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Recent off-the-field trouble for Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Hines Ward and Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones could present a pair of interesting cases for the NFL. Both players were arrested over the weekend in separate incidents.

But the NFL is in the midst of the lockout where the league's collective bargaining agreement and personal conduct policies are not active. Still, commissioner Roger Goodell said the league plans to hold players accountable for getting in trouble this offseason, and it's unknown if this is something the players' union would care to contest.

But it appears Ward and Jones have the potential to land in hot water this summer. Still, both players find themselves in different spots.

This is the first brush with the law for Ward, who was arrested and charged with driving under the influence early Saturday in Georgia. Ward's clean record helps his case tremendously, and it's rare that the league comes down hard on first-time offenders. Therefore, it would be surprising if Ward is forced to miss any games.

Jones, on the other hand, could be in big trouble if found guilty of disorderly conduct. He was already suspended by the NFL for the entire 2007 season and part of the 2008 season for prior incidents. Jones also has been arrested six times the past several years and is down to his last strike. Another conviction could lead to the end of Jones' career in the NFL.

Another interesting wrinkle is Ward and Jones believe they were not in the wrong. It could take a while for all the details to be released in both cases. So this may not be settled overnight.

Everyone in our community is excited following the conclusion of the 2011 NFL draft.

On paper, all four teams did well. But we won't know for sure until these rookies hit the field.

With that said, here are some interesting comments from AFC North blog readers following the 2010 NFL draft.

Enjoy.

Cleveland Browns

• "Somebody tell me why I should like this T.J. Ward pick? Don't get it. I know we need a safety, but who is this guy?"
• "I liked Taylor Mays a lot better. He's much bigger and much faster. Probably the best all-around athlete in the draft. You can't teach size or speed, but you can teach a kid how to cover better and how to tackle better. Mays' ceiling is infinite, while Ward's is not."
• "Love this pick. Montario Hardesty runs mean and nasty like Jamal Lewis did. Very solid back, better than Jahvid Best."

Pittsburgh Steelers

• "I knew Kyle Wilson was the real deal. He jumps off the screen the way he attacks and plays downhill all the time. I'm still irked he's not gonna be wearing black and gold. Maurkice Pouncey will be good, I hope. Because if he isn't, I'll be ticked if Wilson is as good as advertised."
• "I was just doing some research, and Jonathan Dwyer in the sixth round? What an unbelievable steal."
• "Essentially by trading a fifth-round pick for Bryant McFadden and Arizona's sixth-rounder, which was used for Jonathan Dwyer, the Steelers traded Santonio Holmes for McFadden and Dwyer. I love it."

Cincinnati Bengals

• "Jordan Shipley won't contribute immediately. I keep harping on this, but we're gonna see how much we really missed here with Eric Decker."
• "I'll say this and then I have to go: Brandon Ghee will be a star for the Bengals."
• "The Cincinnati Bengals now have the deepest receiving corps in the league by far."
• "I don't know who your team is but they can't beat the Bengals' receiving corps. Maybe when they make cuts in training camp your team can pickup Bengals' scraps."

Baltimore Ravens

• "Sergio Kindle will start in more Pro Bowls than Tim Tebow will start regular-season games."
• "The only beef I have with the Browns' draft is passing on Sergio Kindle in favor of T.J. Ward. This one will come back to bite 'em. They could have taken Ward later on. Kindle is going to be a force and Ozzie Newsome will be dubbed a genius the way he has handled the draft over the years."
• "Kindle and Terrell Suggs rushing from either side while Haloti Ngata and Terrence Cody clog up the middle. It's gonna be nice."
• "I think our division had the best draft of all divisions and the competition in our division will once again be great. The Ravens look like they will win the division and I am going to say the Browns will surprise some people this year. Depending on how long Ben Roethlisberger's suspension turns out to be either 4 or 6 games, Pitt might be third or maybe last in the division this year."

Remember last year?

With two Super Bowl appearances the past three seasons, Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers has quickly placed himself among the NFL's coaching elite.

Tomlin finished second in ESPN.com's coaching Power Rankings following four consecutive winning seasons, two Super Bowl appearances and one championship. He trailed only New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who received all eight first-place votes from our panel.

Tomlin's rapid ascension up the coaching ranks is impressive. He was a relative unknown when the Steelers hired him in 2007. But his energy, charisma and passion for the game led to the Steelers not missing a beat following the switch from longtime Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher.

Tomlin's biggest strength is his leadership. He commands respect and knows how to push the right buttons within his locker room. But Tomlin also gives his players enough rope when needed and relates to them extremely well. That tough balance is where a lot of head coaches fall short.

I don't know if any coach could have handled quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's off-the-field issues and subsequent suspension as well as Tomlin last year. There was a dark cloud hanging over the Steelers the entire offseason. Most people, including your AFC North blogger, wrote off Pittsburgh, which had to play a quarter of the season without its franchise quarterback. But Tomlin masterfully coached the Steelers to a 3-1 record which catapulted the team's Super Bowl run.

Despite falling one scoring drive short of the title, last season was Tomlin's best coaching job, in my opinion. He won the Super Bowl following the 2008 season. But Tomlin's resolve through extreme circumstances in 2010 cemented his status as one of the league's top coaches.

The Steelers do not botch coaching hires. Chuck Noll, Cowher and Tomlin are the only three people to hold that position in Pittsburgh since 1969. In just four seasons, Tomlin is already on the fast track to filling those huge shoes left by his predecessors.

ESPN.com's coaching Power Rankings

1. Bill Belichick, Patriots

2. Mike Tomlin, Steelers

3. Andy Reid, Eagles

4. Mike McCarthy, Packers

5. Sean Payton, Saints

6. Tom Coughlin, Giants

7. Rex Ryan, Jets

8. Lovie Smith, Bears

9. Mike Smith, Falcons

10. (tie) John Harbaugh, Ravens; Mike Shanahan, Redskins

Walker's coaching Power Rankings

1. Bill Belichick, Patriots

2. Mike Tomlin, Steelers

3. Andy Reid, Eagles

4. Mike McCarthy, Packers

5. Sean Payton, Saints

6. Tom Coughlin, Giants

7. Mike Shanahan, Redskins

8. John Harbaugh, Ravens

9. Rex Ryan, Jets

10. Jim Caldwell, Colts

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

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 7:

Ben Roethlisberger hits the road: The Pittsburgh Steelers' franchise quarterback, coming off a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, made his 2010 debut in Week 6 in the comfort of his home stadium. Roethlisberger described the ovation he received from Steeler Nation at Heinz Field as "amazing." But he will get the opposite treatment on the road, starting Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Will Roethlisberger get heckled and, if so, how will he handle it? Will it affect his play? Roethlisberger has to hear the criticism for an extended period, because the Steelers will be away from home the next three weeks and don't return to Heinz Field until Nov. 14 against the New England Patriots.

Upset linebacker: Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison was so disgruntled by his $75,000 fine this week that he was excused from practice Wednesday and briefly contemplated retirement. Now he's back and vows not to change his aggressive playing style despite increased scrutiny by the NFL on big hits. We will see how much or how little Harrison adjusts Sunday against Miami. Any big hit the league deems illegal could cost him a lot of money, as the NFL already set the bar for Harrison this week at $75,000. Or he could be suspended. The Week 6 big hits by Harrison gave Cleveland Browns receivers Josh Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi concussions.

Bye-week blues: For many teams, the bye week is an opportunity to regroup and then play their best football. But that hasn't been the case recently for the Cincinnati Bengals. During the Marvin Lewis era, Cincinnati is only 2-4-1 in games following the bye. The Bengals have several issues that need to be addressed heading into Sunday's important game against the Atlanta Falcons. Cincinnati cannot afford to fall to 2-4 in a deep AFC.

Quarterback dilemma: Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will get his second career start Sunday, against the New Orleans Saints. Coming off a relatively good debut against Pittsburgh, McCoy could make it tough on Browns coach Eric Mangini with another good performance. The plan was not to play the third-round pick at all this season. But a pair of severe ankle sprains to Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace forced McCoy into action last week. If McCoy pulls off the major upset and beats the Saints, the job is his. Otherwise, the Browns will have to evaluate their quarterback situation during the bye.

Finish strong: The Baltimore Ravens are disappointed in their overtime loss to the New England Patriots. But the Ravens have a golden opportunity to head into the bye week 5-2 with a win Sunday against the lowly Buffalo Bills (0-5). There is some pressure at home on Baltimore, as it cannot have a letdown against arguably the NFL's worst team. There is already conversation this week of whether the Bills could beat an UFL team, which is embarrassing, but also could inspire Buffalo to bring its best effort at M&T Bank Stadium.

Following a two-game losing streak, the news keeps getting worse for the Cincinnati Bengals (2-3).

The NFL announced Friday that Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom will be suspended four games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Odom appealed the suspension this year, but now it is effective immediately.

Following its bye week, Cincinnati has a tough stretch of games coming up against the Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts. Odom will be suspended for all those games and can return to the active roster on Nov. 15.

This season Odom has just four tackles and zero sacks.

After a one-month hiatus, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned to work this week. Roethlisberger, who was suspended four games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, will make his 2010 debut Oct. 17 against the Cleveland Browns.

But plenty of issues remain for the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback. In anticipation of Roethlisberger's return, here are seven questions and answers before he takes the field:

1. How long will it take Roethlisberger to get in sync with the offense?

Analysis: Not long. This offense was built for and around Roethlisberger by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. Roethlisberger simply has to step back into the driver's seat and run the machine. The Steelers have several factors going for them. They were wise to give Roethlisberger plenty of first-team reps in training camp and work with the starters in the preseason. Roethlisberger also will benefit from the bye week, which gives the Steelers two weeks to shake the rust and work on timing. Roethlisberger has been working out at a Pittsburgh-area high school and says he's thrown more footballs per day than he would in practice. Early reports have been good in practice. If Roethlisberger had his choice, he wouldn't have to wait until Oct. 17.

"I want to play this week. That's the hard part; I want to be out there right away," Roethlisberger said at his news conference this week. "But it's a good thing to have two weeks of practice. But my arm is ready. I'm not worried about my arm."

2. What kind of changes will the offense make?

Analysis: The first and biggest change is Pittsburgh will be less conservative. There was only one way the Steelers could win consistently without Roethlisberger, and that was to play it safe on offense and be lights out on defense. Pittsburgh executed its plan to near perfection and got off to a 3-1 start. Now Arians can take more chances and open his entire playbook. Roethlisberger said Monday that he doesn't want to throw it "60 times." But throwing it 30 to 35 times is a good number for Pittsburgh. The Steelers are 31st in passing offense through four games. Look for that ranking to improve dramatically with Roethlisberger under center.

3. Will Roethlisberger be accepted by his teammates?

Analysis: Everything looks good so far. Roethlisberger received a warm greeting from teammates when he arrived this week. It's no secret Roethlisberger wasn't Pittsburgh's most popular player in the past. His irresponsibility this offseason also resulted in his captain status being stripped this year. But absence can make the heart grow fonder, and Roethlisberger's effort to improve as a person is being well-received by the team. Everyone knows Roethlisberger is a gamer, and he has always earned his teammates' respect in the locker room with his toughness and football ability. Now he has to work on the personal side and being more responsible, and it appears he's taking steps in the right direction.

"Every single one of the guys I've seen gave me a big hug," Roethlisberger said. "I was just so happy to see that and they were so happy to see me as well."

4. What about the fans?

Analysis: This is the X factor. Roethlisberger was asked about this during a news conference Monday and he said he wasn't sure. Many in Steeler Nation were upset by Roethlisberger's actions. Most stuck with him during the first sexual assault allegation and were turned off that he would put himself in a precarious position twice in less than a year. Getting suspended four games also put the team in jeopardy of having a slow start. But the offseason ire has seemingly worn off. The Steelers are off to a great start and there are good vibes in Pittsburgh about the chances of this year’s team, especially now that Roethlisberger is back. Winning will help, and Roethlisberger knows that. That is why he has worked extremely hard in the interim to stay sharp.

5. Who benefits most from Roethlisberger's return?

Analysis: There are plenty of beneficiaries when a team gets its best offensive player back. But if I had to pick two players who it impacts the most, it would be starting receiver Hines Ward and tight end Heath Miller. Both players sacrificed production and were forced to take reduced roles in the offense. Miller is averaging 2.5 receptions a game and Ward is averaging 3.0 catches. Their biggest contributions so far have been in the running game, as Ward and Miller are among the best blockers at their positions. Their specialty is making tough catches in coverage over the middle, but neither Dennis Dixon nor Charlie Batch took those kinds of risks. Meanwhile, Roethlisberger trusts his arm and will have more freedom to throw over the middle to Ward and Miller and give his playmakers a chance.

6. How much pressure is on Roethlisberger after Pittsburgh's fast start?

Analysis: This is a tricky question because the answer has two sides. In some ways, Roethlisberger's teammates did a great job of taking the pressure off him by not digging an early hole. If the Steelers were 1-3 instead of 3-1, most of the blame would have been put on Roethlisberger's absence, and it would have put immense pressure on him to come in and try to save Pittsburgh's season. Instead, the Steelers are in a great position and Roethlisberger can simply keep the team rolling in the right direction. But with a fast start also come increased expectations. Many prognosticators thought this was an eight- or nine-win team that barely had a chance to make the playoffs. Now the bar is much higher for this season, and it's up to Roethlisberger to help the Steelers meet those increased expectations.

"I think there's a lot of great chemistry on this team right now," Roethlisberger said. "They are playing great football on offense, defense and special teams from what I've been able to watch of the games. I'm not coming to try to be anything more than what I am. I'm just trying to be helpful and do whatever I can to help this team win football games."

7. Are the Steelers really Super Bowl contenders?

Analysis: Yes. The AFC is deep, but Roethlisberger is one of the NFL's top five quarterbacks and one of the few with two Super Bowl rings. He knows how to get it done, and it doesn't hurt that he has a large chip on his shoulder and a lot of making up to do with his teammates and the city. I covered the Steelers during their last Super Bowl run in 2008, and you could sense the chemistry and talent were there to make a run. Barring any significant injuries -- which are always possible -- I'm getting the same feeling about this year's team early on. The Steelers are good enough to make another playoff run as long as Roethlisberger holds up his end.

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger once again stood at a podium Monday and held a news conference in front of a large group of media. It was a familiar scene at Pittsburgh's training facility, as Roethlisberger did the same twice within about a year following a pair of sexual assault allegations.

But Monday's news conference was much more positive. In his first day back from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, a humbled Roethlisberger spoke of being excited about his return, getting back to his roots and enjoying the warm reception from his teammates.

"One of the worst parts about it is that I love football and I miss that more than anything," Roethlisberger said. "But to be away from my guys, my brothers, my family, that was one of the worst parts, and that's what made coming here today so great.

"Every single one of the guys I've seen gave me a big hug. I was just so happy to see that, and they were so happy to see me as well."

The two-time Super Bowl winner has plenty of making up to do with the Steelers, his teammates and the city of Pittsburgh. Now it's time to make things right with all of the above.

Credit Roethlisberger for saying the right things Monday and during training camp, but the proof will be in his actions. Will Roethlisberger be a better teammate? Can he eventually be a leader in Pittsburgh again? Will Roethlisberger have a quiet offseason? These are all questions that will be answered in time.

Roethlisberger will have to work his way back slowly. For the first time since 2007, he was not elected captain by his teammates, which Roethlisberger understood after being absent for one month.

"That's something you have to earn, and I will come out and give them the best I can," Roethlisberger said. "Just because you're not a captain doesn't mean you can't give this team all you've got."

The Steelers proved they can win without Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh went 3-1 in the first month of the season and has established itself as one of the NFL's top teams.

Roethlisberger said it was hard to sit still watching the Steelers on television, but he was happy to see them win. Now it's up to the quarterback to fit in and keep the team going in the right direction. Pittsburgh, which has a bye this week, will host the Cleveland Browns (1-3) on Oct. 17.

"I think there's a lot of great chemistry on this team right now," Roethlisberger said. "They are playing great football on offense, defense and special teams from what I've been able to watch of the games. I'm not coming to try to be anything more than what I am. I'm just trying to be helpful and do whatever I can to help this team win football games."

Monday marked a new beginning for Roethlisberger's career with the Steelers. His mission this season is to show growth off the field, while on the field helping Pittsburgh get to Super Bowl XLV. Based on what I've seen from Roethlisberger and the Steelers so far, neither goal appears out of reach.

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has officially rejoined his team.

Roethlisberger arrived Monday at the Steelers' training facility around noon, about two hours early for the team's 2 p.m. ET meeting. The team confirmed that he will address the media after the meeting. The AFC North blog will be with the Steelers to hear what Roethlisberger has to say about his return.

Pittsburgh has two weeks to work the rust off Roethlisberger, who was suspended four games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The Steelers have a bye before playing the Cleveland Browns (1-3) at Heinz Field on Oct. 17.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially begun life without two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. NFL comissioner Roger Goodell met with Roethlisberger on Friday and reduced his suspension from six games to four. Roethlisberger will not be allowed to train with the team until his suspension ends next month.

This was the expected outcome after the commissioner established firm guidelines in April that stated Roethlisberger could have his suspension cut two games for good behavior. Roethlisberger has done and said all the right things and seems to be heading in the right direction in his personal life.

But with Roethlisberger out of the picture until October, let's look ahead to Pittsburgh's four opponents to start the season.

Game No. 1 vs. Atlanta Falcons

Analysis: The Falcons are a darkhorse Super Bowl contender. They have a good, young quarterback in Matt Ryan, a strong running game led by Michael Turner and an improved defense that was bolstered in the draft and free agency. Pittsburgh has a chance to win this game by feeding off the emotion of its home opener. But with an inexperienced Dennis Dixon likely getting his second career start against a quality opponent, quarterback play should be the difference.

AFC North blog prediction: Loss

Game No. 2 at Tennessee Titans

Analysis: As Pittsburgh found out during its 2008 Super Bowl season, Tennessee is not an easy place to play. This would be Dixon's first road start of the season and second road game of his career. The quarterbacks in this game are similar, but Tennessee's Vince Young has much more starting experience. Slight edge to the home team.

AFC North blog prediction: Loss

Game No. 3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Analysis: We're not sure at this point if Byron Leftwich will be available. But based on the reported diagnosis of an MCL sprain, this could be a target date for his return. Depending on the team's record (I predict 0-2) and how Dixon is playing, the Steelers could turn to the veteran Leftwich, the favorite to win the starting job before Thursday's knee injury. The Buccaneers are rebuilding after last year's 3-13 record, so this is Pittsburgh's safest bet in the first four games.

AFC North blog prediction: Win

Game No. 4 vs. Baltimore Ravens

Analysis: Baltimore is 1-3 against Pittsburgh in its past four meetings, the only win coming last season when Roethlisberger sat out with a concussion. Expect a close game.

AFC North blog prediction: Loss

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's suspension was reduced to four games, the NFL announced Friday. This means Roethlisberger will return on Oct. 17 against the Cleveland Browns.

We will have more on Roethlisberger coming up in the AFC North blog.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. believed Dennis Dixon was the best choice to be the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 1 starter even before Byron Leftwich's knee injury.

That prospect is closer to reality now that Leftwich reportedly suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. That likely rules out Leftwich for Pittsburgh's regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. He was hit low against the Carolina Panthers Thursday during a pass attempt in the first half.

All eyes are now on Dixon to take over during Ben Roethlisberger's suspension. Despite his inexperience (one career start), Williamson likes what Dixon adds to Pittsburgh's offense.

"Dixon is talented," Williamson wrote this week. "His running ability is extremely impressive and that playmaking ability with the ball in his hands is the first thing you notice with Dixon. He also has a big arm and can deliver the ball on the run or from improbable body positions."

Pittsburgh's running game will be vital during this period. The Steelers' best chance of winning without Roethlisberger is to run the ball well and play great defense.

Williamson believes Dixon's mobility keeps defenders on edge, which could help starting tailback Rashard Mendenhall. Dixon also showed multiple times in the preseason that he can run for first downs when plays break down.

"Playing man-to-man against the Steelers is tougher to pull off with Dixon in the lineup," Williamson wrote. "But much like when Vince Young took over in Tennessee last season and Chris Johnson's rushing totals went through the roof, it is harder to defend the running game from an alignment and assignment standpoint on defense. The contain defenders must respect the bootleg and can't crash down on the inside run as hard."

Pittsburgh's quarterback derby was unique from the start and had plenty of twists and turns. Therefore, it was only fitting that a last-minute curveball would occur right before the start of the regular season, which opened the door for Dixon.

The AFC North was in the police blotter this offseason. All four teams had players facing suspensions for violating the NFL's substance abuse and personal conduct policies.

The problem is the league doesn't have clearly-defined guidelines for infractions. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is ruling on a case-by-case basis, which has sparked debate.

Here is a recap on Goodell's rulings in the AFC North:

Shaun Rogers, DL, Cleveland Browns

Violation: Rogers was caught with a gun at a Cleveland airport.

Penalty: Fined one game check (approximately $400,000)

Skinny: Rogers says he made an honest mistake, and the NFL obliged by not suspending him. But the stiff penalty of a game check makes a point that gun infractions are serious, even if it's accidental. Rogers is appealing the fine.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Infraction: Roethlisberger faced his second allegation of sexual assault in less than a year in Milledgeville, Ga.

Penalty: Conditional six-game suspension

Skinny: This was the harshest penalty by far in the division, and the biggest public criticism against the NFL is that Roethlisberger was never charged. But Goodell didn't act last year following Roethlisberger's first sexual assault allegation and was clearly peeved the second time around. Lately, Roethlisberger has been on his best behavior, and the suspension likely will be reduced to four games.

Cary Williams, CB, Baltimore Ravens

Infraction: Williams was suspended for an unknown family situation while with the Tennessee Titans last year.

Penalty: Two-game suspension

Skinny: It's hard to make sense of this without many details. But Williams is having a decent preseason and could've helped Baltimore's ailing secondary.

Maurice Purify, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Infraction: Purify was arrested in northern Kentucky for disorderly conduct.

Penalty: One-game suspension

Skinny: Although this infraction is relatively small compared to others listed, Purify has been in trouble with the law before. This suspension likely ends any chance of Purify making Cincinnati's 53-man roster.

Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals

Infraction: Benson was involved in a bar fight last May in Austin, Texas.

Penalty: None

Skinny: The NFL determined Benson was not the aggressor and didn't suspend him. The details seemed sketchy from the start, but Benson's past infractions put him at risk by the NFL.

Rey Maualuga, LB, Bengals

Infraction: Arrested for DUI after crashing into two cars and a parking meter in February.

Penalty: Fined two game checks and a portion of signing bonus

Skinny: This was Maualuga's first violation with the NFL. So the league decided to fine the linebacker but not cost him any games. Maualuga also went through an offseason rehab program and says he's learned from his mistakes.

As you can see, there isn't much consistency, as the penalties range all over the place.

It's difficult to outline every potential infraction. But it may be wise for the NFL to spell out the most prevalent cases (DUI, assault, weapons charges) and provide a definitive penalty range for each violation.

Until it's clearly explained in writing, the public will continue to question whether each judgment call by Goodell is too harsh or too lenient.

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

• Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger tells Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he intends to train in Pittsburgh during his conditional six-game suspension.

Morning take: It's probably best that Roethlisberger stays in town and keeps his focus on football. The most important thing for him is to stay sharp and in shape.

• Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times shares some insight on the Baltimore Ravens' trade for former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Wilson.

Morning take: I like this move. It improves the secondary and doesn't require another player (Willis McGahee?), which hurts depth elsewhere. Wilson will help immediately, and Seattle gets a conditional draft pick.

• Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports Bengals coach Marvin Lewis defends his team's medical staff after a bad week involving former players Antonio Bryant and Rashad Jeanty.

Morning take: This is a smart move by Lewis, because the Bengals cannot afford to lose the trust and confidence of their players.

• Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal takes a look at Sports Illustrated's 5-11 prediction for the Cleveland Browns.

Morning take: The Browns won five games last year with less talent. But the AFC North will be brutal this year.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter. This meeting likely will confirm Roethlisberger's reduced suspension from six games to four.

Roethlisberger received a conditional six-game suspension this offseason for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Since then, Roethlisberger has done all the right things in an effort to get his suspension reduced.

The league needs to make a decision on "Big Ben" soon with the regular season starting in two weeks. If the suspension is cut to four games, Roethlisberger will return on Oct. 17 against the Cleveland Browns.

It took some time, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are finally warming up to third-year quarterback Dennis Dixon.

After playing the backup role the past several months, Dixon is sharing first-team practice reps with the Steelers this week, a source told ESPN.com's AFC North blog.

This is the first time Dixon is getting work with the starters since Pittsburgh reported to training camp last month, and it could be a prelude to Dixon sharing playing time with the first team at some point in the final two preseason games. Pittsburgh will travel to play the Denver Broncos Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET.

With franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger serving a conditional six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, the Steelers are in a unique position of trying to find a starter to open the 2010 season.

There has been speculation of whether Pittsburgh's quarterback competition was truly "open," because Byron Leftwich and Roethlisberger dominated the first-team reps in training camp and the preseason. Leftwich started Pittsburgh's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, and Roethlisberger started last week against the New York Giants.

It is not known if Dixon will start the third preseason game. But sharing practice reps with the first-team offense is a sign that he's at least a factor in Pittsburgh's quarterback race.

Dixon earned consideration by playing lights out so far this preseason, completing 13 of 15 passes for 210 yards in limited playing time. He has one career start, which was an overtime loss last year to the Baltimore Ravens.

Update: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Dixon will get time with the starters this week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

"I intend to give Dennis Dixon some looks with the first group against some good people," Tomlin said. "I think he's earned that likewise. And that's what this preseason is all about."