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Breakdown: The Steelers parted ways with big-name veterans in Hines Ward and James Farrior, but they are still in demand. Pittsburgh is one of eight teams to receive five prime-time games.

In a cruel twist by schedule makers, the Steelers begin their season where it ended -- in Denver. Instead of rehashing the memory of Tim Tebow's winning touchdown pass in overtime, Pittsburgh has to deal with Peyton Manning and his Broncos debut. It's then possible that the Steelers will face Tebow in Week 2 when the New York Jets visit.

The division should come down to the final two months of the season. The Steelers finish by playing five AFC North teams over the last seven weeks of the regular season. The most intense part of the schedule is the time when the Steelers battle the Ravens twice in three weeks (Nov. 18 and Dec. 2). That doesn't give the teams too much time to heal.

Complaint department: Pittsburgh starts the season by playing four of six games on the road. In September, the Steelers have one home game and two trips out west. A bye week is sandwiched in that rough opening stretch, but that even hurts the Steelers. Who wants a bye week in Week 4? That means the Steelers have to play 13 consecutive games without a break.

Home cooking: If the Steelers can survive that challenging start, the last month of the schedule works in their favor. Pittsburgh plays three of its final four games at home, which includes contests at Heinz Field against Cincinnati and Cleveland to finish out the regular season.

Steelers Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, at Denver, 8:20 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, NY Jets, 4:15 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at Oakland, 4:15 PM
Week 4: BYE
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, Philadelphia, 1:00 PM
Week 6: Thursday, Oct. 11, at Tennessee, 8:20 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, at Cincinnati, 8:20 PM
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, Washington, 1:00 PM
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, at NY Giants, 4:15 PM
Week 10: Monday, Nov. 12, Kansas City, 8:30 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, Baltimore, 8:20 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, at Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at Baltimore, 4:15 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, San Diego, 1:00 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at Dallas, 4:15 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, Cincinnati, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, Cleveland, 1:00 PM

The statistics suggest the Pittsburgh Steelers simply signed a backup for the second straight day of free agency. But don't overlook the Steelers keeping wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery.

A source told the New York Daily News that Cotchery signed a two-year deal with the Steelers, and ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter has confirmed the report. This is a much more important addition than tight end Leonard Pope, who agreed to a deal Tuesday.

Cotchery finished with his lowest reception total since his 2004 rookie season, but he gained a chemistry with Ben Roethlisberger as the season progressed. A 31-yard touchdown pass to Cotchery with 3:48 remaining in the fourth quarter sent the playoff game at Denver into overtime.

This is why Roethlisberger publicly campaigned to re-sign Cotchery. "Without Hines [Ward], I think you have to do everything you can to sign Jerricho back," Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in early March. "He's not only a veteran leader in that room but a really good player. I'd love to see him come back because he's a really good receiver and I like what he brings to the team."

Before the Steelers brought back Cotchery, they had no one with any experience behind Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. The lack of depth was an obvious concern because coach Mike Tomlin said he was unsure whether Sanders could remain healthy for an entire season.

The Steelers needed to bring back Cotchery for much-needed insurance. If he plays the way he did in the second half of last year (15 catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns), there's a good shot that he could get the No. 3 wide receiver job over Sanders. Cotchery received the chance to play a more important role when Sanders was injured and Ward was being phased out of the offense.

Cotchery drew interest from the Rams and Chiefs before returning to Pittsburgh.

Nearly a full month into free agency, the Steelers finally signed their first player Tuesday. It was -- yawn -- Leonard Pope.

Not excited about adding a backup tight end? Well, this is essentially a repeat of last year, when the Steelers' big free-agent signing was wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. Let's face it, Steelers free agency contains as much action as a Sarah Jessica Parker flick. Everyone knows this, and that's why no one is wringing their Terrible Towel over the inactivity.

The Steelers find players in April, not March. They hit on first-round picks every year -- at least in recent memory -- and develop undrafted prospects into starters. No one has built their team through the draft quite like the Steelers this decade. If the season started today, only one of the projected starters (safety Ryan Clark) joined the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent.

The Steelers need this remarkable track record in the draft to come through for them again. In some ways, this is the most important draft of the Mike Tomlin era. I'm not saying this is a crucial draft in terms of finding immediate starters. But the pressure is on the Steelers to find "potential" starters for the 2012 season.

The organization lost a piece of its history when it parted ways with wide receiver Hines Ward, linebacker James Farrior, defensive end Aaron Smith, nose tackle Chris Hoke and guard Chris Kemoeatu this offseason. Some have downplayed these departures because none were major contributors last season. Farrior was a part-time player, Ward was being phased out, Kemoeatu was benched and Smith and Hoke were both injured. The Steelers, though, could have used their experience as backups this season.

The loss of these veteran safety nets makes injuries a major concern. Two starters -- running back Rashard Mendenhall and nose tackle Casey Hampton -- are candidates to start the regular season on the physically unable to perform list (and miss at least the first six games) after ACL surgeries this offseason. Tomlin has expressed concern about whether right tackle Willie Colon and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders can shake their injury histories. And the Steelers have to be worried about Maurkice Pouncey's ankle, LaMarr Woodley's hamstrings and Doug Legursky's shoulder.

If Hampton is placed on the PUP, the starting nose tackle would likely be an out-of-position Ziggy Hood. If Legursky is hurt, the current top backup at guard is John Malecki. If Colon goes down, the Steelers have to turn to the often-struggling Jonathan Scott. If Sanders can't play, the third receiver would be ... well, no one right now. These are all painful scenarios for the Steelers.

This is where the draft comes into play for Pittsburgh. Taking the right college player has always kept the Steelers in the mode of reloading, not rebuilding. No one knows whom the Steelers will select with the 24th overall pick. It could be Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower, Georgia offensive lineman Cordy Glenn, Stanford tight end Coby Fleener or someone not even linked to Pittsburgh. Based on the Steelers' history, the only certainty is that the pick will become an impact player.

Since 2000, the Steelers' first-round selections have been wide receiver Plaxico Burress, Hampton, guard Kendall Simmons, safety Troy Polamalu, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, tight end Heath Miller, wide receiver Santonio Holmes, linebacker Lawrence Timmons, Mendenhall, Hood, Pouncey and defensive end Cameron Heyward. The only one who didn't quite live up to expectations is Mendenhall, and he is hardly a major disappointment, having led the team in rushing for the past three seasons. This great run is more amazing when you consider that only two (Burress and Roethlisberger) were selected in the top half of the first round. Even the Ravens, who are known for excelling in the draft, have had two busts during this span with quarterback Kyle Boller and wide receiver Travis Taylor.

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, one of the underrated decision-makers in the NFL, can't explain this string of success.

"We've been fortunate," he told reporters at the NFL owners meetings. "We are capable as anybody of making a mistake. We never keep score. There's only one score that matters and that's the last game of the year."

If the Steelers had been keeping score, they would realize their success goes beyond the first round. They have come away with current starters in the second round (linebacker Woodley), third round (wide receiver Mike Wallace), fourth round (cornerback Ike Taylor), sixth round (wide receiver Antonio Brown) and seventh round (defensive end Brett Keisel). And don't forget about the undrafted finds like Legursky, right guard Ramon Foster and running back Isaac Redman.

This is why the Steelers don't have to write a $100 million check to free agents. This is why the Steelers can sign one player in the first 28 days of free agency and not sweat about it. Pittsburgh's way of business is about patience and faith. The Steelers believe in their front office to select the right college players and they believe in their coaching staff to develop them. It's a proven system that has led to five AFC North titles in 10 seasons and three trips to the Super Bowl during that span.

As players come and go, the Steelers' goals never change. Like Tomlin always preaches: "The standard is the standard."

"If you have a desire to be in this league for a length of time, you are going to roll with the punches and the ebb and flow, the evolution of the game," Tomlin said at the NFL owners meetings. "Thankfully, I've been in the game long enough to see a little bit of that. Those who are able to sustain success are pliable and flexible."

And the organizations that are able to sustain success are often quiet in free agency and make the most noise in the draft.

I've given my grades out to all the AFC North teams after the first wave of free agency was complete. Now, it's your turn.

Give me your grade and a two-line assessment (good, bad or indifferent) of how the Steelers have fared so far this offseason. You can also send your grade and comment to the AFC North mailbag.

This is our final installment of the week-long series, and I will post a fans' report card on Monday.

Here's a recap of the Steelers' offseason:

KEY PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

None

KEY PLAYERS ACQUIRED

None

KEY PLAYERS LOST

WR Hines Ward, LB James Farrior, DE Aaron Smith, CB William Gay, NT Chris Hoke, G Chris Kemoeatu, CB Bryant McFadden, WR Arnaz Battle, P Daniel Sepulveda.

The AFC North blog received a strong response from fans when asked to give their favorite memories of Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, who announced his retirement last month. Here's a sampling of what followers of this blog had to say about Ward:

Jackie (Los Angeles): I have so many memories of Hines that it's almost impossible to pick one. But I think my favorite would have to be in the 2010 playoffs, when we played Baltimore in the divisional round. We were down by seven points, having come back from a 14-point deficit. Ben Roethlisberger threw the tying touchdown pass to Hines. I just remember seeing that famous smile, and the energy level at Heinz was insane. I could almost feel it watching TV at home. That moment was just amazing, seeing him celebrate with his teammates. I'll never forget that game.

Yeshaya (Chicago): My favorite memory came against the Falcons in 2007. Ward caught a pass across the middle and out ran cornerback DeAngelo Hall for a 70-yard TD, losing his right shoe in the process. The TV's caption was "Hines Ward 70-yard TD (30 yards with one shoe)"

Stephen P (New York, N.Y.): My greatest memory of Hines Ward came off the field, after the Steelers lost to the Patriots in the 2004 AFC Championship Game. In an interview the next day, Hines was distraught about the fact that Jerome Bettis (in what looked like his last year) would finish his legendary career without a ring. Tears streaming down his face, he explained, "I wanted to win more for him than for anything, because he deserves to be a champion." As the ultimate team player, and the heart and soul of the Steelers, Hines embodied the emotions felt by all of Steeler Nation. And by the way, he ended up sending Jerome off as a champion the next year, MVP of the Super Bowl.

John (North Canton, Ohio): Two years ago, I had the opportunity to hang out on Heinz field before a Steelers game. We were instructed to stay on the designated sideline and end zone areas to avoid speaking to and distracting the players. Hines saw me watching him warm up, and after tossing the ball with a trainer, he turned around and tossed it to me. We played catch back and forth for a minute or two until he said he had to go. He then thanked ME for playing catch with HIM. His class and character are two of the many reasons my Hines Ward jerseys, all four of them, are now retired, too.

Lon (Kansa City, Mo.): I'm a transplanted 'Burgh boy living in Kansas City. My wife was pregnant with my oldest son when the Steelers drafted an undersized former QB from Georgia with their (compensatory) 3rd round round draft pick in 1998. Now, just days ago sitting here with my almost 14-year-old son watching Hines give his retirement speech...couldn't help but think how fast time flies when you're having fun. Thanks Hines for everything! We will miss your tough catches for first downs when we needed them most, your crushing blocks that had linebackers complaining about rough treatment from WRs, and above all, your smile! You're the consummate football player, pro, and thankfully, Steeler for life! Black and Gold forever!

Joe (Richmond, Va.): I was driving back home one sunday night a few years back. Being a avid Steelers fan, I was franticly searching my AM dial for the Ravens-Steelers game. As luck would have it, I got a scratchy signal out of Pittsburgh and I hear the announcers saying how badly Hines is getting inside the DB's head that was covering him. Play after play they remarked about how Hines was aggravating this guy. I got home to see the game on TV and sure enough Pittsburgh gets in a 3rd and long situation. As the play is run there is a flag thrown -- unnessesary Roughness called on the DB covering Hines. It game me a new perspective on how good Hines really was. He was one of the best at playing the game inside the game.

Nick (Cleveland): As a Browns fan, my memories of Hines Ward will always be his [expletive] smile. There were so many times I wish someone on my beloved Browns could slap it off his face, but we never did. Now that he is retired, I can see myself always referring back to that smile. He was one of the greatest complete wide receivers I had the displeaure of watching bury my Browns year after year in his storied career. Glad to see him go out on a high note. Take care Hines! IMO, a sure fire Hall of Famer.

Ian (Ohio): My favorite memory of Hines Ward was in Super Bowl XL when Roethlisberger handed the ball off to Antwan Randel El who then found a wide-open Hines Ward in the endzone. Ward skipped over the goal line and had a smile from ear to ear.

Donald (Pittsburgh): I was 75 years old when I first met Mr. Ward. I am totally deaf. I lost my hearing in the navy when a cannon blast shattered my ear drums. I won a contest on Mr. Ward's show to sit in the Best Seat in the House. Hines got to know me from the show. I was 75 and the Steelers celebrated their 75th anniversary. Later that year, I went to training camp and I cheered for Hines. Knowing that I had a hearing impairment our sign became the "peace" sign. This was our way of saying hello. After the Super Bowl win, Hines was signing autographs at a function and he recognized me and told his entourage that I was his right-hand man. I am now 80 years old and have had several chance encounters with Mr. Ward and he always remembers me and the peace sign as our special way of communicating. He truly is "special" and has a way of making others feel special.

Charlie (Leesburg, Va.): I'll never forget my first training camp visit in Latrobe. Young and bushy eyed trying to snag an autograph after practice, I quickly saw a crowd form on one end of the field. There was Hines signing for fans, interacting, and smiling as always. Success! My favorite player signed my favorite hat. Where some players ignore the crowd, Hines cherished it. He was a class act on and off the field and will go down as one of the greatest Steelers ever. Thanks Hines for all the great memories!

» AFC Assessments: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Cincinnati Bengals

Key additions: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, S Reggie Nelson, G Travelle Wharton, CB Jason Allen, CB Adam Jones, DE Jamaal Anderson, DE Derrick Harvey

Key losses: DE Frostee Rucker (Browns), G Nate Livings (Cowboys), G Mike McGlynn (Colts), DE Jonathan Fanene (Patriots), WR Andre Caldwell (Broncos)

Grade after first wave of free agency: B. The Bengals were the most active team in the division and they should have been. Cincinnati entered free agency with more than $50 million in salary-cap space, which was more than the rest of the AFC North combined. The Bengals upgraded at running back and left guard while bringing back their top free-agent priority in safety Reggie Nelson. The biggest knock against the Bengals is they didn't make a splash by signing a high-profile free agent like guard Ben Grubbs or wide receiver Robert Meachem.

The prize of the Bengals' signings is running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who is an improvement over Cedric Benson. Green-Ellis isn't known for breaking long gains, but he is a force in the red zone and has never fumbled in the NFL. Wharton is a step up from Nate Livings at left guard because he is a strong run-blocker who will open holes inside. The biggest losses came on the defensive line, where Cincinnati will miss Frostee Rucker on run defense and Jonathan Fanene in the pass rush.

What’s next: The Bengals can still close the gap between the Ravens and Steelers because they have two first-round picks in the draft (No. 17 overall, which came from Oakland in the Carson Palmer trade, and No. 21). Even with the signing of Wharton, Cincinnati needs a right guard and could have a shot at the top interior offensive lineman coming out of college. Stanford's David DeCastro is one of the safest picks in the draft and would start immediately for the Bengals.

The second first-round pick could be used on a wide receiver or a cornerback. The Bengals surprisingly didn't add a free-agent wide receiver to pair with A.J. Green. Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill or Baylor's Kendall Wright should be available in the bottom third of the draft. Another need is cornerback because Cincinnati could use an eventual replacement for Nate Clements, who is entering his 12th season. Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick, the second best corner in the draft, has a chance of sliding to the Bengals.

Cleveland Browns

Key additions: DE Frostee Rucker, LB D'Qwell Jackson, CB Dimitri Patterson, DE Juqua Parker

Key losses: RB Peyton Hillis (Chiefs), S Mike Adams (Broncos), G Eric Steinbach, OT Tony Pashos

Grade after first wave of free agency: C. Browns president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert said they were building this team through the draft and they weren't joking. The Browns desperately needed to improve at quarterback, wide receiver and right tackle. But Cleveland's offense came out of the initial wave of free agency empty-handed. Blame the Washington Redskins. The Browns attempted to move up in the draft to take Robert Griffin III, and the Rams instead traded the second overall pick to the Redskins. Cleveland reportedly pursued wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan, and both took high-priced deals from Washington.

The Browns provided more help to the defense in free agency. Frostee Rucker will make an impact in stopping the run, which was the biggest weakness on the NFL's 10th-ranked defense. Juqua Parker, who has 31.5 sacks over the past six seasons, will team with Jabaal Sheard to give Cleveland a strong rush coming off both edges. The Browns didn't try to keep Peyton Hillis and Mike Adams from going elsewhere.

What’s next: Offense, offense and offense. Did I mention offense? The Browns need a quarterback but there's no one worthy of the fourth overall pick. Cleveland could trade down to select Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill or wait until the second round for Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden. The big decision comes if the Browns stay put at No. 4. Cleveland's choices are Alabama running back Trent Richardson or Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. The Browns could use either one because they don't have a starting running back or a No. 1 wide receiver.

Cleveland has a second first-round pick as a result of last year's trade with the Atlanta Falcons. The Browns need to target a wide receiver (if they don't take one earlier in the first round), right tackle or outside linebacker with the 22nd overall pick. Baylor receiver Wright, Mississippi offensive tackle Bobby Massie and Nebraska outside linebacker Lavonte David have been linked to Cleveland.

Baltimore Ravens

Key additions: C Matt Birk, ILB Jameel McClain, OLB Brendon Ayanbadejo, CB Corey Graham, S Sean Considine

Key losses: G Ben Grubbs (Saints), OLB Jarret Johnson (Chargers), DE Cory Redding (Colts) and CB Domonique Foxworth

Grade after first wave of free agency: D. The Ravens lost three starters (Ben Grubbs, Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding) from last season's AFC North champion team and have yet to add anyone to replace them. It was a rough start to free agency for Baltimore, which didn't sign any of its first three visits (guard Evan Mathis, defensive end Mark Anderson and receiver-returner Ted Ginn Jr.). The toughest part of free agency was when the Ravens failed to sign Mathis, who re-signed with the Eagles, after Baltimore had just lost Grubbs.

Baltimore was able to keep two free-agent starters, Matt Birk and Jameel McClain, and boost a struggling special-teams group that allowed three touchdowns last season. The Ravens signed Cory Graham, a Pro Bowl special-teams player from the Bears; Brendon Ayanbadejo, a three-time Pro Bowl special-teams standout; and Sean Considine, who played special teams for three seasons under John Harbaugh in Philadelphia.

What’s next: The Ravens' biggest need is at left guard, but there might not be one that warrants being taken at No. 29. Wisconsin center-guard Peter Konz's stock has slipped recently even though he can play guard right away before switching to center in future seasons. It's hard to pin down a player for Baltimore, which can go in a lot of different directions in the first round.

The Ravens could take the best wide receiver available (especially if he's a returner) because they need a third target who can eventually take Anquan Boldin's starting spot. They could take a safety because Ed Reed turns 34 at the start of the season and Bernard Pollard is a free agent next year. And they could take an offensive tackle because they don't have a reliable backup and Bryant McKinnie is a free agent in 2013.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Key additions: None

Key losses: CB William Gay (Cardinals), LB James Farrior, NT Chris Hoke, G Chris Kemoeatu, DE Aaron Smith, WR Hines Ward

Grade after first wave of free agency: D. It's been a quiet free-agency period so far for the Steelers. Then again, it's usually quiet for the Steelers at this point in the offseason. The only team that consistently does less than the Steelers in free agency is the Green Bay Packers.

The Steelers avoided a failing grade because they've lost only two starters from last season's playoff team. James Farrior was cut in the team's salary-cap purge, and William Gay left as an unrestricted free agent. What Pittsburgh really lost in trimming $25 million to get under the cap was veteran depth and leadership. Injuries would force young players to step up into starting roles.

What’s next: There are question marks at running back, guard, inside linebacker, nose tackle and cornerback. Despite all of those needs, the consensus has been Pittsburgh will draft Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower if he's available at No. 24. He has a great combination of size and speed and excelled in a 3-4 defense in college. It seems like Hightower would be the perfect fit for Pittsburgh.

There's no chance that Memphis' Dontari Poe falls to the Steelers, but there some quality nose tackles in the draft. Those who should be available after the first round are: BYU's Loni Fangupo (second round), Washington's Alameda Ta'amu (third round) and Alabama's Josh Chapman (fourth round). The Steelers likely will become active later in free agency, especially in retaining their own players. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, running back Mewelde Moore and quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch could potentially return to the team.

Ben Roethlisberger is a two-time captain. He's led the Steelers to last-minute victories, and he's led them to the Super Bowl.

But the Steelers need more from him this season. They need him to be the leader.

Getting under the salary cap meant cutting three captains: James Farrior on defense, Hines Ward on offense, and Arnaz Battle on special teams. The Steelers also said goodbye to veterans like Aaron Smith and Chris Hoke.

"I can't sit here and say, 'This is our leader,'" Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We're looking for that right now."

The Steelers need to look right at Roethlisberger. He has to be the unquestioned leader of the offense, and the face of the franchise. Just like there's no disputing the leader for the Patriots or the Broncos. That's Tom Brady's team. That's Peyton Manning's team. The Steelers now have to become Ben Roethlisberger's team.

Roethlisberger has been a leader on the field. He's a winner who has guided the Steelers to 80 regular-season victories in 113 games. He's helped Pittsburgh to 20 fourth-quarter comebacks. And he's done this at times while playing with broken bones and playing on one leg.

But there have been signs that Roethlisberger hasn't been the most popular player in the team's locker room.

After his second sexual assault allegation in less than a year, he wasn't voted to be a captain by his teammates in 2010. Some suggested this was an indication that he needed to earn back the trust of his teammates.

It also raised some eyebrows when the Steelers players surprisingly chose receiver-returner Antonio Brown over Roethlisberger as the team's Most Valuable Player last season.



"It can't be something where you just say, 'OK, you're the leader,'" Rooney II told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "The leader has to really be someone that the players buy into. I think we have quite a few good young players who are the kind of players who can be leaders on the team, and we still have veteran players who can play that role, too. But it's something that evolves, and it can't be artificial. It's got to be something that just develops as the chemistry of the team develops every year."

For most franchises, the quarterbacks are the natural leaders. But it hasn't been that way lately for the Steelers. The leadership role on offense has been passed from Jerome Bettis to Hines Ward.

With those players gone, Roethlisberger has to step up more than ever.

While Ed Reed and Chris Crocker would disagree, a majority of those participating in this week's SportsNation poll say Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward was not a dirty player.

In a poll that drew more than 11,000 votes, 62 percent say that Ward didn't cross the line as an aggressive and violent football player. Ward, who announced his retirement Tuesday, has drawn criticism over the years for his hits, and was named the NFL's dirtiest player in a 2009 Sports Illustrated poll.

Here are some comments from the blog and the mail bag regarding Ward's style of play:

Go to War Mrs. Agnes: Dirty Player? Depends on if you're a Steelers fan or not!

Tommy2Steel: After 14 years in the league and consistently delivering those bone-jarring hits, if he truly wanted to end someone's career, I would think the list would be long and distinguished -- but there is no list because it never happened. He was fearsome and he was not afraid to lay the wood to you, but he was not out to end anyone's career.

JustBeWarned: When so many players say you are a dirty player, the argument is over. He's a dirty player. Fans and writers have never been within 10 feet of Hines Ward. What's broadcasted on TV isn't enough for us to be able to judge for ourselves.

Steelers6XSuperbowl Champs: The question is "Is Hines a Dirty Player?" My response is I don't care. All I know is he caught 1,000 passes for a load of yards and was a big part of winning us two Super Bowls. I admit that I usually see things from a black and gold prospective. But you know what, the Steelers have been fun to cheer for since I was a kid and they have six Championships to show for it. Hines will be missed!!!!

Ohiodeclan: Ward was the dirtiest player on a team with a long history of dirty players.

pusencer: Ward was a hard-nosed blocker and played a physical style of ball. He wasn't dirty and played within the rules. The only questionable hit I ever saw him make was on Rivers a couple years back. It was a bit high, but clean. He just didn't see it coming. He should be a Hall of Famer. I'm a browns fan, glad to see him retire. I never saw him as dirty, but definitely intense and physical.

Bob from Winston Salem, N.C.: Concerning Hines Ward being dirty, I would more often call him the King of Unnecessary Roughness. Ward ended Keith Rivers' rookie season with an unnecessary play. The play is going out of bounds, Rivers is at jogging speed trailing the play, Ward lines him up and lays him out breaking his jaw in two places. You cannot break a players jaw with a legal hit. Ward's helmet went up under Rivers facemask. Ward could have just knocked him sideways and instead he took the free lay out hit. Dirty? Perhaps. Unnecessary? Absolutely. If he did that to Tom Brady, Ward would be suspended for a year!

Here's your Saturday morning Wake-up Call:

Hines Ward's retirement press conference showed that the veteran wide receiver and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger were "not chummy," which is how the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette described the relationship.

Bouchette points out that Ward mentioned two quarterbacks -- Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox -- at his press conference Wednesday but he didn't bring up Roethlisberger. And there were a handful of teammates that attended the press conference, but Roethlisberger wasn't amount them.

"Should we draw any conclusions from this. Yes, that the two former teammates were not chummy," Bouchette wrote. "Roethlisberger took the high road when he told me after Ward’s release by the Steelers that the so-called animosity between them was blown out of proportion. Not all teammates are chummy."

Hensley's slant: Roethlisberger and Ward are a good example that quarterbacks and wide receivers don't need to be best buddies to be successful. But they do need to trust one another on the field. And it was evident that Roethlisberger could trust Ward to catch the ball in critical situations and fight for first downs.

BENGALS: Jamaal Anderson is joining the Bengals, the free-agent defensive end posted on Twitter. "I'm excited to say I'm starting a new chapter in my career with the Cincinnati Bengals! Shout out to the WhoDeyNation," Anderson tweeted Friday. Anderson started his first three seasons for the Falcons before becoming part of the Colts' rotation last season. Hensley's slant: The Bengals reached agreements Friday with two defensive ends who were picked eighth overall in their draft class -- Anderson (2007) and Derrick Harvey (2008). Who's next? Greg Ellis? On a serious note, Anderson brings versatility to the Bengals. He played defensive end and tackle last season for the Colts.

BROWNS: The repairs at Cleveland Browns Stadium have been stalled by a court challenge from the low-bidder who was passed over for the work. The Browns, who lease the city-owned stadium, want to refurbish seats and fix concrete before a Kenny Chesney concert July 29. Hensley's slant: Yes, it was a slow end of the week for the Browns in free agency. Actually, the court needs to find some way to repair the Browns' offense as well.

RAVENS: Coach John Harbaugh said it's "definitely a possibility" that backup offensive tackle Jah Reid could replace Ben Grubbs at left guard. "I would say right now, today, he’s the left guard," Harbaugh said, via the Baltimore Sun. "He’s got to earn that spot but we’ll be continuing to look for players. Our goal would be to put the five best offensive linemen on the field. Jah, certainly, I’d like to see him be one of those guys, but it’s up to him to earn that spot.” Hensley's slant: Going from a Pro Bowl guard in Grubbs to a converted one in Reid is a step backward. I still see this as the Ravens' last resort if they can't find a better solution in free agency or the draft.

Restricted free agent Mike Wallace either wants to stay in Pittsburgh or has a really high opinion of himself.

According to the Sacramento Bee, the San Francisco 49ers inquired about Wallace during the first week of free agency but never pursued him because he is seeking a contract that surpasses the eight-year, $120 million deal that Larry Fitzgerald signed last year with the Cardinals.

If this report is accurate, this steep -- and unrealistic -- asking price will scare off any interested team and guarantees Wallace will be staying with the Steelers this season. No team (and there were other interested ones, according to the Sacramento Bee) is going to give that type of contract to Wallace and ship a first-round pick to the Steelers even if he is the best restricted free agent this year.

It seems crazy that Wallace would make such a demand. He's had two 1,000-yard seasons and went to one Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald has produced six 1,000-yard seasons and has gone to six Pro Bowls.

As I proposed last week, Wallace's worth should be between the contracts given to Vincent Jackson (five-year, $55.5 million deal that includes $26 million guaranteed) and DeSean Jackson (five years, maximum value of $51 million, including $15 million guaranteed).

No one is going to put Wallace in the same category as Fitzgerald or Calvin Johnson.

At this point, there's really only one team that might be interested in pursuing Wallace and that's the Denver Broncos, who might want to upgrade their wide receiver group for recently signed quarterback Peyton Manning. But the Broncos won't be interested unless Wallace's price goes down.

The deadline to extend offer sheets to restricted free agents is April 20.

Wallace's reported high demands work in the Steelers' favor this year, but there is still some concern. Just ask quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Asked whether he's nervous about losing his leading receiver, Roethlisberger told WDVE radio in Pittsburgh on Wednesday: "Nervous isn't the word -- scared to death. I communicate with Mike. I wake up every day and I'm like, 'Mike, please don't go anywhere. I'm begging you.' I'm going to beg right now over the radio. Don't go anywhere, Mike."

Roethlisberger is the latest to urge Wallace to stay with the Steelers. Hines Ward did the same at his retirement news conference on Tuesday.

"He's someone we need to have here," Roethlisberger said. "I'll be disappointed if he goes somewhere [this year]. I've got a good feeling he's not. But I'm still begging every day and praying that he doesn't go anywhere."

(Special thanks to Neil Coolong, a friend of the AFC North blog, for passing this report along).

A day after Hines Ward was released on Feb. 29, I took the stance that he deserves to get inducted into the Hall of Fame because of his productivity, consistency and toughness.

In revisiting this subject after Ward's retirement Tuesday, the best argument for Ward's enshrinement is that there are only two players in NFL history to catch 1,000 passes and win multiple Super Bowls: Ward and Jerry Rice. That's elite status, which is what the Hall of Fame represents. It's the best of the best.

Jason Vida from ESPN Stats & Information examined Ward's Hall of Fame credentials in a manner that the folks from ESPN Stats & Information usually do. You should click on the link to read the entire blog, but I wanted to highlight a couple of points.

Ward's production as a receiver -- he finished in the top 20 all-time in catches, receiving yards and touchdown catches -- is even more impressive when you consider the Steelers were one of the top running teams for much of his 14-year career. According to S&I, Pittsburgh ran the ball on 48.8 percent of its plays from 1998-2011. No other team ran the ball on more than 47 percent of its snaps over that span.

While it's debatable that Ward was the NFL's best receiver in any given year, he will be remembered as the greatest blocking wide receiver in league history. During Ward's NFL career, only the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars gained more rushing yards than the Steelers. How much of an impact did Ward make? Just take a look at last year. According to S&I, the Steelers averaged 5.3 yards per rush with Ward on the field compared to 4.1 with him on the sideline.

Other wide receivers will make more catches than Ward. Others will score more touchdowns. But no one will be as complete a wide receiver as Ward. And, for that, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Unlike Hines Ward at his retirement press conference, there are players around the league who won't be shedding a tear that he is leaving the game.

That includes Bengals safety Chris Crocker, who told the team's official website that Ward "was a dirty player."

You can give Ward a lot of labels but "dirty" should not be among them. He was aggressive, violent, and, yes, often annoying to linebackers and defensive backs alike.

It's true that Ward was named the NFL's dirtiest player in a 2009 Sports Illustrated poll. So, it's not just Steeler-hating fans who are calling Ward out. It's his peers.

Still, this doesn't mean that Ward is dirty. When you play Ward's style, you're not going to gain many friends around the league. Players don't like it when they're running along minding their own business and find themselves face first in the ground a second later. And they really don't like it when it's a 6-foot wide receiver who put them there.

But Ward never stomped on someone's face during a game. He didn't even stand over them to taunt after a hit. In fact, there was one hit where Ward leveled Ravens safety Ed Reed and waved to signal for a trainer immediately afterward. That's not dirty.

Others have a different opinion like Crocker, who said Ward "tried to end people's careers and that's not the way the game is supposed to be played."

Crocker said Ward punched him in the face at the snap of the ball in 2009, a year after Ward's blindside block broke the jaw of Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers and ended his rookie season.

"He was a dirty player, but he made a lot of plays," Crocker said. "They used him perfectly to suit his abilities and he was a big-time player for them. Some people might think of him as a borderline Hall of Famer, but I think the fact he helped them win two Super Bowls and all the things he did for that team make him deserving."

This really is the greatness of Ward. How many players are criticized and respected in the same breath? He was one of the all-time best villains for opposing teams. He was the type of player that you wanted to have as a teammate but hated (and feared) to line up against.

“I love Hines as a player and I told him that,” Reed said last summer. “But I told him also for a long time, ‘You’re a dirty player because I know how you play.’”

Players won't miss keeping their heads on a swivel when Ward was on the field, but they will always remember the passion and intensity that he brought to every play.

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

The Browns are among four teams interested in Bengals free-agent linebacker Manny Lawson, according to Fox Sports and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Lawson, 27, would take the place of strongside linebacker Scott Fujita and help improve the NFL's 30th-ranked run defense. He signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Bengals last offseason.

The Raiders, Colts and Packers are the other teams who have been linked to Lawson, the 22nd overall pick of the 2006 draft.

Hensley's slant: The Bengals had one of the NFL's best run defenses in the first half of last season, so it would be a smart move to add Lawson after signing defensive end Frostee Rucker. It's believed that the Bengals originally signed Lawson to improve their pass rush, but Lawson made his biggest impact against the run.

BENGALS: Cincinnati made a "significant offer" to pass-rusher Kamerion Wimbley before he signed a five-year, $35 million deal with the Titans, a couple of sources told the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Bengals were one of five teams who expressed interest in signing him along with the Patriots, Seahawks and Packers. Wimbley would have replaced Lawson as the team's strongside linebacker. Hensley's slant: The Bengals didn't get their targeted player, but this once again shows that the team was aggressive in free agency. Wimbley would have been an upgrade over Lawson because of his ability to get to the quarterback. Cincinnati can always turn to its fallback option in Lawson.

RAVENS: Patriots free-agent defensive end Mark Anderson made a visit to the Ravens on Tuesday, league sources told the Baltimore Sun. Anderson, 28, recorded 10 sacks and forced two fumbles last season as an edge rusher for the Patriots. He has previously visited the Tennessee Titans (who are out of the running after signing Wimbley) and Miami Dolphins and will meet with the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday. Hensley's slant: Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has always said a team can't have enough pass-rushers. Anderson, though, could serve a dual purpose for Baltimore. He could replace outside linebacker Jarret Johnson, who signed with the San Diego Chargers in free agency.

STEELERS: Hines Ward sought counsel from former Pittsburgh running back Jerome Bettis before he decided to retire. "He just asked me about retirement and other teams," Bettis told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "And I just told him that his true value is always having a Steeler helmet attached to him, and, when you leave, you lose some of that mystique. For a guy who's played his entire career in Pittsburgh, I just thought it would be a shame if he put another helmet on for someone else for a year or two." Hensley's slant: If anyone knows how to go out in style, it would be Bettis. He retired a Steelers after winning the Super Bowl in February 2006 in his hometown of Detroit. As the Post-Gazette described it, this was the perfect exit. But Ward's goodbye proved to be equally as touching.

A look at the final numbers for Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, who retired today:

1 -- Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award (February 2006 against Seattle)

2 -- Players in NFL history with at least 1,000 receptions and two Super Bowl rings (Ward and Jerry Rice)

3 -- Steelers MVP awards (2002, 2003 and 2005)

4 -- Pro Bowls (2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004)

11 -- Consecutive seasons as the team's leading receiver

14 -- Seasons in the NFL (two more than any Steelers wide receiver)

29 -- 100-yard receiving games (most by a Steelers player)

85 -- Touchdown catches (22 more than any other Steelers player)

186 -- Consecutive games with at least one catch

428 -- Career rushing yards (most by a Steelers wide receiver)

526 -- Points scored (fifth most in team history)

1,000 -- Career catches (ranks 8th all time)

12,083 -- Receiving yards (18th in NFL history)

25,924 -- Hits on opposing players (OK, this was my best estimate)