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Former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians' "retirement" lasted eight days. And Arians has landed in an unlikely destination.

Arians has agreed to become the Indianapolis Colts' new offensive coordinator, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Why is that so unlikely?

Well, this move means last year's Steelers offensive coordinator will join last year's Ravens defensive coordinator. Chuck Pagano was named the Colts' head coach two days ago. Guess there is more respect than hate in the Steelers-Ravens rivalry, at least on the coaching end.

Arians' five-year run as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator was disappointing considering the talent he had at the skill positions. But he will be a good fit for the Colts' in terms of scheme.

He was responsible for the Steelers going from a run-first to a pass-heavy offense. Whether the Colts are sticking with Peyton Manning or drafting Andrew Luck, Indianapolis will rely heavily on the passing game. The hiring of Arians certainly points in that direction.

At this point, it's assumed that the Colts and Manning are headed for a split. But, as one of our blog readers (SteelBlitz27) pointed out, this is a reunion for Arians and Manning. Arians was Manning's first quarterbacks coach, serving that role from 1998 to 2000.

Arians' return to coaching was a quick one. On Jan. 20, the Steelers sent out an official statement saying Arians had informed coach Mike Tomlin that he was retiring. A few days later, Arians revealed that he was pushed out after team president Art Rooney II informed him that his contract was not being renewed.

The Steelers and Colts don't play each other in the regular season in 2012.

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

A shocked Ben Roethlisberger wants answers from team president Art Rooney II following the "retirement" of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

"When I get back, I'm going to go up to Mr. Rooney's office and ask him what he wants from me, what he wants from this offense, because I think that's a viable question for him," Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu. "He's our owner and our boss, so I really would like to know kind of what he wants and where he sees our offense going because I'd like to tell him where I see us going."

The Steelers announced Arians had retired, but he later said his contract wasn't renewed by the team. Arians had been the only offensive coordinator in coach Mike Tomlin's five seasons as Steelers head coach.

Roethlisberger, who is close with Arians, invited him to Hawaii as his guest for the Pro Bowl, but Arians decided not to go after he was no longer with the team.

Roethlisberger was described as being "miffed" by the timing of the Steelers' move with Arians.

"We feel like we are really close to being an elite offense," Roethlisberger told the Tribune-Review. "For your leader to be gone is kind of a shocker for us, but you've got to be ready for it, and whatever the Rooneys and coach Tomlin decide is our next step. I think the [Steelers'] mind was made up, and B.A. was kind of ready to move on as well."

Hensley's slant: Roethlisberger has to be worried about the direction of the offense. Team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Rooney wants the offense to go back to its blue-collar identity of the past. The trouble is, the Steelers are built to throw the ball with one of the best young and fast receiving groups in the league. You can criticize Arians' play calling. But it's hard to argue that the Steelers should go back to a run-first offense.

BENGALS: Mike Zimmer is returning for his fifth season as the Bengals defensive coordinator, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported, after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Rutgers' Greg Schiano as their head coach. Zimmer also had been in the running for the Miami Dolphins job before Joe Philbin was hired. While Zimmer is coming back, defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle is expected to be named the Dolphins' defensive coordinator. Hensley's slant: If the Bengals had their way, this is how it would have played out. Cincinnati didn't want to lose Coyle, but it was more important to keep Zimmer. The Bengals defense will remain a top-10 one under his direction.

BROWNS: Brad Childress is close to becoming the Browns' offensive coordinator, sources told The Plain Dealer. For more, click on the AFC North blog posted last night. Hensley's slant: My take on the probable hiring will be posted shortly.

RAVENS: In his introductory news conference as the new Colts head coach, former Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said he went from an all-time low -- the loss in the AFC championship game was his most devastating one ever -- to an all-time high. “As fate would have it, I’ve got to be honest with you, I thought for sure that I was going to be coming to Indy to play for a world championship," Pagano said, via The Indianapolis Star. "That’s what I thought I was going to be coming here for, and certainly not standing before you today as the next head football coach of the Indianapolis Colts." Hensley's slant: Don't be surprised if Pagano takes some Ravens with him. Pagano's first target should be outside linebacker Jarret Johnson, who will be a free agent, because he'll need a leader who can explain the defensive system to the other players. It would be like when Rex Ryan brought Bart Scott along to the New York Jets. Defensive line coach Clarence Brooks could also follow Pagano to Indianapolis.

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

Browns owner Randy Learner stressed that he does care about the team despite a reputation of being an "absentee owner."

"I do care. Of course I care," Lerner told WTAM-AM radio in Cleveland, via The Chronicle-Telegram. "I don't know ways of showing you care are clear to me other than to provide support and show up. It sickens me when we lose games. It sickens me when we have a season like we’ve just had."

Lerner believes president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert are the right men to guide the Browns into the playoffs.

“It’s not a business where you’re going to get time,” Lerner said. “But we’re not going to get anywhere if you keep turning this thing over. Mike Holmgren is as honorable and committed a football leader as I’ve been around.”

Hensley's slant: Lerner has repeatedly shown that he cares when he has fired coaches and general managers in search of the winning combination. If he didn't care, he would keep the status quo so he doesn't have to pay ex-members of the staff even after they leave. It's not a question of whether he cares or not. It's a question of whether he'll get the right people in place.

BENGALS: Mike Zimmer is now on the radar of the Indianapolis Colts, who have asked for permission to speak to the Bengals defensive coordinator about their head-coaching position, according to ESPN and the Indianapolis Star. It's been a busy month for Zimmer, who remains in the running for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head coaching job but was eliminated from consideration for the Miami Dolphins' opening. Hensley's slant: It's hard to gauge the Colts' interest in Zimmer because it's so early in their search process. Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray are also expected to interview with the Colts. It's still a good sign that teams are interested in speaking to Zimmer. He just has to wonder whether getting turned down by multiple teams this year would hurt his stock going forward.

STEELERS: A decision on offensive coordinator Bruce Arians is expected soon, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The paper reported this week that Arians might not return to the team. If Arians is gone, the Steelers are expected to promote from within. According to the Post-Gazette, running backs coach Kirby Wilson was Arians' likely successor, but his health, after suffering severe burns over 45 percent of his body in a fire Jan. 6 at his home, "precludes that possibility." Hensley's slant: Why shouldn't the Steelers promote from within? It's been a successful formula for the Steelers to maintain some continuity at offensive coordinator. This has worked with Tom Moore, Chan Gailey, Mike Mularkey, Ken Whisenhunt and Arians.

RAVENS: There will be continued coverage of the team today heading into the AFC Championship Game, from the prediction blog to a column on Ed Reed to the Final Word blog.

The Ravens might be hard-pressed to keep their heir apparent to general manager Ozzie Newsome.

Four teams -- the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders -- are reportedly interested in Ravens director of player personnel Eric DeCosta for their general manager openings. The Colts, Rams and one other team have already received permission to interview DeCosta and plan to meet with him in the next couple of days, according to The Baltimore Sun.

DeCosta has long been considered the successor-in-waiting to Newsome, the team's only general manager, who turns 56 in March but has never publicly hinted at retirement. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has rewarded DeCosta for his loyalty -- he removed his name from the Seahawks' general manager search in 2009 -- with an increase in pay and responsibility.

"I think Eric knows how highly regarded he is in Baltimore, but when you have a guy as successful as Ozzie Newsome in the job, there's not a ton of promises that you can make," Bisciotti said in March 2010. "I think Eric is smart enough to see what happened with Phil [Savage] and George [Kokinis], and he'll probably limit himself to consideration of just a handful of jobs. His relationship with Ozzie is just as solid as any relationship I've seen in the NFL. He's so happy in his job that I think it will take a perfect job to get his serious consideration. Eric is going to make a great GM someday."

The problem for the Ravens is that the perfect job could be coming DeCosta's way. With four teams in the mix, the competition for DeCosta might result in a deal that he can't refuse.

DeCosta officially became Newsome's right-hand man in the war room in 2005, when Savage left for the Cleveland Browns' general manager job. One team official said DeCosta sets up the draft and Newsome makes the final decisions.

What makes DeCosta attractive to so many teams is his age (40), track record and a thoroughness that highlights his desire for better results.

"We even grade our lunches," DeCosta once said. "If I say it's a 6.2 lunch - all the guys know what that means: pretty good, but not great. A 7.5 is like the Pro Bowl; if I say the soup is a 7.5 today, everybody runs to get the soup."

Thoughts on the Cincinnati Bengals' 27-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts:

What it means: The Bengals match their win total from all of last season and ended a seven-game losing streak to the Colts. It's been an improbable start for Cincinnati, which was predicted to finish last in the AFC North. Six weeks into the regular season, Cincinnati has the same record (4-2) as the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Thumbs up: The NFL's top-ranked defense lived up to its label. Cornerback Nate Clements forced a fumble in Indianapolis territory to set up the Bengals' first touchdown, and Carlos Dunlap returned a Colts fumble 35 yards in the fourth quarter to finish off Cincinnati's third straight win. Overall, the Bengals forced three turnovers.

Thumbs down: The Bengals continually hurt themselves with 11 penalties for 111 yards. The Colts were flagged twice.

Road block: Clements came up big in the fourth quarter when he blocked Adam Vinatieri's 52-yard field goal. It would have tied the game with 5:38 left in the game.

What's next: The Bengals get a well-deserved bye before playing at Seattle.

Most of the AFC North can breathe a sigh of relief. Indianapolis Colts quarterback and future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning will not be available to carve up the defenses of the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers this season.

Manning had additional neck surgery and will be out for an undisclosed amount of time. He's expected to miss games against the Browns (Sept. 18), Steelers (Sept. 25) and Bengals (Oct. 16).

Although no one wants players to suffer injuries, most of the division caught a break. The Browns and Bengals had very little chance of beating the Colts with Manning. Now, it's a competitive contest. The Steelers should be sizable favorites against Indianapolis.

The Ravens may have the short end of the stick. The Colts play the Baltimore Ravens on December 11 and Manning has a better chance of playing in that game. Manning has been one of Baltimore's biggest nemeses over the years.

Here are the latest happenings Thursday evening in the AFC North:

• Will the Cleveland Browns go 7-9 this season?
  
• The Pittsburgh Steelers' secondary is learning from defensive backs coach Carnell Lake.
• The Baltimore Ravens have several players on the bubble.
  
• Here is the scouting report for the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts.

Here are the most interesting stories Wednesday in the AFC North:

• Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will sit Thursday's preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.

Morning take: Roethlisberger looks ready for the regular season. He will have two weeks to rest, while backups Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch compete for the No. 2 role.

• Running back Peyton Hillis could be the next Cleveland Brown to get a contract extension.

Morning take: This has been a great year for Hillis, who is on the cover of "Madden NFL 12." There are concerns about his durability. But there's no question he's one of the top players on the team.

• Which players are on the roster bubble for the Baltimore Ravens?

Morning take: I like the battle at running back between Jalen Parmele and rookie Anthony Allen. Both probably can help as backups. But only one will make the 53-man roster.

• Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson and new corner Kelly Jennings are out for Thursday's preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts.

Morning take: Benson has been out of town resolving his legal issues and probably doesn’t need to take the pounding anyway. Jennings could use the work but it’s too soon after just getting traded.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has said countless times that he's all about winning. On Monday, he took another step to prove it.

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Roethlisberger has agreed to restructure his $102 million contract to help the Steelers get under the salary cap. It is well-documented that Pittsburgh began the summer more than $10 million over the cap and needs to shave salaries by the end of this week to reach compliance.

Pittsburgh already has made several veteran cuts with receiver Antwaan Randle El and offensive tackles Max Starks and Flozell Adams. But Roethlisberger is Pittsburgh's highest-paid player, and his restructuring should go a long way to help Pittsburgh keep the rest of its veteran talent.

Several high-profile quarterbacks have taken less money or restructured deals to help their franchises, including Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and, most recently, Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts.

Here are the most interesting stories Thursday in the AFC North:

• The attorneys for Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson says they will fight the assault charge and are willing to explain the situation to interested teams.

Morning take: Unfortunately for Benson, time is not on his side. Free agency is set to begin soon, and teams like the Bengals will have to decide whether to invest millions in Benson with a legal case still pending.

• Is Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger comparable to Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts?

Morning take: Not in terms of numbers and quarterbacking styles. Manning is very conventional, while Roethlisberger plays a backyard brand of football. But both are effective and won three combined Super Bowls.

• Baltimore Ravens corner and pending free agent Chris Carr wants a starting role if he returns.

Morning take: Right now there's a three-way battle for two slots between Jimmy Smith, Lardarius Webb and Domonique Foxworth, who are all under contract. If Carr wants to start again he may have to look elsewhere in free agency.

• The Cleveland Browns hired former tight end Aaron Shea to be the team's director of player engagement.

Morning take: Shea replaces longtime Browns employee Jerry Butler, who did a commendable job in that role. Cleveland has made a lot of changes in the second year under president Mike Holmgren.

Here are the most interesting stories Wednesday in the AFC North:

• Pat Kirwan of NFL.com wonders if the Baltimore Ravens are ready to supplant the Pittsburgh Steelers in the division.

Morning take: I won't make any predictions before free agency and training camp, but this is shaping up to be a two-team race in the AFC North. The Week 1 matchup will be a huge tone-setter for both teams.

• The Wall Street Journal takes an in-depth look at the costly contract Hamilton County (Ohio) has with the Cincinnati Bengals to build and maintain Paul Brown Stadium.

Morning take: This is a very sore topic for Cincinnati residents and Bengals fans. Adding salt to the wound is the fact the Bengals routinely put out a losing product and hasn't won a playoff game in 20 years, leaving many in Hamilton County feeling empty.

• Mike Duffy from BaltimoreRavens.com asks an interesting question: Who is Baltimore's biggest non-Steelers rival?

Morning take: There are several good candidates, but I have to go with Indianapolis. Not only do the Colts regularly break the Ravens' hearts, but the history of the Colts moving to Indy adds to the furor.

• Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports corner Sheldon Brown and linebacker Scott Fujita are teaching teammates the 4-3 defense.

Morning take: Cleveland is playing a 4-3 for the first time since 2005. It's not going to be an easy transition, but it's wise for veterans in the know to help the other players.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley believes Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco will never win a Super Bowl "in this lifetime."

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones says Flacco can't handle pressure and makes too many bad decisions.

NFL Network analyst Jamie Dukes says Flacco doesn't work hard enough.

In other words, there has been no shortage of offseason jabs at Flacco, who has become the biggest punching bag in the AFC North during the NFL lockout. The list of detractors questioning Flacco's ability to take the Ravens to the next level appears to be growing every month.

But there is hope for the talented, fourth-year quarterback. Flacco, 26, is still young and entering his prime. So now is the time to put all of those concerns to rest.

With that in mind, here are five ways Flacco can silence his many critics in 2011:

No. 1: Flacco must beat Pittsburgh and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

Analysis: There are no more excuses. Flacco has to beat his biggest rival in a big game. Flacco has two career wins against Pittsburgh but both come with an asterisk. Roethlisberger missed those games due to a concussion in 2009 and a suspension at the beginning of the 2010 season. Flacco is 0-6 in his career against the Steelers with Roethlisberger under center, which includes an 0-2 record in the playoffs. The good news is Flacco doesn't have to wait long for another shot. The Ravens host the Steelers in Week 1, and Woodley has already upped the ante for Flacco, who must perform well. A big win against Pittsburgh early could set the tone for the Ravens, who need to move on from last year's heartbreaking playoff defeat. It also would lift a huge burden off Flacco and could begin to change his reputation as a quarterback who struggles in big games.

No. 2: Flacco must perform well in the playoffs

Analysis: Advancing to the AFC title game as a rookie was one of the best and worst things to happen to Flacco. He did something few rookie quarterbacks have accomplished. But it also raised the bar much higher for Flacco than it is for your typical young quarterbacks. Flacco is 4-3 in the playoffs but played well in only one of those seven games. Other than Baltimore's wild-card victory over the Kansas City Chiefs last January, the Ravens have carried Flacco in the postseason. In Flacco's four playoff wins, Baltimore's defense held opponents to just 10 points per game, while Flacco did enough to manage the offense. If Flacco wants to become a great quarterback, that needs to change. The Ravens' defense cannot pitch a near-perfect game every time in the postseason (see recent playoff losses to the Indianapolis Colts and Steelers). There will be times Flacco has to carry the team with his arm in a big game. Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers last season was a perfect example of how a hot quarterback makes a world of difference in the postseason.

No. 3: Thrive against the AFC North

Analysis: There is a reason Woodley and Jones were blunt in their criticism of Flacco. Based on what happened on the field in recent seasons, they both have the right to speak on Flacco's struggles. The Steelers and Bengals have been two of Flacco's biggest nemeses early in his career. Flacco is a combined 5-9 against his two AFC North rivals and has thrown 11 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 14 career games. Regardless of whether you believe Jones and Woodley should have made their comments public, the numbers back up their claims. Flacco has to play these teams at least four times per year and needs to perform better against AFC North competition.

No. 4: Bring back the deep ball

Analysis: Some teams have figured out how to defend Flacco and the Ravens' offense, because Baltimore hasn't thrown the deep ball much the past couple of seasons. Derrick Mason and Anquan Boldin are both possession receivers, and when they're not open, Flacco often checks down to running back Ray Rice. The offensive pattern has become predictable and drawn the ire of media and fans in Baltimore. Despite a lot of talent, the Ravens finished a disappointing 22nd in total offense last season. Flacco has one of the prettiest deep balls in the league, and it will be up to offensive coordinator Cam Cameron to find more ways to play to Flacco's strengths. The Ravens have lacked a deep threat in the past but hope rookie second-round pick Torrey Smith brings the speed they've been looking for to keep defenses honest. Including playoffs, Flacco only had one 300-yard passing game all last season, and it came against the 2-14 Carolina Panthers.

No. 5: Win a Super Bowl

Analysis: Winning a Super Bowl is the great equalizer. Baltimore's roster is stacked, which is why there is so much pressure and Super Bowl talk surrounding Flacco. Quarterbacks always get most of the credit for the team's success or most of the blame for its failure. So Flacco could silence everyone -- Woodley, Dhani Jones, media and fans -- by finally winning the big game. Even getting the Ravens to the Super Bowl would do wonders for Flacco's reputation.

If Flacco follows these five not-so-easy steps, he will have a much quieter offseason in 2012. Can Flacco accomplish some, or all, of these goals this upcoming season?

Stay tuned.

The Baltimore Ravens will hold a news conference Thursday to announce the retirement of longtime kicker Matt Stover, the team announced on its website. Stover had a distinguished 19-year career spent mostly with the Cleveland Browns and Ravens.

Stover became the most famous holdover between the rival franchises when the Browns left Cleveland and moved to Baltimore. He kicked for the Ravens during the team's first 13 seasons, which included Baltimore's Super Bowl run in 2000. Stover also spent five seasons kicking for the Browns.

Stover most recently had a brief stint with the Indianapolis Colts in 2009 and became the oldest player to participate in a Super Bowl. He was 42 at the time.

Stover will retire with a career field-goal percentage of 83.7 and will be remembered as one of the most reliable kickers in NFL history.

ESPN.com's NFL writers rank the top 10 safeties in the league today. Next week: top 10 owners.

When it comes to rating NFL safeties, there's Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed followed by a huge gap before everyone else.

As expected, the star safeties for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens dominated ESPN.com's positional Power Rankings this week. No other safety received a vote higher than third place.

But what is surprising is that Polamalu -- the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year -- became the first player in this year's series to sweep all eight first-place votes. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots did the same among head coaches.

This should finally put to rest the "Troy Reed" debate that has been raging for years between these two great safeties. According to our panel, there is a clear separation between the two. Reed received all second-place votes to finish with 72 points.

"Polamalu and Reed are the secondary's version of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. They are the gold standard of safety play," AFC West blogger Bill Williamson said. "While Reed is great, Polamalu is stunning. I've never seen him play and not make a jaw-dropping play."

Both safeties have different styles. But our panel preferred Polamalu's versatility to play closer to the line of scrimmage. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau uses Polamalu all over the field to help defend both the run and the pass.

Reed is more of a ballhawking safety who defends the deep portion of the field. He led the NFL with eight interceptions last season despite missing six games because of offseason hip surgery.

"Taking nothing away from Ed Reed, who is a great player in his own right, but Troy Polamalu is the first guy I think of when I think of safeties," NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas said. "He's been a huge force in Pittsburgh's recent championships. He's just a great all-around player and still in the prime of a career that's going to land him in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot."

Don't fret, Reed supporters. Someone is in your corner.

Earlier this year I interviewed former five-time Pro Bowl safety and current ESPN analyst Darren Woodson, who said he would choose Reed over Polamalu.

"As far as changing the game, I would probably start my defense with Ed Reed, to be honest with you," Woodson explained. "I know I can put him in any situation. I know I can put him on any team, and he will be the free safety in the middle of the field who makes plays on the ball. Now, Troy, it will be a little different. If you put him in a conventional defense, he's probably not going to be the same guy."

The best of the rest: There wasn't much of a consensus after Polamalu and Reed.

Fresh off a big interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLV, Nick Collins of the Green Bay Packers finished third with 56 points. But Collins received votes as high as third and as low as seventh. He was a distant 24 points behind Polamalu and 16 points behind Reed.

Adrian Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals finished fourth, but he drew the widest range of votes among safeties in the top 10. ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton and Bill Williamson ranked Wilson No. 3, and NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert ranked Wilson No. 10.

In the final tally, Kansas City Chiefs upstart Eric Berry was fifth, Michael Griffin of the Tennessee Titans placed sixth and Donte Whitner of the Buffalo Bills finished seventh. New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather was eighth, Antrel Rolle of the New York Giants was ninth and the Indianapolis Colts' Antoine Bethea and LaRon Landry of the Washington Redskins tied for 10th.

"There is a pretty wide gap for sure after the top two," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. "Nick Collins would be my third safety, but the gap is pretty large. I think it is because Troy and Reed are just so good."

Seventeen safeties received votes, which was the second-highest total to date in our Power Rankings. Last month, 23 cornerbacks received votes for our top 10.

In addition, every voter had at least one player on his ballot who failed to make the cut. For example, NFC West blogger Mike Sando and I both voted for longtime St. Louis Rams safety and current Redskin Oshiomogho Atogwe, who finished 14th.

"I really struggled putting together the list after Polamalu and Reed," Sando said. "I kept shuffling around names and eliminating various guys, only to revive them out of necessity. This wasn't a list to feel good about."

What about Bob? It was not long ago when Bob Sanders was mentioned in the same sentence as Reed and Polamalu. When healthy, Sanders was a game-changing safety and helped lead the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl title after the 2006 season.

But for the past three seasons, Sanders has been injured and spent more time off the field than on it. The Colts cut Sanders, and he was picked up this offseason by the San Diego Chargers.

It's dramatic how fast and how far Sanders has fallen out of the conversation. He didn't receive a single vote from our panel.

"Sanders just hasn't played," AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky explained. "In his prime and healthy, he's fantastic. But who knows if we will see that again. He's played nine games in the last three years. There is no reason to even consider him for a list like this at this point."

The next generation: Polamalu (30) and Reed (32) will not play forever. Therefore, someone needs to step up as the next great safety to carry the torch Polamalu and Reed will leave behind.

Berry, 22, is the most likely candidate. The 2010 first-round pick was voted in the top five after helping lead the Chiefs to the postseason. Berry recorded 92 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions his rookie season.

"I think it's safe to project that Berry will be the premier safety in the NFL in the second half of this decade," Bill Williamson said. "He became the signature player on a surprise playoff team as a rookie. Soon, he will be the face of a rising organization."

Other up-and-coming candidates include Whitner (25), Bethea (26) and Landry (26). Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas, 21, also garnered votes from two panelists.

"Eric Berry and Earl Thomas should lead the next wave of top safeties," Sando said. "Berry's peers voted him among the top 100 players in the game for 2011, but I think it's premature to say Berry or any other second-year player is going to become the next Polamalu or Reed. Those guys have set such a high standard."

ESPN.com revealed its most high-profile and perhaps controversial Power Rankings to date on Tuesday. This week we ranked the glamour position of quarterback, which always makes for a heated debate.

Two AFC North quarterbacks made the top 10. Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers was a no-brainer. He's played in three Super Bowls, winning two. Roethlisberger finished No. 5 in the rankings behind Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. I voted Roethlisberger fourth and Rodgers fifth, but you can make a strong case for both quarterbacks, who are at the top of their game.

But what is debatable is whether Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco deserves to be on this list.

Is Flacco a top-10 quarterback? He was tied for the final spot with Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys to make the cut. I've watched more Flacco games in person than anyone on the panel and he didn't make my top 10. I had Flacco rated No. 12 on my ballot behind Romo (No. 10) and Matt Schaub (No. 11) of the Houston Texans.

In three seasons, Flacco has yet to beat the Steelers when Roethlisberger is at quarterback and needs to perform better in the postseason. Therefore, I cannot consider him elite. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome recently echoed these sentiments.

But I've liked Flacco's skills from Day 1, and I believe he's ready for a breakthrough season in his fourth year. He has a lot of natural ability, and once he combines that with more consistency and big-game performances, he will be dangerous.

Flacco also is showing more edge and leadership in the past year, which I think is needed for any starting quarterback. Flacco has the tools. He just needs to put it all together in 2011.

ESPN.com's Quarterback Power Rankings

1. Tom Brady, Patriots

2. Peyton Manning, Colts

3. Drew Brees, Saints

4. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

5. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

6. Philip Rivers, Chargers

7 (tie). Michael Vick, Eagles

7 (tie). Matt Ryan, Falcons

9. Eli Manning, Giants

10. (tie) Joe Flacco, Ravens

10. (tie) Tony Romo, Cowboys

Walker's Quarterback Power Rankings

1. Tom Brady, Patriots

2. Peyton Manning, Colts

3. Drew Brees, Saints

4. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

5. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

6. Philip Rivers, Chargers

7. Michael Vick, Eagles

8. Eli Manning, Giants

9. Matt Ryan, Falcons

10. Tony Romo, Cowboys