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Two days into what had been an impressive draft for the Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN's Tedy Bruschi said, "If there was a year they can win the division, it's this year." Herm Edwards raised expectations even higher, predicting the Bengals would win the AFC North by two games.

Did the Bengals do enough this offseason to surpass the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens? The answer lies with quarterback Andy Dalton.

The Bengals can take the next step only if Dalton does. Over the course of three days in the NFL draft, Cincinnati did everything it could to help the offense and its third-year starting quarterback. In turn, it increased the pressure on Dalton to deliver in the red zone, on third downs and in the playoffs.

It started in the first round when the Bengals passed on drafting a strong safety, the team's most pressing need, in favor of taking Notre Dame's Tyler Eifert, the best tight end in the draft. Before the second round, the Bengals re-signed free-agent right tackle Andre Smith, which brought back all five starters from the NFL's second-best pass-blocking offensive line. Then, with its first pick in the second round, Cincinnati made North Carolina's speedy Giovani Bernard the first running back taken in this year's draft.

Two poor performances in the playoffs have raised questions whether Dalton is a franchise quarterback. The Bengals should be able to determine that this year after adding these playmakers.

Dalton now has another big target inside the 20-yard line with Eifert. He has an exciting checkdown option with Bernard, a luxury that Joe Flacco has enjoyed for years with Ray Rice. This is in addition to throwing to two Pro Bowl players, wide receiver A.J. Green and tight end Jermaine Gresham, and handing the ball off to grind-it-out back BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

There is no reason for this offense to rank 22nd in the NFL or flame out in the playoffs, as it did last year. I'm not the only one saying that, either.

"There shouldn’t be any excuses,” Dalton told reporters this week. “The players we already have and adding these guys is just going to make the offense better. So I expect us to take the next step. I expect us to improve from where we were last year. Time will tell, but we’ve got the right attitude going in and the way we’ve been working. I don’t expect any less.”

Right now, Dalton is a good quarterback, not a great one. He's right in the middle of the pack of NFL starters. Dalton has potential and a lot of qualities that you can't teach quarterbacks. He's smart. He has a feel for reading defenses. He has great anticipation to throw the ball even before his receiver breaks out of his route.

In his first two years, Dalton has done something that hadn't been accomplished in Cincinnati in more than three decades -- lead the Bengals to the playoffs in back-to-back years. He also has thrown 47 touchdowns in 32 career games. The only quarterbacks who have passed for more in their first two seasons in the NFL are Dan Marino (68) and Peyton Manning (52).

But in a division with Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco, two quarterbacks who have combined for 19 playoff wins and three Super Bowl titles, a quarterback is going to be judged by the postseason. Dalton is 0-2 in the playoffs and is a major reason for those defeats. He threw three interceptions in his first playoff game in the 2011 postseason (including a critical pick returned for a touchdown by J.J. Watt) and failed to complete half of his throws in his second postseason game in the 2012 playoffs.

Dalton knows he has to be better than no touchdowns and four interceptions in two playoff games. He knows he has to complete more than 47.5 percent of his passes on third down. He knows the Bengals must improve from being the NFL's 16th-best red zone offense. And he knows he can't commit 20 turnovers (16 interceptions, four fumbles) and have four of them returned for touchdowns as he did last season.

What impresses me the most about Dalton is how he handles criticism. When he was getting bashed for a lack of arm strength last season, he showed swagger that's not often seen in young quarterbacks. Dalton handled the addition of these young playmakers on offense the same way.

“I don’t feel more pressure,” Dalton said. “I expect to be better this year. Regardless if we didn’t get anybody, I would still expect to be better. The more weapons we have, the better I feel.”

I get the feeling that the Bengals want Dalton to feel pressure this year, which is a different approach. Last year, coach Marvin Lewis said he didn't want Dalton to listen to criticism because the team had no doubts in him. But in March, offensive coordinator Jay Gruden set a different tone, saying Dalton has "got a long way to go."

"He’s done some great things for a second-year quarterback, won a lot of games and thrown some good touchdown passes, but we feel like he has not come close to his potential," Gruden said.

It's time for Dalton to live up to that potential. The Bengals return a top-10 defense and added talented young weapons on offense. Everything is set up for the Bengals to go from a playoff team to a Super Bowl contender. All they need is a quarterback to take them there.

Remember all of the uproar over Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco becoming the NFL's highest-paid player? Well, he's not anymore.

Just 53 days after Flacco signed his record-setting agreement, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers eclipsed it Friday night. Rodgers agreed on a five-year, $110 million contract extension, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Rodgers' $22 million per-year average tops Flacco's $20.1 million average ($120.6 million over six years). Flacco accurately predicted how long his run as the highest-paid player would last.

"I’m sure in a couple of months from now, someone is going to sign a deal, and you guys are going to be talking to them about how they are the highest paid guy in NFL history," Flacco said after signing his contract on March 4. "That’s just the name of the game. I know that this isn’t going to hold up for that long, but that’s not a priority of mine to be the highest-paid guy. The priority of mine was to get that respect that I felt, that I feel now from this organization.”

I wonder if Rodgers is going to celebrate in style like Flacco did.

» NFC schedule analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Breakdown: The defending Super Bowl champions are in demand, playing four nationally televised games this season. It starts with the expected Thursday night opener at Denver, where the Ravens won an epic, double-overtime AFC divisional playoff game last season. The other three prime-time games are in the final five weeks of the season. The highlight is a Thanksgiving night game against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Baltimore. The Ravens are also on national television twice in December with games at Detroit and home against New England in a rematch of the past two AFC Championship games.

The two-time defending AFC North champions face one division team in the first six weeks of the season. That's the home opener against Cleveland on Sept. 15. Half of the Ravens' final 10 games are against AFC North teams, including a regular-season finale at Cincinnati for the third straight season.

The Ravens got lucky in terms of potential bad-weather games. Baltimore plays at Denver and Buffalo in September and at Chicago in November.

Complaint department: The biggest complaint will always be starting the season on the road. The Ravens become the first defending Super Bowl champion to open away from home since 2003, because of a scheduling conflict with the Orioles.

The other trouble spot is a stretch in which the Ravens play four times on the road in a five-game stretch. Baltimore plays at Buffalo, Miami, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. None of those teams made the playoffs last season. The only home game in that span is against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Of course, the Ravens are helped by the fact that they have a Week 8 bye during this road stretch.

Return of Reed: The Ravens never had to face Ray Lewis or Jonathan Ogden. But, on Sept. 22, the Ravens will go against safety Ed Reed and his new team, the Houston Texans. This will be a surreal homecoming for Reed, who is regarded as the third-best player in franchise history. When he returns to M&T Bank Stadium, it will be about seven months removed from his helping Baltimore win the Super Bowl. Reed signed with the Texans after the Ravens declined to beat Houston's three-year, $15 million offer. It will be a challenge for Reed to force a turnover out of Joe Flacco, who threw five interceptions at home last season.

Ravens Regular-Season Schedule (all times Eastern)
Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 5, at Denver, 8:30 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 15, Cleveland, 1:00 p.m.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 22, Houston, 1:00 p.m.
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 29, at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 6, at Miami, 1:00 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 13, Green Bay, 1:00 p.m.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 20, at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 3, at Cleveland, 4:25 p.m.
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 10, Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 17, at Chicago, 1:00 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 24, NY Jets, 1:00 p.m.
Week 13: Thursday, Nov. 28, Pittsburgh, 8:30 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 8, Minnesota, 1:00 p.m.
Week 15: Monday, Dec. 16, at Detroit, 8:30 p.m.
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 22, New England, 8:30 p.m.
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 29, at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m.

As expected, the Baltimore Ravens will begin their defense of their Super Bowl title in Denver on Thursday, Sept. 5, the NFL officially announced Thursday night.

Having the Ravens kick off the 2013 season in Denver has been widely speculated ever since the Ravens were unable to resolve a scheduling conflict with the Orioles for that Thursday night. The Ravens become the first defending Super Bowl champion to open on the road since 2003, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started the season at Philadelphia on "Monday Night Football."

This matchup has a lot of national appeal. It's a rematch of last season's epic, double-overtime AFC divisional playoff game in Denver, where the Ravens won 38-35 on the wings of Joe Flacco's last-minute, 70-yard miracle touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones in the final minute of regulation. It's also marks the return of pass-rusher Elvis Dumervil to Denver since a fax debacle allowed him to become a free agent and sign with Baltimore.

When the Ravens learned that they couldn't play at home on Sept. 5, the team still wanted to play on that Thursday night even if it meant playing on the road. The Ravens see it as a big advantage to play three days before the rest of the league, because it gives them an extra mini-bye. This also allows the Ravens to get their longest road trip of the season out of the way in Week 1.

Also, the Ravens will play host to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thanksgiving night at M&T Bank Stadium.

Leading up to the start of the NFL draft (it's only 10 days away), the AFC North blog will evaluate each position and where it stands as a need for each division team. Let's start with the quarterbacks, which is an intriguing draft talking point in the AFC North.

The Cleveland Browns are the only AFC North team without an established starter, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see the other division teams use a mid-to-late round pick on a quarterback. While I list the Browns as having the biggest draft need at quarterback, you can make a case for the Bengals, Ravens and Steelers being No. 2.

This is the ranking in terms of needing to draft a quarterback:

1. Cleveland Browns: I don't see Cleveland taking a quarterback with the No. 6 overall pick. The Browns, though, could take one as early as the second round if they trade back in the first round and acquire a pick in the second. Cleveland has taken an up-close look at most of the top quarterbacks, from Geno Smith to Matt Barkley to E.J. Manuel to Ryan Nassib. All of the options are open for the Browns, who can draft a quarterback to compete with Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell or select one to develop behind them.

2. Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals have Josh Johnson and John Skelton as backups to Andy Dalton. I wouldn't say they are set at quarterback. Johnson and Skelton have a combined 8-14 record as starters. The Bengals have worked out Manuel and Nassib, which shows they're doing their homework on some of the top quarterbacks in the draft. Still, it would be a surprise to see Cincinnati draft a quarterback in the first three rounds. The Bengals may take one in the middle rounds if the right quarterback is there.

3. Baltimore Ravens: This may raise some eyebrows because the Ravens have gone with Tyrod Taylor as the backup to Joe Flacco for the past two seasons. There has been a sense that the Ravens would like to upgrade the backup spot. Baltimore brought in Curtis Painter to compete with Taylor last offseason. Taylor also didn't instill confidence in a sporadic performance in the regular-season finale at Cincinnati. The Ravens have multiple picks in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. In other words, they have enough to take a flier on a quarterback.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers have been questioned in recent years about when they're going to draft a quarterback to develop behind Ben Roethlisberger. With Roethlisberger turning 31 last month, those questions will only increase. The Steelers created some buzz when they had dinner with quarterback Tyler Bray before attending his pro day. Pittsburgh is set at backup quarterback after signing Bruce Gradkowski this offseason. The Steelers, though, can draft a quarterback to compete with John Parker Wilson for the No. 3 spot.

Not sure if this equates to a two-minute drill, but this is my way of playing catch-up on the latest news and happenings around the division ...

Headline: The Cincinnati Bengals are aiming to sign former Steelers linebacker James Harrison this week.

Bottom line: Cincinnati would get more of an every-down impact out of Karlos Dansby, who also visited the team last week. Still, the Bengals would be getting an extremely motivated Harrison. Based on that, it would be a good move for Cincinnati.

Headline: The Baltimore Ravens signed inside linebacker Rolando McClain.

Bottom line: He fills a major need at inside linebacker and he comes at a bargain price (one year, $700,000). If McClain gets in trouble, the Ravens can release him because they've invested nothing. If he proves he can play, Baltimore can make a bigger commitment to him. This doesn't rule out the Ravens drafting an inside linebacker. But, with McClain, they aren't forced to draft one.

Headline: Alabama prospect Dee Milliner says he and Joe Haden would form the best cornerback tandem in the NFL if the Cleveland Browns selected him in the draft.

Bottom line: This shows that Milliner has the confidence needed to play corner in this league. The Browns have a major need at cornerback after failing to aggressively improve this position in free agency. Whether they draft Milliner remains to be seen. I plan to address the Browns' draft options in Wednesday's weekly column.

Headline: The Browns signed wide receiver David Nelson.

Bottom line: With all of their cap space, the Browns could have made a bigger free-agent addition to the wide receiver group in free agency. But this has the chance to be a deft move if Nelson plays like he did in Buffalo in 2011, when he caught 61 passes. Nelson is a good option for the slot and brings experience to the Browns, who also looked at Dominik Hixon before he signed with the Carolina Panthers.

Headline: Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb said he is making steady progress from his second torn ACL in four years.

Bottom line: After Webb's last ACL surgery, he didn't start any games the following season. That can't be the case this year. The Ravens need him to return to his starting role after losing Cary Williams in free agency.

Headline: The Bengals released backup cornerback Jason Allen.

Bottom line: The Bengals have a lot of salary-cap space, but they aren't going to pay unproductive players just because they have the room. Allen was injured for most of the season and managed to play in four games, including no starts. The Bengals made a lot of good moves in the secondary last offseason, but Allen wasn't one of them. The move freed up $3.2 million in cap space.

Headline: The Browns acquired backup running back Dion Lewis by trading linebacker Emmanuel Acho to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Bottom line: This is another instance of getting rid of player from the old regime (Acho was a sixth-round pick by the Browns last year). In doing so, the Browns picked up a player who has ties with chief executive officer Joe Banner. Lewis was a fifth-round draft pick in 2011 by Philadelphia, where Banner was president at the time. While Travis Benjamin should handle punt returns, Lewis will get a chance to return kickoffs.

Headline: The Steelers plan to bring in free-agent running back Ahmad Bradshaw for a second visit before the draft.

Bottom line: It's no secret that the Steelers want to sign Bradshaw when he checks out medically. He had surgery on his right foot this offseason, and based on his original timetable, he is expected to participate in offseason camps. But it's not a slam dunk that Bradshaw is coming to Pittsburgh. The Bengals, Packers and Broncos have all expressed interest in him.

Headline: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was named to the NFL competition committee, which is a group of coaches and administrators who recommend playing rules and policy changes to the NFL owners for a vote.

Bottom line: I'm sure Tomlin will have some strong views, especially when it comes to rules on safety. Steelers players have been very vocal on those issues in the past. It's interesting to note that one-third of the competition committee is now comprised of officials from the AFC North: Tomlin, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome.

Headline: The Bengals signed offensive lineman Mike Pollak.

Bottom line: Not sure about this addition. The Bengals are set as far as depth at guard and center. Pollak did make 41 starts for the Colts from 2008 to 2011 but he was also benched twice.

Headline: Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has agreed to portray the late Johnny Unitas in an upcoming film called "Unitas We Stand."

Bottom line: Flacco will play Unitas in scenes showing Baltimore's 1958 championship game against the Giants. This is a nice gesture by Flacco to honor a Baltimore football legend. And playing a quarterback isn't exactly out of Flacco's comfort zone. This isn't like Shaquille O'Neal playing a military scientist. If you think I made that last line up, check out "Steel," a 1997 movie that surprisingly got a 2.7 out of 10 in the fan rating.

Baltimore Ravens

Do the Ravens view Clemson receiver DeAndre Hopkins as the next Anquan Boldin? Indeed, those are big shoes to fill. But the Ravens appear to be intrigued by Hopkins, and met with him at the NFL scouting combine in February. The Baltimore Sun reports that the team has "maintained interest" since that meeting.

Ravens receiver Jacoby Jones said he's struggled with the foxtrot in preparing for a "Dancing with the Stars" routine. But that hasn't gotten him down. After all, Jones is coming off a 2012 that he called the best year of his life.

Perhaps you've heard that Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is going to portray Johnny Unitas in football scenes for an upcoming movie called "Unitas We Stand." And perhaps you've also heard that there's a Unitas family feud brewing over the selection of Flacco. Unitas' son, Joe, wrote a letter to the Baltimore Sun about the situation.

Cincinnati Bengals

Former Cowboys running back Felix Jones had a tryout with the Bengals on Monday.

The Cincinnati Enquirer continues its series on potential Bengals NFL draft prospects with a look at Ohio State offensive lineman Reid Fragel.

With Andy Dalton and the Bengals set to begin offseason workouts next Monday, the quarterback tells the Enquirer that his squad has "all the potential in the world."

Cleveland Browns

The Browns are willing to take a chance on receiver David Nelson, who is coming off an ACL injury that ended his 2012 season in the opening week. Nelson, who signed a one-year deal with the Browns on Monday, was second on the Bills in receptions in 2010 and 2011.

The Browns are playing host to some of the NFL draft's top prospects this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Kendall Simmons, the Steelers' No. 1 pick in 2002 out of Auburn, shares his memories of draft day with the team's website.

Mike Stanger of Bleacher Report gives his thoughts as to why the Steelers will not draft former star Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree.

Also from Bleacher Report, the latest Steelers draft buzz.

Baltimore Ravens

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has agreed to portray the late Johnny Unitas in an upcoming film called "Unitas We Stand," according to Joe Unitas, Johnny Unitas' son. Joe Unitas told the Baltimore Sun that Flacco will play his father playing football in the final scenes depicting the Colts' 1958 championship game victory.

But not everyone in the Unitas family was thrilled with the selection of Flacco. A grandson of Johnny Unitas, J.C. Unitas, called it an "embarrassing choice" on his Facebook page (via the Clarion-Ledger).

Ravens offensive lineman Ramon Harewood hosted more than 100 children ages 11 to 18 during the weekend for his "Big Mon Elite Athlete Development Camp" in his home country of Barbados. “We had a great camp,” Harewood told the Baltimore Sun. “We had a great turnout and the kids had a good attitude and put in some excellent work. My main message to the kids was about the recipe for success and the only way to get it done is through hard work with no shortcuts."

Speaking of hard work, Ravens defensive lineman Bryan Hall is shedding weight to take on a new role, reports The Baltimore Sun. Coach John Harbaugh has asked Hall to give inside linebacker a try, and Hall is all for it.

Cincinnati Bengals

Is right tackle Andre Smith about to be done in Cincinnati? Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk gives reasons why.

Cleveland Browns

Greg Little and Dan Gronkowski spent Friday night at "A Prom To Remember," an event for Northeast Ohio children battling cancer, the team's website reported.

Many of the kids in attendance are going through chemotherapy or were too ill to attend their schools' proms. Through the generosity of local businesses, these kids had the opportunity to attend free of charge, including everything from dresses, tuxedos, salon services, prom photos, food and limousine transportation.

Pittsburgh Steelers

With limited salary-cap space this offseason, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com writes that the 2013 NFL draft is vital for the Steelers.

Inside linebacker Stevenson Sylvester says he's appreciative to have re-signed with the Steelers, per the team's website.

When it seemed like the Baltimore Ravens were losing a starter from their Super Bowl team nearly every day, it was easy to point the finger at quarterback Joe Flacco.

After all, he is the highest-paid player in NFL history after signing a six-year, $120.6 million contract. He took up all of the Ravens' money and didn't leave enough for the rest of the team, right? Well, as wide receiver Torrey Smith explained, you couldn't be more wrong.

"All you see is that one person got paid, you don’t know how it works or how the money is spread out," Smith told the NFL Network on Monday. "All you know is that he has been paid so you just assume all these guys who have been let go is because of Joe, which is unfair to Joe. That is not the case at all. He has a very salary-cap friendly deal, at least for this year. So it was clearly a move by the guys on top. More than anything you have to trust in Ozzie.”

Flacco actually helped the Ravens by signing his (soon-to-be-broken) record deal. His salary-cap number in 2013 is $6.8 million ($1 million in base salary and $5.8 million pro-rated signing bonus). If the Ravens had to put the exclusive franchise tag on Flacco, they would have had to use an additional $12 million of cap space on the Super Bowl MVP this season. That likely would have meant no linebacker Elvis Dumervil ($2.5 million cap hit), wide receiver Jacoby Jones ($4.9 million), fullback Vonta Leach ($3 million), defensive lineman Chris Canty ($1.5 million) and defensive tackle Marcus Spears ($1.2 million) on this year's team.

If you're looking for someone to blame for the Ravens losing seven starters this offseason, there are four Ravens who have higher cap numbers this year than Flacco: linebacker Terrell Suggs ($13 million), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata ($11.5 million) and guard Marshal Yanda ($7.4 million). In fact, as of last week, Baltimore had allocated $7.4 million of cap space on quarterbacks this season. Only eight NFL teams had devoted less cap room to quarterbacks.

Flacco's cap number shouldn't be a problem next year, either. It jumps to $14.8 million in 2014, which is a relatively modest number for quarterbacks. The problem comes in 2016 when Flacco's cap number escalates to $28.55 million. That will force the Ravens to restructure Flacco's contract because they likely won't have the cap room to absorb that type of hit.

So, you can criticize the Ravens for giving Flacco too much money (and remember Tony Romo just landed more guaranteed money than him and Aaron Rodgers will likely surpass him, too). But you can't blame Flacco for taking up too much cap space. You'll have to wait four years to do that.

It's 18 days into NFL free agency, and there's only five players on the AFC North top 20 list who remain unsigned. As always, click here for ESPN.com's free-agent tracker which will keep you up-to-date with all the moves from around the league.

Here is the rankings and where the players stand now (* -- unsigned):

1. Joe Flacco, Ravens QB: Signed a six-year, $120.6 million contract with the Ravens. The NFL-record deal includes $52 million guaranteed and a $29 million signing bonus.

2. Mike Wallace, ex-Steelers WR: Signed a five-year, $60 million contract with the Dolphins. The deal includes $30 million guaranteed and an $11 million signing bonus.

3. Ed Reed, ex-Ravens FS: Signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Texans. The deal includes $6 million guaranteed and a $2 million signing bonus.

*4. Andre Smith, Bengals OT: Unsigned. Smith remains a priority for the Bengals. He has surprisingly drawn little interest in free agency.

5. Michael Johnson, Bengals DE: Signed a one-year, $11.2 million franchise tag with the Bengals.

6. Dannell Ellerbe, ex-Ravens ILB: Signed a five-year, $34.75 million contract with the Dolphins. The deal includes $14 million guaranteed and a $7 million signing bonus.

7. Paul Kruger, ex-Ravens OLB: Signed a five-year, $40.5 million contract with the Browns. The deal includes $20 million guaranteed and a $6 million signing bonus.

8. Phil Dawson, ex-Browns K: Signed a one-year, $2.35 million contract with the 49ers. The deal includes a $1 million signing bonus.

9. Dennis Pitta, Ravens TE: Restricted free agent received second-round tender ($2.023 million).

*10. James Harrison, Steelers OLB: Unsigned. Harrison has to be rethinking his decision not to take a pay cut with the Steelers. He's only taken one visit, and the Ravens signed Elvis Dumervil during it. Could he end up in Arizona like so many other ex-Steelers?

*11. Josh Cribbs, Browns WR-PR: Unsigned. The Cardinals are waiting until Cribbs is fully recovered from meniscus surgery before signing him.

12. Bernard Pollard, ex-Ravens safety: Signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Titans. The deal includes a $500,000 signing bonus.

13. Keenan Lewis, ex-Steelers CB: Signed a five-year, $25.5 million contract with the Saints. The deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed and a $6 million signing bonus.

14. Cary Williams, ex-Ravens CB: Signed a three-year, $17 million contract with the Eagles. The deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed and a $5 million signing bonus.

15. Manny Lawson, ex-Bengals OLB: Signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the Bills. The deal includes a $3 million signing bonus.

*16. Terence Newman, Bengals CB: Unsigned. Newman announced on Twitter on Friday night that he has re-signed with the Bengals. No official word from the Bengals yet.

*17. Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers WR: Restricted free agent visited the Patriots but has yet to sign an offer sheet. The Steelers have first right of refusal and would receive a third-round pick as compensation if they didn't match the offer.

18. Rey Maualuga, Bengals LB: Signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Bengals. The deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus.

19. Adam Jones, Bengals CB: Signed a three-year contract with the Bengals that pays him $3.3 million in base salaries.

20. Benjamin Watson, ex-Browns TE: Signed a three-year, $4.95 million contract with the Saints. The deal includes a $1.2 million signing bonus.

I updated the top 20 free-agent list in the division that reflects the release of Steelers linebacker James Harrison and safety Bernard Pollard. There are eight unsigned free agents remaining on the list. As always, click here for ESPN.com's free-agent tracker which will keep you up-to-date with all the moves from around the league.

Here is the rankings and where the players stand now (* -- unsigned):

1. Joe Flacco, Ravens QB: Signed a six-year, $120.6 million contract with the Ravens. The NFL-record deal includes $52 million guaranteed and a $29 million signing bonus.

2. Mike Wallace, ex-Steelers WR: Signed a five-year, $60 million contract with the Dolphins. The deal includes $30 million guaranteed and an $11 million signing bonus.

*3. Ed Reed, Ravens FS: Unsigned. Reed took a two-day visit to Houston but left without a deal. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome expects Reed to make a decision this week.

*4. Andre Smith, Bengals OT: Unsigned. Smith remains a priority for the Bengals. He has surprisingly drawn little interest in free agency.

5. Michael Johnson, Bengals DE: Signed a one-year, $11.2 million franchise tag with the Bengals.

6. Dannell Ellerbe, ex-Ravens ILB: Signed a five-year, $34.75 million contract with the Dolphins. The deal includes $14 million guaranteed and a $7 million signing bonus.

7. Paul Kruger, ex-Ravens OLB: Signed a five-year, $40.5 million contract with the Browns. The deal includes $20 million guaranteed and a $6 million signing bonus.

*8. Phil Dawson, Browns K: Unsigned. Not expected to return to the Browns.

9. Dennis Pitta, Ravens TE: Restricted free agent received second-round tender ($2.023 million).

*10. James Harrison, Steelers OLB: Unsigned. Harrison refused a pay cut, but he's drawing very little interest. The Ravens reportedly have talked to him, but there have been no contract negotiations.

*11. Josh Cribbs, Browns WR-PR: Unsigned. Cribbs reportedly visited the Cardinals and took a physical Monday.

*12. Bernard Pollard, Ravens safety: Unsigned. Pollard has had one visit (the Titans) since being released by the Ravens last week.

13. Keenan Lewis, ex-Steelers CB: Signed a five-year, $25.5 million contract with the Saints. The deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed and a $6 million signing bonus.

14. Cary Williams, ex-Ravens CB: Signed a three-year, $17 million contract with the Eagles. The deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed and a $5 million signing bonus.

15. Manny Lawson, ex-Bengals OLB: Signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the Bills. The deal includes a $3 million signing bonus.

*16. Terence Newman, Bengals CB: Unsigned. Newman is expected to choose between the Bengals and Raiders this week.

17. Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers WR: Restricted free agent visited the Patriots last week but has yet to sign an offer sheet. The Steelers have first right of refusal and would receive a third-round pick as compensation if they didn't match the offer.

18. Rey Maualuga, Bengals LB: Signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Bengals. The deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus.

*19. Adam Jones, Bengals CB: Unsigned. The Bengals are reportedly close to re-signing Jones.

20. Benjamin Watson, ex-Browns TE: Signed a three-year deal with the Saints.

Baltimore Ravens receiver-returner Jacoby Jones did the Cha Cha Cha -- at least that's the wife told me -- on his "Dancing With The Stars" debut Monday night. There was also a quarterback shuffle, Matt Hasselbeck went to the Colts, Ryan Fitzpatrick to the Titans, and that left the Browns and Bengals without a veteran quarterback. Now, let's move onto the wake-up call ...

BALTIMORE RAVENS

• Owner Steve Bisciotti told the team's official website that his expectations for quarterback Joe Flacco haven't changed since giving him the biggest contract in NFL history. "Your expectation is that he’s going to be a solid, top-10 quarterback and keep us where we want to be, and that’s with a chance to get hot," Bisciotti said.
• It appears that the Texans are willing to commit more money to safety Ed Reed, according to The Baltimore Sun. Although the Ravens would like Reed to return, the paper reported that the Ravens aren't willing to pay him $6 million per season.
• The Ravens are among four teams who are interested in Raiders free-agent safety Michael Huff, according to The Baltimore Sun. The Packers, Cowboys and Titans are also looking at Huff.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

• Linebacker Rey Maualuga, who re-signed with the Bengals on Monday, told the team's official website that coaches informed him that he could stay at middle linebacker. There had been speculation that he would move to the outside and Vontaze Burfict would shift to the middle. "I would prefer to play MIKE (middle linebacker)," Maualuga said. "It just felt right and I think I know the defense in and out."
• The Bengals' priority remains to re-sign offensive tackle Andre Smith and cornerbacks Terence Newman and Adam Jones, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. Newman indicated he will have a deal done with the Bengals or Raiders by the end of the week.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

• Jason Worilds is considered the heir apparent to James Harrison at right outside linebacker, coach Mike Tomlin told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I believe that Jason Worilds is chomping at the bit to prove he is capable of being that," Tomlin said. "We will see what Worilds is capable of doing." Tomlin then added with a laugh, "No pressure."
• The Steelers' cap constraints continue to limit the team's pursuit of free agents. "We desire to assemble the very best team we can assemble, but obviously we deal in a world of realism -- we have (constraints) from a salary-cap standpoint that could limit some of those thoughts,” Tomlin told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I'm not a big dreamer in that regard and (don't) spend a lot of time looking at things that aren't practical."
• Tight end Matt Spaeth returned to the Steelers after officially signing his two-year, $2 million contract. "I told some people I left here with tears rolling down my face and I returned with a big smile," Spaeth told the team's website. Since the late 1970s, Spaeth is the 10th player drafted by the Steelers to rejoin the team for a second time, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

• The Browns' private workout with West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith is simply an act of "due diligence," according to ESPN Radio in Cleveland. Chief executive officer Joe Banner reiterated Monday that the team isn't focused on taking a quarterback in the first round right now.
• The competition committee used video replays of Trent Richardson’s hit on Eagles safety Kurt Coleman to illustrate what it believes should be an illegal play during a presentation Monday at the owners meeting, the Akron Beacon Journal reported. The NFL is considering a rule change this week that would penalize runners for lowering their helmets into tacklers.
• Banner told The Plain Dealer that general manager Mike Lombardi is being shielded from the media spotlight because he's "a little bit of a lightning rod." Lombardi hasn't spoken to reporters since being promoted to GM on March 5.
• Recently signed defensive lineman Desmond Bryant is being sued for his criminal incident last month, according to The Plain Dealer.

Here are some selected comments from Baltimore Ravens players on the trade of Anquan Boldin to San Francisco 49ers. This are from interviews to Baltimore reporters (via The Associated Press) before Monday's premiere of the season highlights film ...

Quarterback Joe Flacco: "Anquan was a great receiver for myself and for our football team. It's sad to see a guy like that go, but at the same time you want what's best for him and you just wish him the best of luck.Anquan was a big part of this football team, a big part of this offense. He's one of the main reasons we won the Super Bowl this year."

Wide receiver Jacoby Jones: "It's a business, man. Those things are going to happen. I wish Q the best. He's always a Raven with me, and we got something they can't take from us."

Wide receiver Torrey Smith: "Definitely shocked. You lose a great guy, a great leader. A mentor. All of that. It's not so much about football when you lose someone like that, someone you love like a brother and would do anything for you."

It's hard to argue that the Baltimore Ravens are wrong in trading wide receiver Anquan Boldin to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday. The Ravens have seemingly made all of the right moves the past few years, moves which culminated in a Super Bowl title this year.

Baltimore has made the tough calls in the past, parting ways with wide receiver Derrick Mason, tight end Todd Heap, guard Ben Grubbs, nose tackle Kelly Gregg and linebacker Jarret Johnson. And, each time, the Ravens have absorbed the loss and continued to win in the playoffs.

This time, however, it just doesn't feel the same. The Ravens will regret getting rid of Boldin for a sixth-round pick. Yes, a sixth-rounder. That shows you how little the Ravens valued Boldin or how much the Ravens needed the cap room. Baltimore gains $5.5 million in cap room with the move, but the team loses much more in the process.

The Ravens held a VIP screening of a film featuring game highlights of their Super Bowl season Monday night. They'll be reminded of what will be gone when watching clutch catch after clutch catch in the playoffs. In Joe Flacco's words, Boldin was "a beast" in the postseason. He caught 22 passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns in four playoff games. The Ravens don't win a Super Bowl without Boldin averaging 95 yards per game in the postseason and catching that third down-and-inches pass in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. It feels like the Ravens have done it again and pulled "a (Trent) Dilfer" on Boldin.

When the Ravens released veterans in the past, they usually had a backup plan in place. Who is going to step up to replace Boldin? He wasn't Calvin Johnson or even Stevie Johnson, but Boldin did lead the Ravens in receiving the past four seasons. He has also scored six touchdowns in eight playoff games with the Ravens. Boldin came up big in big games, showing he was just as tough mentally as he was physically.

There is a point to the argument that you want to get rid of a player before he hits his decline. The Ravens timed that perfectly when cutting Mason and Heap three years ago. Mason's skills were fading, and Heap couldn't stay on the field. But Boldin, 32, won't diminish as quickly as other receivers because his game isn't built on speed. He doesn't get much separation. He gets his receptions by fighting for the ball better than any other receiver in the league. You know what you're going to get from Boldin: around 60 catches for 850 yards and a handful of touchdowns.

The biggest question is who is going to take over for Boldin. One solution is to use tight end Dennis Pitta in a wide receiver role, which gets tight end Ed Dickson on the field. That would put the Ravens' three best targets in the passing game on the field: Pitta, Dickson and wide receiver Torrey Smith. Pitta has some receiver qualities, but it's risky to think he can make the same impact going against cornerbacks as he did against linebackers and safeties.

The Ravens could go into the free-agent market, although that will eat up valuable cap room. Baltimore traded Boldin because he refused to take a pay cut from his $6 million salary in 2013. Boldin, however, wasn't getting overpaid. As Peter King from Sports Illustrated pointed out, Santonio Holmes ($11.25 million), Sidney Rice ($8.5 million), Stevie Johnson ($7.33 million) and Miles Austin ($6.73 million) were all getting paid more than Boldin this year. I'm not sure who the Ravens can get in free agency who can replace Boldin and cost less.

The other route is the draft, and this is where history works against the Ravens. Before selecting Torrey Smith in the 2011 draft, the Ravens struck out in developing a receiver, whether it was Patrick Johnson, Travis Taylor or Mark Clayton. It's tough to believe the Ravens can find someone in the bottom of the first and second round who can deliver immediately.

The NFL is a business, but this is the tough part of it. A player can help lead a team to the Super Bowl and be gone five weeks later. And, unless the Ravens can absorb a loss of another veteran like they've done so many times in the past, Boldin won't soon be forgotten this year.

The Ravens are asking wide receiver Anquan Boldin to take a $2 million pay cut from his $6 million salary in 2013, sources told The Baltimore Sun.

How do I see this playing out? Boldin is a proud player who takes his contract very personally. Just ask the Cardinals about Boldin, who accused them of lying about a new contract three years ago, then demanded a trade. That's why many believe Boldin won't agree to a pay reduction, which will force the Ravens into a tough decision (especially when they don't have an immediate replacement on the roster).

Boldin isn't alone in his stance. Quarterback Joe Flacco stuck up for the Ravens' No. 1 receiver, saying Boldin shouldn't accept a pay cut.

"Without him, we don't win the Super Bowl. He's a huge part of this team and someone I want to see back," Flacco told USA Today. "Obviously, when you're a player of his caliber, you believe you're worth a number and that's what you should get. He's going to stick to his guns, and that's the way it should be."

This has triggered a couple of responses: (1) Flacco has no right to say this after signing a six-year, $120.6 million contract, and (2) he has become more outspoken since that NFL-record deal. Both are wrong.

Even though Flacco became the highest-paid player in league history, his deal actually helped Boldin. If the Ravens had put the franchise tag on Flacco, they would've committed either $14 million (nonexclusive tag) or $19 million (exclusive tag) to the cap. By striking a long-term agreement, Flacco accounts for only $6.8 million against the cap in 2013, which left more room and increased the chances of keeping Boldin at his current contract.

The other part is the notion that Flacco has become a louder voice. Although I would agree that Flacco seems more comfortable and confident since signing his deal, this isn't the first time he has spoken out against the team. It was two years ago when Flacco expressed his anger at the firing of quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn. "I'm disappointed, and they know I'm disappointed," Flacco said at the time.

Boldin's status should get resolved this week. The Ravens could give Boldin an extension to spread his cap hit over the next couple of years. But the Ravens likely want him off the books by 2014, when the salaries for Flacco ($6 million), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata ($8.5 million) and cornerback Lardarius Webb ($7.5 million) jump significantly. Baltimore also could create $3 million in cap room this year by cutting Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach.

The Ravens are about $12 million under the salary cap, but they are projected to have only about $4 million in cap space after they extend contracts to all of their restricted and exclusive-rights free agents. If they want to bring back linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and safety Ed Reed, the Ravens will need to open up more cap room in some way.