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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Steelers in 2012.

Dream scenario (13-3): Losing a handful of veterans this offseason won't impact the Steelers' play on the field. The Steelers show last year's division champion (the Ravens) and the division's upstart team (the Bengals) that they still own the division as long as Ben Roethlisberger is healthy and the defense is at full strength. A return trip to the Super Bowl would follow their pattern (Pittsburgh went in the 2008 and 2010 seasons).

Roethlisberger thrives in Todd Haley's offense much like Kurt Warner did. The biggest change is a quicker release, which will allow Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders to show off their elusiveness and make yards after the catch. The offensive line becomes the best in the AFC North with center Maurkice Pouncey staying healthy, right tackle Marcus Gilbert continuing to develop and rookies David DeCastro and Mike Adams living up to expectations.

The Steelers' pass rush is even stronger this season because James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley will be on the field together for more than a handful of games this year. The run defense is bolstered by the return of nose tackle Casey Hampton, who is able to start the season despite having knee surgery in January. The combination of Larry Foote and Stevenson Sylvester makes up for the loss of inside linebacker James Farrior.

Nightmare scenario (7-9): Pittsburgh underestimates the loss of leadership after parting ways with Farrior, Hines Ward, Aaron Smith and Chris Hoke. The Steelers also struggle more than expected with the injuries to Hampton and running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee surgery in January). It's tough to win in one of the top divisions in football when you're not at full strength.

The key to any Steelers season is the health of Roethlisberger. While the Steelers' offensive line has the potential to rank among the best, this year could be a transitional one as well. Roethlisberger could take a good number of hits behind a line that starts two rookies and moves tackle Willie Colon to guard. Losing Roethlisberger will result in a losing season. Pittsburgh would then have to depend more on a running game without Mendenhall. Isaac Redman has shown flashes, but he is a question mark as a featured back.

Defensively, the run defense becomes vulnerable in the middle with the injury to Hampton and the loss of Farrior. Hampton starts the season on the physically unable to perform list, and Steve McLendon and rookie Alameda Ta'amu can't fill the void. The pass defense takes a step back if one of the young cornerbacks (Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown) can't replace William Gay.

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

Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall vowed to play this season and didn't rule out being ready for the Sept. 9 season opener in Denver.

“There’s always the possibility,” Mendenhall told Pittsburgh reporters, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I’ll be back at some point. It’s just a matter of what point that is.”

Mendenhall, who tore the ACL in his right knee on Jan. 1, is entering the final year of his contract. Asked if there was any chance he wouldn't play in 2012, Mendenhall said, “I don’t see that happening at all.”

Hensley's slant: There's really no chance that Mendenhall will be ready for the season opener. Even if he tried, he wouldn't be effective. The presumed timetable is putting him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) and seeing if he can play after six weeks. Mendenhall wants to play as soon as possible because he doesn't want to go into free agency with teams questioning his health.

BENGALS: With the Bengals seeking a replacement for safety Chris Crocker, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has joked that they'll be the first team in history to play with three corners. Former Bengals defensive back Artrell Hawkins says don't laugh. "A lot of these guys are interchangeable and Marvin (Lewis) has moved more that way," Hawkins told the team's official website. "It's a matter of getting value with one guy at a couple of spots. It's like a defensive tackle playing fullback on the goal line. It's harder to game plan for and in this day and age, it's the more you do, the more you stay around. Because other teams have been successful that have tried it, other teams are willing to try it." Hensley's slant: The biggest question mark on defense remains safety. If they did go with three corners, Jason Allen does have experience at safety. But most expect the Bengals to go with Taylor Mays.

BROWNS: The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto thinks the Browns should keep Colt McCoy as the primary backup to Brandon Weeden. "If there is a choice between a 31-year-old (Seneca) Wallace making $3 million a year and McCoy at $550,000 -- remember, these contracts are not guaranteed -- why not go with McCoy?," Pluto wrote. "He is younger, cheaper and far more likely to take a step forward in his career than Wallace. If McCoy is smart, he will 'compete' for the starting job, embrace the backup role if that's his assignment, and the Browns would be wise to give him the chance to do so." Hensley's slant: As regular readers of the blog know, I've been saying the Browns should go with McCoy as the backup since the Browns drafted Weeden.

RAVENS: Linebacker Terrell Suggs is expected to start rehabbing his Achilles injury in mid-June ... Rookie second-round pick Courtney Upshaw was working at Jarret Johnson's linebacker spot, and Paul Kruger was filling in at Suggs' position. ... Rookie second-round pick Kelechi Osemele worked at left guard with the first-team offense. Hensley's slant: Osemele still has to work on his technique in switching from college tackle to NFL guard. But he definitely looks the part. At 6-foot-5, 333 pounds, Osemele is a space-eater on the interior.

There are a handful of key starters who will be trying to come back from injury during training camp or at some point during the regular season. But which player will rebound to have the best season?

Leon Hall, Bengals cornerback: Cincinnati's top cover guy hasn't been cleared for offseason training activities after tearing his left Achilles on Nov. 13. It's uncertain whether he'll be ready for the season opener, which is why the Bengals drafted a cornerback in the first round and added three veteran cornerbacks in free agency.

Casey Hampton, Steelers nose tackle: The 34-year-old lineman had knee surgery in late January, but there is some hope that the five-time Pro Bowl player will be able to play at the start of the season. Hampton took a $2 million pay cut in order to stay with the team for another season.

Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers running back: He's a near certainty to begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after tearing his ACL in the regular-season finale. The team indicated that it won't be counting on its leading rusher this season, but he is motivated to return going into the last year of his contract.

Terrell Suggs, Ravens linebacker: The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year underwent surgery on his partially torn Achilles on May 8. The most likely timetable has Suggs returning following the Week 8 bye to play the Browns on Nov. 4.

Phil Taylor, Browns defensive tackle: General manager Tom Heckert said this week that Taylor will definitely return this year after having surgery on a torn chest muscle May 16. Taylor, the team's first-round pick from a year ago, could return by the end of October.

Go ahead and register your vote, or let me know what you think in the comments section below.

The AFC North blog wanted to know what the fans thought about the drafts for each of the division teams. Now, let's compare your grades against the ones given by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

The picks: CB Dre Kirkpatrick (first round), G Kevin Zeitler (first round), DT Devon Still (second round), WR Mohamed Sanu (third round), DT Brandon Thompson (third round), TE Orson Charles (fourth round), CB Shaun Prater (fifth round), WR Marvin Jones (fifth round), S George Iloka (fifth round), RB Dan "Boom" Herron (sixth round).

Kiper's grade: A-minus

Fans' grade: A (42 percent in the SportsNation poll)

Fans' comments:

Adam from Dayton: Bengals Draft Grade: A -- I thought that the Bengals did an excellent job in adding depth. The one "head scratcher" that seemed to come about this year was trading their second first round pick when they could have got David DeCastro, the highest-rated guard. Granted they received an extra pick and still grabbed a very big and strong guard a few picks later in Kevin Zeitler with that trade, I think it really boiled down to the fact they could have got the best guard, instead all of Bengal Nation saw him go to the Steelers. All-in-all, everyone knows the AFC North is an old-school run -first division, so beefing up the D-Line with a couple of huge, strong, and athletic linemen was a sound way to go and I for one am happy to see the new blood that the team has. These Bengals have tapped into the fountain of youth rather quickly, yet they are getting better and being built for the future.

Andheez: I went for an A. Kirkpatrick is solid. Zeitler is a beast. Some publications had Still as the top DT pre-combine. Not sold on Sanu, but I think the Charles pick was fantastic. I am not one to ostracize someone for a DUI. Prater, Iloka and Herron probably won't stick, but sounds like Jones was a nice find.

mann_usmc: I give the Bengals a C. Here we go drafting a CB in the first round again. Keep Johnathan Joseph and you can fill other spots (safety). The next four picks draw a big question mark. If you're going to draft an OG, then why not take the best prospect in a decade in DeCastro? You pass on him and allow the Steelers to draft him and all you gain is a third-round pick. That is a big miss in my opinion. Secondly, you draft two DTs when you already have Domata Peko and Geno Atkins. Sure these guys provide depth, but I would think that with my second-round and third-round picks to be a contributor. I wouldn't use draft picks that high for backups.

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CLEVELAND BROWNS

The picks: RB Trent Richardson (first round), QB Brandon Weeden (first round), OT Mitchell Schwartz (second round), NT John Hughes (third round), WR Travis Benjamin (fourth round), LB James-Michael Johnson (fourth round), G Ryan Miller (fifth round), LB Emmanuel Acho (sixth round), DL Billy Winn (sixth round), CB Trevin Wade (seventh round), TE-FB Brad Smelley (seventh round).

Kiper's grade: B-minus

Fans' grade: B (38 percent)

Fans' comments:

Kovacs from Dallas: This draft is an A if Weeden works out but probably a low B or high C if he doesn't. Worst case the draft added two starters at key positions, RB and RT, and much-needed depth at areas where it was badly needed, DT and LB. If that's the worst case it's still a nice-looking haul.

Kyle from Columbus, Ohio: The Browns did a pretty good job of filling some holes and adding some depth. I really like the T. Richardson pick, but I think they reached a little for B. Weeden. My only complaint is that if you decide to take a first-round QB, you have to give him some weapons. T. Benjamin looks like a special-team guy, who may help out in the slot.

JBT1MIAMI: Simple D-minus. I'm still waiting for any fan to address why it's not an issue that Trent Richardson didn't compete at the combine because he had his knee scoped. How is he any better injury-wise than [Montario] Hardesty, knowing he's also had both ankles reconstructed. Why no issue with this? Why not just trade for [Rashard] Mendenhall if it's no issue. He's proven on the pro level. Think Steelers believe this kind of thing is an issue with running backs? I guess it's like training a dog, people have to separate emotional attachment of drafting a hyped running back, and learn about calm reasoning. Emotions just gave the Browns a 3-13 record.

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BALTIMORE RAVENS

The picks: OLB Courtney Upshaw (second round), OT-G Kelechi Osemele (second round), RB Bernard Pierce (third round), C-G Gino Gradkowski (fourth round), S Christian Thompson (fourth round), CB Asa Jackson (fifth round), WR Tommy Streeter (sixth round), DT DeAngelo Tyson (seventh round).

Kiper's grade: B

Fans' grade: B (40 percent)

Fans' comments:

Shadowwolf1001: It's really toss-up. There are some strong picks here that would warrant an A, but there are also some picks I'm not too sure about which probably warrant a B. I'd have to vote B-plus with the potential of an A grade later on.

jdille123: C-plus. Ozzie [Newsome] must have taken this one off. Still got some good talent, but he usually does better.

youmadbromad: I gave them a D because they did not draft a new FG kicker.

Dave from Mansfield, Ohio: I'm giving the Raven a 'B.' They came into the draft with holes at LB, OT, OG and filled all of these needs. However while Upshaw should help feel the void left by Terrell Suggs, Kelechi Osemele should step in and start at guard and hopefully Gino Gradkowski develops as the replacement for Matt Birk. Plus Tommy Streeter has the potential to be a huge steal if his football skills catch up to his physical stature and speed.

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PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The picks: G David DeCastro (first round), OT Mike Adams (second round), ILB Sean Spence (third round), NT Alameda Ta'amu (fourth round), RB Chris Rainey (fifth round), WR Toney Clemons (seventh round), TE David Paulson (seventh round), CB Terrence Frederick (seventh round), G Kelvin Beachum (seventh round).

Kiper's grade: B

Fans' grade: A (61 percent)

Fans' comments:

WhoDeyAJGreen: As a Bengal fan (obviously) and an OSU football fan, I graded them as a A-minus. Great value picks while also filling needs. The player that will make the difference between an A-minus and A-plus is Mike Adams. If he can get his [act] together, then they had one heck of a draft from top to bottom.

Of all the AFC North's Day 3 picks, the one that I want to see the most is running back Chris Rainey, who was selected in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rainey can bring an added dimension to the Steelers offense as well as handle some of the returns for Antonio Brown. He is the sixth running back to get drafted by the Steelers in the past 10 drafts. Here's a look at the others:

Noah Herron, 2005, seventh round: Bounced around four NFL teams. His last team was the Cleveland Browns in 2009.

Cedric Humes, 2006, seventh round: Broke his neck in an NFL Europe game in 2006 and never played again.

Rashard Mendenhall, 2008, first round: Led the Steelers in rushing for the past three seasons.

Jonathan Dwyer, 2010, sixth round: Competing for backup job this year. He ran for 107 yards against the Tennessee Titans last season.

Baron Batch, 2011, seventh round: Was impressive in camp before tearing his ACL on Aug. 10.

Teams can begin their voluntary offseason workout programs Monday, but that doesn't mean we're taking the day off here on the AFC North blog. Let's buckle up our helmets and open some mail ...

...

DogPound32 (Rocky River, Ohio) writes: Call me crazy, Jamison, but why in the world would any Browns fan want us to draft a QB, unless it was a late late round pick? Give my boy [Colt] McCoy a chance and surround him with [running back Trent] Richardson, [wide receiver Stephen] Hill, and [offensive tackle Bobby] Massie in this year's draft. Then if you want to pick up a QB in the seventh round, pick up Kellen Moore and call it a day. Wasting anything more than a late round pick on a QB is not worth it for the Browns this year. Moore may be smaller, but he's a proven winner with ice in his veins. He can definitely be a solid backup for Colt this year and it comes at a low risk. Thoughts?

Jamison Hensley from AFC North headquarters: You're not crazy. That is, unless your real name is DogPound32. Your argument, however, is a valid one. I see two franchise quarterbacks in this draft, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. After failing to get RG3, the Browns should focus their energy on upgrading the surrounding talent on offense. That would put Cleveland in the best position to go all-in for a franchise quarterback next season. I do have to admit that Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden intrigues me more and more as the draft approaches. But getting Weeden at the bottom of the first round or early in the second would mean missing out on a wide receiver or offensive tackle. And that doesn't make sense to me.

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Ben (Pensacola, Fla.) writes: Even if the Steelers draft a guard in the first round, they should pass on a running back to draft another guard in the second. Somehow I doubt any back in the draft is going to help much if Big Ben gets injured again. Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster are nice backups, but neither belongs as a starter. Frankly, I'd be perfectly happy if the Steelers passed on Dont'a Hightower to grab guards in both the first and second rounds: Amini Silatolu in the first and Kelechi Osemele in the second. Isaiah Pead would be worth a look in the fourth round, but that's the earliest I would go for a running back with the bigger needs on the roster.

Jamison Hensley from AFC North headquarters: Silatolu is my sleeper pick for the Steelers in the first round. He's a nasty offensive lineman who has Pro Bowl potential. I agree that Legursky needs to be replaced; his strength is being a versatile backup. But Foster is serviceable at right guard, so you don't need to draft a guard in the second round. I think a back who is tougher and more decisive than Rashard Mendenhall could make this line look a lot better. I like the idea of taking Virginia Tech's speedy David Wilson or Boise State's powerful Doug Martin in the second round.

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Brian (Cincinnati) writes: What are the chances the Bengals have an All-Stanford first round this year with guard David DeCastro at No. 17 and tight end Coby Fleener at No. 21? The Bengals desperately need a No. 2 tight end in Jay Gruden's offense. Considering the free agents available and the fact that this draft class is not deep at all at tight end, why not take the best available?

Jamison Hensley from AFC North headquarters: The Bengals are bringing back their top three tight ends after re-signing Donald Lee. Like you, I would like to see another pass-catching tight end, but I wouldn't classify Cincinnati as desperate for one. The Bengals just took a tight end (Jermaine Gresham) in the first round in 2010, so it's highly unlikely they would use one on another tight end so soon. If the Bengals draft DeCastro, which would be a great move for the Bengals, the second first-round pick can be used on a wide receiver, safety, cornerback or outside linebacker. Those are bigger needs than a No. 2 tight end.

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Ben P (Boston) writes: What do you think are the chances that the Ravens trade up to the 23rd or 22nd pick in the first round? Both Detroit and Cleveland are probably just looking for best available players at that point and so they might be willing to trade back for extra picks. It would give Baltimore a chance to fill a need and keep a really good player like offensive lineman Cordy Glenn or linebacker Dont'a Hightower away from the Steelers.

Jamison Hensley from AFC North headquarters: I would say there is a greater chance of the Ravens moving back than moving up. Baltimore covets draft picks and it only has eight, which is the fewest among AFC North teams this year. The only way the Ravens trade up -- and they indicated they would only go as high as No. 19 -- is if one of their top 15 prospects slides into the 20s. I got the impression from the team's pre-draft press conference that the Ravens want more picks, which means moving back.

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Outside linebacker Keith Rivers, who was traded today to the New York Giants for a fifth-round pick, wasn't the only disappointment in the Bengals' 2008 draft class.

Cincinnati failed to find a long-term impact player out of its 10 picks that year. Rivers, the ninth overall pick in the 2008 draft, finished with the most starts in this class with 33, and the only players that remain with the team are two backups: defensive tackle Pat Sims (third round), and offensive tackle Anthony Collins (fourth round).

Wide receiver Jerome Simpson (second round) produced a career-high 50 catches last season as the team's No. 2 wide receiver, but he now faces 15 days in a Kentucky jail after pleading guilty to a drug charge. The Bengals haven't ruled out bringing him back.

Wide receiver Andre Caldwell (third round) showed promise in 2009 when he made a career-best 51 catches. But he followed that up with a combined 61 receptions the past two seasons. Caldwell signed this offseason with the Denver Broncos.

There were two players -- defensive tackle Jason Shirley (fifth round) and safety Corey Lynch (sixth round) -- who played a handful of games for Cincinnati before going elsewhere for reserve roles. Shirley played last season for Carolina, and Lynch was with Tampa Bay.

The last three players taken in the Bengals' 2008 draft -- tight end Matt Sherry (sixth), defensive end Angelo Craig (seventh) and wide receiver Mario Urritia (seventh) -- never played a regular-season game for Cincinnati and are out of the league.

In comparison, the Ravens drafted quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice that season, and the Pittsburgh Steelers selected running back Rashard Mendenhall. Even the Browns, who had limited picks after trading for Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, got underrated defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin in the sixth round.

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.

The Steelers received a surprising visit Wednesday, and it wasn't from a free agent or a draft prospect. This one was more special than that.

Running backs coach Kirby Wilson made his first appearance at the team's facility since he was severely burned in a fire only days before Pittsburgh's wild-card game against the Denver Broncos, according to a report in the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette.

Football is a sport that often tests people's ability to recover, whether it's from a broken bone or torn ligament. Few in this league have had to fight like Wilson.

He sustained burns on 45 percent of his body and also suffered from smoke inhalation after his house caught fire while he was sleeping on Jan. 6. The remarkable part is that he showed up at the Steelers' facility only three months after being put in a medically induced coma.

"He is attacking the rehabilitation," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said at last week's NFL owners meetings. "He is an extremely tough guy. ... We are excited about getting him back at some point."

Wilson, 50, is officially planning to come to work by the end of April, a source told ESPN's Josina Anderson on Wednesday.

He was reportedly in line to succeed Bruce Arians as offensive coordinator before the accident, but he will still play an integral role on this year's team. The Steelers are looking to replace their leading rusher for three seasons (Rashard Mendenhall had ACL surgery in January) and could use a draft pick as high as the second round on a running back like Virginia Tech's David Wilson or Boise State's Doug Martin.

According to the Post-Gazette, the Steelers greeted Wilson with cake in a team meeting room. Here's hoping he was greeted with a strong round of applause as well.

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

Sources familiar with Browns general manager Tom Heckert told the Canton Repository that he is leaning toward trading out of the No. 4 pick without dropping too far.

The paper speculates that the Browns' pick could draw interest from the St. Louis Rams (No. 6 overall) and Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 7). Those teams need wide receivers and might want to beat the other to Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon.

Trading down to those spots could land the Browns additional picks in the second and third rounds, according to the paper.

Hensley's slant: The extra picks would be beneficial to the Browns' rebuilding project, but they would lose out on Alabama running back Trent Richardson in the process. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to take Richardson at No. 5 if the Browns pass on him. By falling back to either No. 6 or No. 7, the Browns would have to take LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. He's the best defensive player in the draft, but he won't help the Browns' struggling offense.

BENGALS: Offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is excited about what the Bengals have accomplished in free agency and what the team is bringing back from last year's playoff team. "I think we can win the Super Bowl with Andy [Dalton] and all the other guys we've got in that locker room," Whitworth told the team's official website. "But you have to go year by year. Each year is different and has nothing to do with the year before. The way some of our young players played last year is the reason we are where we are. If they get better and stronger and more experienced, then we'll get better. But we're not going to know until we get on the field this year." Hensley's slant: The Bengals can make up their most ground on the Steelers and Ravens in the draft, where they have three of the first 53 picks. They still need to find a starting guard and a No. 2 wide receiver. And, before Bengals players can talk about the Super Bowl, they need to end the team's 22-year drought of not winning a playoff game.

RAVENS: The Ravens have now shifted their search for another pass-rusher away from free agency. “Probably more of our attention is toward developing our guys and toward the draft," coach John Harbaugh said at the owners meetings, via the team's official website. Baltimore brought in free-agent defensive end Mark Anderson for a visit, but he ended up signing with the Buffalo Bills. Hensley's slant: I'm intrigued by Clemson's Andre Branch, an athletic defensive end who can provide a pass rush but also move to outside linebacker in a base 3-4 defense. Branch is projected to go toward the bottom of the first round. Don't forget about the possibility of Baltimore using its first-round pick on Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones, who is the younger brother of current Ravens defensive lineman Art Jones.

STEELERS: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette said it wouldn't be surprising to see the Steelers draft a running back early despite needs on the offensive and defensive lines. He said there are possibilities in the second round along with the likes of Miami's Lamar Miller in the third or Baylor's Terrance Ganaway later on. "That offensive line might look a whole lot better blocking for a good back," Bouchette wrote. "You can never have enough good running backs and while the Steelers do have enough running backs, no one knows if they’re any good or not." Hensley's slant: The Steelers know they can't count on Rashard Mendenhall (ACL surgery in January) to be fully back this season and they probably think of backup Isaac Redman as a stopgap player. If the Steelers go for a running back in the second round, they should select Virginia Tech's David Wilson, a speedy back with big-play ability.

One of the big question marks surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers is at running back.

With Rashard Mendenhall expected to start the season on the physically unable to perform list (PUP), the Steelers have to find someone to replace their leading rusher for the past three seasons.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said this week that the Steelers aren't going to stay put with their current group of running backs. "I am sure we are going to get another running back, whether it’s in free agency or in the draft," he said. "We will address it."

Earlier in the week, general manager Kevin Colbert supported backups such as Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer to replace Mendenhall. "With the young guys we have [at running back], we feel confident someone will emerge who can fill that [starting] role," he said.

Who do you think will end up being the Steelers' starting running back in Week 1?

Here are the top options:

• Go with Redman. In his two-year career, he has one career start in the regular season and 162 carries. But he stepped up in a starting role in last season's playoff game in Denver, where he ran for 121 yards.
• Take a chance with Dwyer. A sixth-round pick in 2010, Dwyer has shown flashes but he has limited experience (25 carries in eight career games). He turned heads in Week 5 last season, when he totaled 107 yards rushing against the Titans, including 76-yard run.
• Start a rookie. The Steelers aren't expected to take a running back in the first round, but they could be tempted to do so in the second. Boise State's Doug Martin and Miami's Lamar Miller have good value at the Steelers' No. 56 spot.
• Sign a veteran free agent. This wasn't a deep running back class to begin with, much less two weeks into free agency. The top choices left are: Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant, Joseph Addai and Ronnie Brown.

Rashard Mendenhall might not have taken his final carry with the Pittsburgh Steelers after all.

In clarifying his previous remarks about the Pittsburgh running back, general manager Kevin Colbert said he does expect Mendenhall to play this season. Mendenhall, the team's leading rusher for the past three seasons, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the Jan. 1 regular-season finale at Cleveland.

"What I said was I never think players coming off an ACL are 100 percent for a full year. It doesn't mean they can't play," Colbert told Pittsburgh reporters (via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) before the start of the NFL owners meetings. "At some point, we'll have Rashard back. I'm confident of that."

Colbert, though, doesn't provide the most important detail: when he expects Mendenhall to come back. To be honest, he might not even know the exact timetable.

Given the timing of his mid-January surgery, Mendenhall is a near certainty to begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP), which means missing the first six games of the season. The best bet is an early November return, but you can't expect him to be the primary runner at that point. Like Colbert pointed out, it'll probably take Mendenhall a full season before he is fully recovered.

While Colbert couldn't say when Mendenhall will suit up again, he did give insight on who will replace him.

“With the young guys we have, we feel confident someone will emerge who can fill that role," Colbert said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Somebody in the group of those guys will fill it out.”

This means the Steelers are prepared to go with someone in-house to take over for Mendenhall and rules out finding a primary back in free agency (which has thinned out at running back) or the draft. The leading candidate remains backup Isaac Redman.

The free-agent market for running backs has heated up, but the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns have been content to chill.

Both teams need to replace their leading rushers. The Steelers can't depend on Rashard Mendenhall (ACL surgery in January) this year, and the Browns didn't attempt to re-sign Peyton Hillis. If the season kicked off today, the Steelers would start Isaac Redman, and the Browns would go with either Montario Hardesty or Brandon Jackson.

Still, there's been no sense of urgency by either team, as a running back signed nearly every day this week. Mike Tolbert joined the Panthers on Monday. BenJarvus Green-Ellis went to the Bengals on Wednesday. And Michael Bush landed with the Bears on Thursday.

I could see where the Steelers might be content with Redman, Jonathan Dwyer, John Clay and Baron Batch, although it's still risky considering they have a combined 197 carries in the NFL. General manager Kevin Colbert insisted the Steelers weren't in the market for a running back more than any other position at the NFL combine last month, but that doesn't mean he has ruled it out completely.

The Browns' running back group of Hardesty, Jackson and Ogbonnaya totaled 600 rushing yards and one touchdown, and it's assumed they would add someone in free agency or the draft.

The remaining free-agent running backs aren't game-changers, but they can be productive. The top ones available are: Brandon Jacobs, Cedric Benson, Joseph Addai, Ryan Grant and Kevin Smith. There are possibilities for trades, but the Panthers aren't shopping Jonathan Stewart yet, and the Bears don't appear ready to move Matt Forte.

When it comes to the draft, the Browns have a big decision at running back. They could take Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the fourth overall pick or wait to find one in the second, third or fourth rounds.

Looking at what the Steelers and Browns have now, they would strengthen their teams if they added a running back. But their approach so far tells me these teams are either waiting for a good value in free agency, or they will look for another running back in the draft.

Running back Rashard Mendenhall is expected to be fully recovered from his ACL surgery by 2013. It's just uncertain whether he will be running for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That's why the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is speculating that Mendenhall may have taken his last carry with the Steelers.

Sources told the Post-Gazette that the Steelers won't count on Mendenhall returning to form until next season. This isn't a stop-the-presses moment because Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said last month that "it's a bonus" if Mendenhall can play at all this year.

If Mendenhall doesn't play in 2012, it will make the decision regarding his future even tougher. Mendenhall will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Mendenhall's effectiveness dropped last season when the Steelers de-emphasized the running game. He averaged 15.2 carries and 61.9 rushing yards last season.

Mendenhall also was more hesitant in running between the tackles and frequently bounced to the outside. He wasn't as explosive as in previous seasons, producing only three runs of more than 20 yards last season after having 11 of them in 2010.

Perhaps Mendenhall's future is tied to how the Steelers play without him. Pittsburgh is expected to lean more on backup Isaac Redman as well as reserves Jonathan Dwyer, John Clay and Baron Batch.

A usually quiet Steelers team in free agency might be poised to make a key addition.

Pittsburgh is considered the favorite to land Chargers free-agent running back Mike Tolbert, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Carolina Panthers are also believed to be interested in Tolbert.

While there is no reported visit set up, this move would make perfect sense for the Steelers. Pittsburgh needs to add an experienced runner because Rashard Mendenhall is expected to start the season on the physically unable to perform list after undergoing ACL surgery in January and backup Isaac Redman has never been a featured back for an entire season.

Tolbert, 26, is a battering-ram runner who fits the Steelers' old rugged persona on offense and he's a valuable receiver who boosts the Steelers' recent pass-first philosophy. As a runner, he'll give you four yards per carry and a strong presence in the red zone (19 touchdowns in two seasons). As a receiver, he caught 54 passes, turning 23 of them into first downs.

Pittsburgh probably isn't looking to Tolbert to carry the running game. He's a complementary back who only had four games with double-digit carries last season.

The Steelers should get a good price on Tolbert, who hasn't received much interest in free agency. He had a visit with the Chiefs, who signed Peyton Hillis. It doesn't look like he'll be going back to the Chargers, who went with Le'Ron McClain. Those two former AFC North runners could now push Tolbert to the Steelers, who would get much stronger because of it.