are soon-to-be free agents.

STEELERS: Even though the Steelers finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs, Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau doesn't see much difference between the Steelers and their division rival who won the Super Bowl. “Do I feel we could have done the same thing they did? I do. I do,” LeBeau told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It didn't break that way.” LeBeau added, "They got the right people back at the right time, and we continued to have more injuries, it seemed like. Many times that decides it.” This is why the Steelers have to do everything in their power to keep quarterback Ben Roethlisberger healthy going forward. His injuries have derailed the past two seasons.

BROWNS: The Browns will meet with the agent for soon-to-be free agent Josh Cribbs at the NFL combine. While it's unlikely that the three-time Pro Bowl returner will come back to the Browns, agent J.R. Rickert didn't rule it out. "Josh has really built a foundation there with the city and with the team," Rickert told The Plain Dealer. "Cleveland is a second home to him. But he's also a professional and he wants to play. If they if don't re-sign him, he'll pursue other options as they're available." The Browns are expected to add another wide receiver in the draft and they have a less-expensive option in Travis Benjamin at returner.

If there is a day when you really need a wake-up call, it's going to be after New Year's Eve. You can thank me later ...

RAVENS: According to the Ravens, "a number of teams" have contacted Baltimore seeking permission to interview assistant general manager Eric DeCosta. But, just like DeCosta did last year, he made it clear that he's not leaving the Ravens. “I love being a part of the Ravens and plan to stay here and help them win championships," DeCosta said in a statement released by the team. "I have no intentions of leaving this team.” DeCosta is considered the general manager-in-waiting to Ozzie Newsome.

BENGALS: The Bengals are starting to win over fans. The sellout crowd for the regular-season finale at Paul Brown Stadium pushed this year's attendance to 489,504. That's an average of 61,888 per game, a 24 percent increase from last season, according to the Cincinnati Business Courier. The Bengals averaged just more than 49,000 fans a game in the 2011 season. This season, the Bengals sold out six of their eight home games. Last year, six of Cincinnati's eight home games were blacked out.

STEELERS: Coach Mike Tomlin gave a strong vote of confidence to defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. "I think everyone is aware I'm happy with the work of Dick LeBeau," Tomlin said, via The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "He's a special guy." Last week, LeBeau said he doesn't plan to retire even though he'll be 76 at the start of next season but the decision ultimately rested with Tomlin. The Steelers were the top-ranked defense for a second straight season.

BROWNS: The Browns braintrust plans to hire a coach first and the general manager after that. The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto believes head coach is a critical hire but the Browns shouldn't downplay the importance of a general manager. "This approach always makes me nervous," Pluto wrote. "That's from watching the Lerner family become so desperate to hire their favorite coaching candidates that the importance of the general manager position was neglected." Under the Lerner family, two coaches -- Butch Davis in 2001 and Eric Mangini in 2009 -- were hired before general managers.

There won't be any celebrating for the Steelers after Sunday's season finale, but the defense is close to an impressive accomplishment.

The Steelers can become the sixth defense in NFL history to finish the season as the top-ranked defense against the run and pass. Pittsburgh would become only the second defense to record this accomplishment in 37 years and the first since the 1991 Eagles.

Through 15 games, the Steelers rank first against the pass and second against the run. The Buccaneers have allowed 57 fewer yards on the ground this season than Pittsburgh.

In comparison, the 1991 Eagles sent five players to the Pro Bowl: defensive ends Reggie White and Clyde Simmons; defensive tackle Jerome Brown; linebacker Seth Joyner; and cornerback Eric Allen. The 2012 Steelers defense currently has no one going to the Pro Bowl.

The Pittsburgh defense has ranked No. 1 overall for the past eight weeks, which is amazing when you consider the injuries this season. Five starters on defense have been sidelined this season: Troy Polamalu (nine games missed), Ryan Clark (one game), Ike Taylor (three games), James Harrison (three games) and LaMarr Woodley (three games).

This run of success despite the number of injuries shows how valuable defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is to the Steelers.

Hope everyone is enjoying the final days of 2012 and the last days of the regular season. Like most Fridays, the predictions post will be on the blog around noon and the Final Word will get posted at 1:30 p.m. The theme for today's wake-up call is uncertain future ...

RAVENS: Ravens safety Ed Reed, who is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, said he is unconcerned about his uncertain future. "My focus is finishing the season off right now and prepare for the playoffs and go from there as far as my future," Reed said, via The Baltimore Sun. "It's all about the near future. It's not about the offseason or anything like that." No one knows how the Ravens will handle this situation. It could be difficult to commit a big contract to an aging playmaker like Reed who is dealing with a nerve impingement in his neck and has contemplated retirement in past offseasons.

BENGALS: Defensive end Robert Geathers, the longest-tenured player on the Bengals roster who was originally drafted by the team, said the possibility that this could be his final game in Cincinnati is in the back of his mind. This is the final year of his contract. “We’ll handle that when it gets there,” Geathers said, via The Cincinnati Enquirer. “With what we’ve got going on, I’d love to be back. I would.” With the emergence of Carlos Dunlap, I'm not sure if Geathers is a free-agent priority for the Bengals.

STEELERS: Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau doesn't plan to retire even though he'll 76 at the start of next season. “That would be up to Coach (Mike) Tomlin. Let‘s just say I really like Pittsburgh and I really like working for the Steelers,” LeBeau said, via The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Coach Tomlin will tell you if he wants me back or not. It will be up to Mike.” Why wouldn't Tomlin want LeBeau back? The Steelers have ranked in the top five in defense the past six seasons, including No. 1 for the past two.

BROWNS: If the Browns want to keep Phil Dawson, they're going to have to sign the Pro Bowl kicker to a multi-year deal. There's little chance of putting the franchise tag on him for a third straight year because it would cost $14.6 million. “I know moving forward, whatever term I sign, I’m going to be able to outlive it,” Dawson said, via the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m not going to be one of these guys who holds on and holds on and holds on. So as long as I feel like I can play at a high level, I’m going to. With my family in Texas and me here or wherever, I’m not going to be away from them to play poorly.”

We're handing out game balls after Week 9 and this is who's getting them:

OFFENSE: Isaac Redman, Steelers. After being sidelined the past two weeks with a high-ankle sprain, Redman ran for career-high 147 yards and scored the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. With two other backs out (Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Dwyer), Redman not only came up big but he delivered big plays with five runs of 11 yards or longer. Runner-up was Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, who spun away from Joe Haden for the winning touchdown at Cleveland.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers. Taking over for the injured Antonio Brown, Sanders delivered a spark in his first returns of the year. He averaged 25.3 yards on three punt returns and nearly scored on one of them, which leads us to that embarrassing moment. You almost want to take the game ball away from Sanders after he was stopped from reaching the end zone by a punter. The runner-up here was Phil Dawson, who provided all of the scoring for the Browns with five field goals.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 8:

Rough on rookies: Robert Griffin III has been the most impressive of the first-year quarterbacks this season. His biggest test comes Sunday in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers have a long history of rattling rookies. Since Dick LeBeau returned as defensive coordinator in 2004, the Steelers are 13-1 against rookie quarterbacks. The lone loss came against the Ravens' Troy Smith in the final regular-season game in 2007 in Baltimore when the Steelers rested four starters, including James Harrison and Troy Polamalu, to get ready for the postseason. Pittsburgh has held rookies to a 52.7 completion rate and an average of 167 yards passing per game with nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Secondary success: The Browns are a different pass defense when cornerback Joe Haden is on the field. During his four-game suspension, the Browns allowed quarterbacks to complete 66.4 percent of their passes with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. With Haden on the field, Cleveland has held quarterbacks to a 58 percent completion rate with five touchdowns and seven interceptions. In three games this season, Haden has intercepted two passes and has broken up four throws. The defense has to figure out a way to derail Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who is 2-0 against the Browns. Rivers has thrown for 584 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 118.8 versus Cleveland.

Going deep: If you've missed the Steelers' big-play offense, it likely will return Sunday against Washington. As the NFL's worst-ranked pass defense, the Redskins have allowed 29 completions for more than 20 yards (tied for second worst in the NFL) and seven passes for more than 40 yards (tied for worst). The Steelers haven't stretched the field as regularly under new offensive coordinator Todd Haley as they did in the past. Ben Roethlisberger has connected on two passes over 40 yards after averaging 10 such throws the previous three seasons. Perhaps this will be a redemption game for speedy receiver Mike Wallace, who has five dropped passes this season.

Air it out: Browns coach Pat Shurmur was criticized for throwing the ball too much last Sunday. He might hear criticism if he doesn't throw the ball against the Chargers. The Browns have a banged-up starting running back (Trent Richardson) and are facing the NFL's 25th-ranked pass defense. In the past two games, the Chargers have given up a total of 679 yards passing and seven touchdown passes. But San Diego was facing Peyton Manning and Drew Brees during that time. Cleveland rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden has been on a tear recently, throwing for at least two touchdowns in each of his past three games. He leads all rookies this season in passing yards (1,783), passing touchdowns (nine) and completions of 20 or more yards (25).

Hot at Heinz: Sunday's game against the Redskins marks the Steelers' first home game since Oct. 7 and only their third of the season. The Steelers have won five straight home games and are 9-1 at home since the start of the 2011 season. With a win, the Steelers would have six straight home wins for the first time since winning eight home games in a row from 2008-09. After next week's game at the New York Giants, the Steelers play five of their final eight games at Heinz Field.

Baltimore Ravens

Jeff Zrebiec of The Washington Post points out that John Harbaugh is the "only coach since the 1970 NFL merger to guide a team to a playoff victory in each of his four seasons."

Does Art Modell deserve a spot in the Hall of Fame?

Cincinnati Bengals

The Ravens will be the first team to get a look at the Bengals' re-tooled secondary.

Joe Reedy of Cincinnati.com: "For the third time in [Marvin] Lewis’ tenure, the Bengals go into a season with a chance to make back-to-back postseason trips for only the second time in the franchise’s 45-year history. After being on the verge of a breakthrough two previous times, a pensive fan base wonders if this is the season they establish consistency as a contender."

Cleveland Browns

Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer: "Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden emerged from his NFL debut with a quarterback rating that looked a whole lot more like his earned-run average from his old minor-league pitching days."

Bud Shaw of The Plain Dealer: "Call for Colt McCoy if you want. The Browns made that possible when they kept him instead of Seneca Wallace as the backup. Just know it's a big leap from saying Weeden looked terrible Sunday to thinking McCoy is the fix. Weeden is here because McCoy left the door open on the field and in the minds of a quarterback-savvy coaching staff."

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "A guy turns 75 just one time in his life. You would think the Steelers defense could have done a better job to make it a happy birthday Sunday night for defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. It was sliced and diced by Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and failed to protect two second-half leads in a 31-19 loss."

Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The impression left all through the Steelers’ training camp and preseason was that Todd Haley’s playbook -- the No. 1 issue then, now and probably for weeks to come -- would lean toward power running, would limit Ben Roethlisberger’s punishment and would still leave room for Ben to be Ben. And now that they’ve finally peeled open the first chapter? Check, check and CHECK."

A look back at the legacy of former Browns and Ravens owner Art Modell from the New York Times' Robert D. McFadden.

Baltimore Ravens

Ray Lewis on Modell: "I loved the man dearly."

Some good news on the injury front: Tight ends Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson were not listed on Thursday's injury report, reports Garrett Downing of the team's website.

Defensive end Pernell McPhee foresees a breakout season for teammate Paul Kruger, writes Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times.

Cincinnati Bengals

John Erardi and Joe Reedy of cincinnati.com examine the "complex" relationship Cincinnati had with Modell.

Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown react to Modell's passing, courtesy of CBSSports.com's Paul Dehner Jr.

Lewis dished on A.J. Green's emergence and changes to the Bengals offense on "Rome."

Cleveland Browns

Those who knew Modell said he was "never the same after announcing on Nov. 6, 1995, that he was moving [the Browns] to Baltimore. Although Modell embraced the Ravens and his new community, the move tore him apart," writes The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot.

Rookie Josh Gordon said teammate Greg Little has helped him in his transition to the NFL, writes The Plain Dealer's Tom Reed. "Greg has taught me a lot, especially the attention to detail that sometimes you might miss. That stuff really helps," Gordon said.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Linebacker James Harrison did not practice on Thursday, casting doubt on whether he'll play against the Broncos Sunday, reports Chris Adamski of CBSSports.com.

The Steelers and Ravens won't be 12-win teams this season, but they're still the class of the AFC North, writes the Beaver County Times' Mike Bires.

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau revisited last season's playoff loss to the Broncos.

Dermontti Dawson becomes the 12th center enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the first since Dwight Stephenson in 1998.

This solidifies his legacy as one of the best centers to play in the NFL. But is he the best?

It's a difficult argument for me because I never saw Jim Otto (1960-74) play and remember Mike Webster (1974-90) at the end of his career. My two thoughts on Dawson are: he's the best center over the past two decades and he revolutionized the position.

Dawson, the Steelers' center from 1989 to 2000, had a unique combination of being tough and athletic -- something that had never been seen before at that position. He was durable, playing 170 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in Steelers history. He was also agile enough to get to the outside after snapping the ball and fast enough to get downfield to block safeties.

"To me he was the best athlete to ever play that position," Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. "He was very powerful and explosive, just a rare combination of quickness, explosion, and he was a very dependable player."

Dawson was named to seven straight Pro Bowls (1992 to 1998) and was a six-time first-team All-Pro.

"He redefined the position," former Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "When you look at the numbers we had in the running game, everything we did worked from the inside out, and to have a guy like Dermontti and such stability, that was a staple of every offense we had.”

Even before Dawson was voted into the Hall of Fame, his legacy has been honored by Pittsburgh. While the Steelers don't officially retire numbers, they haven't given out Dawson's No. 63 since he left in 2000, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"You never had a center pull until Dermontti Dawson," said Merril Hoge, a former Steelers running back who is now an ESPN analyst. "He revolutionized and changed how teams ran the football in the NFL. ... Who knows if the Steelers would have evolved to where they are today in terms of running the football? It was because of him."

The one thing Dawson was unable to accomplish was winning a championship. In fact, none of this weekend's enshrinees won a Super Bowl.

"I think people put too much emphasis on winning championships as far as being validated and being selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame," Dawson told Pro Football Weekly. "I don’t think that should even be in the criteria. I think it should be what a person brings to the game, how they play the game and how consistent he was. I think it should be based on those factors as opposed to winning championships. A person makes a difference in a game, changes a game in a certain way, he’s contributed to the game. But, yeah, I think too much emphasis is put on winning championships to make that a validation for being considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame."

Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

A Cleveland Browns spokesman says the team is not for sale, refuting a radio report that the NFL franchise might be on the market.

Neal Gulkis, the team's vice president of media relations, said Thursday that "the Browns are not for sale." The only statement from the Browns on this matter wasn't attributed to owner Randy Lerner, whose father purchased the expansion franchise for $530 million in 1998.

Gulkis was responding to a report by Philadelphia radio personality Howard Eskin, who posted on his Twitter page that former Eagles president Joe Banner is putting together a group to buy the Buffalo Bills and that the Browns and St. Louis Rams may also be for sale.

"My understanding is that the Bills are (Banner's) first priority,'' Eskin told 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. "I was also told by an NFL source that Cleveland and St. Louis may be for sale, but Joe's first order of business from what I was told was Buffalo, if in fact he can get that money together and do all of those things. Cleveland and St. Louis were secondary in the information that I got. ... I was told by somebody I truly, truly respect with information, but outside of that, I know nothing further.''

Hensley's slant: This report likely comes from the fact that there are many in the league who think Lerner never wanted to be the Browns owner. He didn't purchase the team. He inherited it from his father. But there are others who believe Lerner won't sell the team until he turns it around.

BENGALS: Dontay Moch has displayed a very quick and athletic pass rush in the team's offseason team activities that gives offensive tackles problems, according to the Bengals' official website. "He can definitely get upfield," linebackers coach Paul Guenther said. "He's got value to us as a pass-rusher, but we have to have confidence that we can play him on first and second down, too." Moch, a third-round pick from a year ago, is still trying to make the transition from college end to strongside linebacker. Hensley's slant: The Bengals would like Moch to make an impact on the pass rush this season because they need a presence opposite Carlos Dunlap. But the more pressing question with Moch is whether he'll be able to play for the Bengals in their first four games. He is reportedly appealing a suspension for using a banned substance. "It's out of my hands," he said.

RAVENS: Linebacker Courtney Upshaw, the team's top pick from this year's draft, isn't worried about any hazing from the veterans. “I kind of built up a reputation as a football player as one of those guys not to mess with," Upshaw told Comcast SportsNet in Baltimore, via the team's website. "Hopefully they feel the same way, ‘We’re not going to mess with Courtney.'” The website noted that nose tackle Terrence Cody referred to his teammate as "a mean dude." Hensley's slant: The best way for Upshaw to gain the respect of the veterans is to step up to the challenge of being a starter. He is expected to take over for Jarret Johnson, who went to San Diego as a free agent, as Baltimore's strongside linebacker. He reportedly dropped about seven pounds since the team drafted him in April, which should help with his transition to being an NFL linebacker. Unlike his time at Alabama, Upshaw is being asked to drop back in coverage during the Ravens' OTAs.

STEELERS: Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau still doesn't have an answer for how the NFL's top-ranked defense gave up 316 passing yards to Tim Tebow in the playoffs, which included an 80-yard winning touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in overtime. "If I had an answer for that, it wouldn't have happened," LeBeau told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "But I can tell you this, in the National Football League, a game like that can happen every Sunday, and does happen somewhere around the league. And I don't care what your stats are. I don't care who you have out there, the other people have skilled people, too. It only takes a couple plays as we saw, and it's a lot of yards and a lot of points and you end up losing." Hensley's slant: LeBeau faces a bigger challenge when the Steelers return to Denver in this year's season opener. Something tells me LeBeau won't be stacking the box against Peyton Manning. LeBeau, though, has to decide whether he'll be starting Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen or Curtis Brown at cornerback for that first game.

Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

In a surprising twist, Pittsburgh linebackers coach Keith Butler decided not to interview for the Indianapolis Colts' defensive coordinator position and remain with the Steelers, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Butler was the clear frontrunner to take over the defense under new Colts coach Chuck Pagano and had a meeting planned for Tuesday in Indianapolis. But the interview was canceled after Butler met Monday with team president Art Rooney II and head coach Mike Tomlin, the Post-Gazette reported.

According to the paper, Butler was told two years ago that he will be the team's defensive coordinator when Dick LeBeau retired and received a handshake agreement when he turned down the Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator job.

Hensley's slant: Butler's loyalty was likely rewarded with a substantial raise and a more definitive timetable on when he's replacing the 74-year-old LeBeau. Continuity is a valuable commodity to the stable and winningest franchises. The Steelers know there will be a seamless transition with Butler. Now, if Pittsburgh could only fill their vacancy at offensive coordinator as quickly. It's assumed that the Steelers will hire from within for this position as well, but there's increasing questions the longer it takes to Pittsburgh to fill this opening.

BENGALS: While Cam Newton is the frontrunner to be the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year, the Bengals' Andy Dalton outplayed the Carolina quarterback in Sunday's Pro Bowl. The difference was turnovers and accuracy. Newton got picked off three times while Dalton had no interceptions and misfired on two of his nine passes. “I’ve been able to do a lot given some great opportunities, but I feel like it’s just the beginning, though,” Dalton told the team's website. “We’ve got a lot of young talent. We just have to get it all together.” Hensley's slant: Newton had the superior stats (35 total touchdowns). Dalton had more wins and played against tougher defenses. The only thing anyone can agree on is it's nearly impossible to compare the two quarterbacks. They have different styles but those styles work for them. It'll be interesting to see how they compare five years down the road.

BROWNS: The Browns are interested in re-signing running back Peyton Hillis, a league source told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Hillis, who is an unrestricted free agent on March 13, impressed the Browns enough over the final six games on and off the field to change the team's mind about keeping him at the right price, the paper reported. Hensley's slant: This just reeks of desperation on the Browns' part. When a player reportedly needs an intervention-style meeting from teammates, it's a strong sign that he has become a distraction. Sure, the Browns need playmakers on offense in the worst way. But building the right chemistry in the locker room has to become a priority, too.

RAVENS: Backup running back Ricky Williams intends on playing next season, which will be his 12th in the NFL. Williams, who turns 35 before next season, had career lows in carries (108) and total rushing yards (444) in 2011. “My body feels good and I know I’m going to train hard and so I’m excited about next year,” Williams said, via the team's website. “I’ve grown a lot, kind of falling into a new role and a new city and a new organization, and I’ve gotten better. And like everyone else, I feel like I have something to build on for next year.” Hensley's slant: The Ravens eventually have to look for a long-term backup to Ray Rice, whether that's Anthony Allen or someone else. The key is finding a compliment to Rice, a big-back like Williams or Le'Ron McClain. But Williams, who is under contract for one more season, can hold down the job for 2012.

The unveiling of my All-AFC North team continues with the coaching staff. Defense will come out Thursday, and offense will wrap it up Friday.

As always, voice your opinions in the comments section below.

Head coach: Marvin Lewis, Bengals. This selection is only surprising when you consider most didn't think Lewis would be coaching the team after last season. He turned the Bengals from a four-win team into a playoff one. Lewis did this by relying on a rookie quarterback and changing six starters -- all in a lockout season. He was named the Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2009, but this season was a more impressive coaching job.

Offensive coordinator: Jay Gruden, Bengals. You could say Gruden won this by default because he is the only offensive coordinator in the division who is guaranteed to return next season. But that would minimize the work he did with an offense that revolved around two rookies, quarterback Andy Dalton (who was a second-round pick) and A.J. Green. Under Gruden, Dalton became the only rookie in NFL history to throw for 20 or more touchdowns passes while winning eight or more games as a starting quarterback.

Defensive coordinator: Chuck Pagano, Ravens. When Pagano took over the Ravens' defense last offseason, he said it would "wreak havoc." He is certainly a man of his word. In their first season under Pagano, the Ravens' defense finished third in both yards and points allowed. Pagano's biggest impact came in generating more pressure. Baltimore finished third in the NFL in sacks (48) this season after recording a team-record-low 27 in 2010. Dick LeBeau, whose defense finished No. 1 despite several key injuries, was a very close second here.

Front-office executive: Mike Brown, Bengals. Yes, you read it correctly. This was a year in which he made all the right moves after being known for making all of the wrong ones. It started with his hardline stance with disgruntled quarterback Carson Palmer, which eventually led to getting first- and second-round picks out of the Raiders in a trade. He also listened to his coaches in drafting Dalton in the second round when he preferred Ryan Mallett. Brown topped it off with his "buy one, get one free" ticket promotion that led to a sellout in the regular-season finale and his decision to cut prices for 14,000 season tickets next season.

Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

Dick LeBeau will return as the Steelers' defensive coordinator in 2012, sources told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

LeBeau, 74, has been the team's defensive coordinator since 2004, his second stint with the Steelers. Considered the father of "zone blitz," LeBeau has long been regarded as one of the NFL's top defensive minds.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that he wanted both of his coordinators back and LeBeau had told him he wanted to return. The Pittsburgh defense finished first in fewest yards and points allowed.

Hensley's slant: The Steelers have decided not to get younger at defensive coordinator, but it will be interesting to see if they choose to get younger with personnel. The return of LeBeau ensures continuity. Plus, it would have been a shame to see LeBeau go out on a defensive performance like the one in Denver.

BENGALS: Now that the Bengals have a long-term go-to wide receiver in A.J. Green, the next step is to find the No. 2 option. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, it looked like the team would bring back either Jerome Simpson or Andre Caldwell (both of whom are free agents) but there is a chance both could be gone. “Of course, Jerome had moments of greatness and moments of what is going on?” offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said. Hensley's slant: Simpson and Caldwell are too undependable as route-runners, which is not what you want for a young quarterback like Andy Dalton. Look for the Bengals to find a more consistent presence in free agency. Cincinnati's passing attack already has a strong start with Green and tight end Jermaine Gresham.

BROWNS: Browns defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson will join the Dallas Cowboys as their secondary coach, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The deal is expected to be finalized by Monday. Henderson, 42, will reunite with defensive coordinator Rob Ryan with the Cowboys. Hensley's slant: This might seem like a minor move, but the Browns' defensive backs improved in Henderson's three seasons. Cleveland's pass defense went form 29th to 18th to second this season. The new defensive backs coach has the luxury of coming into a situation with rising young talent at cornerback (Joe Haden) and safety (T.J. Ward).

RAVENS: Ravens right guard Marshal Yanda revealed that he had emergency surgery on his lower right leg on Christmas Eve and still played in the regular-season finale seven days later. Yanda’s leg swelled up and surgeons had to split the muscle to relieve the pressure. “It was a nasty scar and a [crappy] way to spend Christmas Eve, but that’s what it was,” Yanda said, via The Baltimore Sun. Hensley's slant: Head coach John Harbaugh called Yanda the toughest player he's ever coached, and everyone is finding out why. He's the Ravens' best offensive lineman and made the Pro Bowl this season. And, if there was any doubt, he will be starting Sunday's playoff game.

In our closest SportsNation poll ever during my time here, the Ravens' Chuck Pagano edged out the Steelers' Dick LeBeau and the Bengals' Jay Gruden as the people's choice for best coordinator in the division this season.

More than 8,900 votes were recorded, and Pagano received 31 percent of them. In his first season as Baltimore's defensive coordinator, Pagano has lived up to the highest expectations for that position, which was previously held by Marvin Lewis and Rex Ryan.

Baltimore ranks third in fewest yards allowed (292.3) and fewest points given up (16.5). But Pagano's influence in his first year as coordinator has been increasing the pressure. The Ravens lead the NFL with 38 sacks, which is 11 more than they had all of last season. More hits on the quarterback has led to more turnovers. Baltimore is tied for the most takeaways in the AFC with 22.

Here are the results:

Chuck Pagano, Ravens defensive coordinator: 31 percent

Dick LeBeau, Steelers defensive coordinator: 27 percent

Jay Gruden, Bengals offensive coordinator: 27 percent

Dick Jauron, Browns defensive coordinator: 15 percent