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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 Browns in 2012.

Dream scenario (8-8): The Browns reap the rewards of a third straight successful draft and produce their first non-losing season since 2007. Team president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert are vindicated for making the right moves, and head coach Pat Shurmur shows what he can do when he has a full offseason with a team. While this isn't a playoff team yet, this season proves that the team is headed in the right direction.

First-round running back Trent Richardson becomes the centerpiece of the Browns' offense, providing a tough and mean attitude. He lives up to expectations of being the No. 3 overall pick and is the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. First-round pick Brandon Weeden makes an immediate impact with his big arm, convincing everyone that he is a franchise quarterback. He is also the mature leader that the offense needs.

On defense, tackle Phil Taylor returns earlier than expected from his pectoral muscle injury and misses only a handful of games. Middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson proves he's worth his new five-year, $42.5 million deal and leads the NFL in tackles. Linebacker Scott Fujita wins the appeal of his three-game suspension from the Saints' bounty scandal and starts the season opener. The addition of defensive end Frostee Rucker significantly improves a run defense that ranked 30th in the NFL last season.

Nightmare scenario (3-13): The Browns hit rock bottom, struggling against the NFL's third-toughest schedule. The hot seat is scorching for Shumur, and there are constant questions whether Holmgren and Heckert will be around when the Browns select first in the 2013 draft.

The biggest problem is a lack of playmakers on offense. Richardson is a physical runner but he can't break tackle after tackle. Defenses load the box with eight and nine players because they don't fear any of the wide receivers. Greg Little continues to drop passes and Mohamed Massaquoi continues to underachieve. Rookie Travis Benjamin brings speed but doesn't have the size to get off the line. That is all compounded by Weeden making too many mistakes when pressured, which was the knock on him coming out of college.

The defense's biggest weakness -- run defense -- gets exploited even more when Taylor takes longer than expected to recover. Rookie defensive linemen John Hughes and Billy Winn play like rookies in trying to replace him. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard isn't as disruptive as he was as a rookie, and Rucker is a disappointment as the team's top free-agent signing.

General manager Tom Heckert clarified the Browns' quarterback competition Monday night, saying the team drafted Brandon Weeden with the intention of him starting as a rookie.

"The best guy is going to play and we fully expect Brandon to be that guy," Heckert said. "That's our goal is to have him be the guy. I think when we say, open competition, the best guy's going to play, that's just the way it is. But we drafted Brandon Weeden to be that guy. [You] draft a guy 22nd in the draft, you think he's going to be that guy."

This is what the Browns should have been saying all along. Team officials have been trying to present this as an open quarterback competition when it's clearly not.

The Browns should say they expect Weeden should be the starter. If Weeden is going to succeed in this division, he's going to have to get used to feeling pressure. He's going to have to battle more than expectations when he sees the defenses of the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals twice every season.

The Colts and Redskins have already given the starting jobs to Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. The Browns have been reluctant to do the same, and I understand the merits of wanting a quarterback to earn the starting job.

But the team isn't fooling anyone. Even if the Browns aren't saying it, the expectation of every Browns Backer is that Weeden will start and should start. The Browns already put that pressure on Weeden when they decided to draft him in the first round and not wait until the second. His arm strength, accuracy and size puts him ahead of Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace.

It doesn't matter if McCoy is the quarterback who takes the first snaps today when organized team activities begin. By the end of the preseason, this should be Weeden's offense unless he can't handle the pressure. But it's better to find out if Weeden can handle the pressure now than on Sept. 9 against the Eagles.

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

Browns general manager Tom Heckert said he's "100 percent" sure that defensive tackle Phil Taylor will play this season. Taylor underwent surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle Wednesday.

"I don't think there's any question about that," Heckert told the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Monday night. "We think he'll probably be [ready by the] end of October, early November, but he'll definitely be back. [It's] six months at the most. That's being very, very cautious. He could be back earlier than that."

This timetable decreases the chances of the Browns adding a veteran defensive lineman. "We're really happy with the guys we have, especially the two guys we drafted [third-rounder John Hughes and sixth-rounder Billy Winn]," Heckert said.

Hensley's slant: Getting Taylor back at any point this season is a major plus for the Browns. Hughes and Winn are likely not ready to handle the challenges of starting a full season as rookies, and there is no veteran free agent who can significantly upgrade the position.

BENGALS: Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden shot down speculation that there are some in the Bengals organization who have their doubts about Andy Dalton’s upside and his arm strength limitations. "If there were reservations about Andy Dalton there would be a lot more quarterbacks here right now," Gruden told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "We know and he knows he has to get better and he is chomping at the bit to get going. I have no reservations about his arm strength. I think he can do it all. If you can throw it 62, 63 yards, that is pretty strong. He does have a long way to go to get better. We’re not putting his jersey or shoes in Canton right now, but we have every reason to believe he will continue to improve.” Hensley's slant: Dalton doesn't have great arm strength, which is one of the reasons he fell into the second round last year. But Dalton succeeded last season because Gruden tailored the offense to Dalton's strengths and made him feel comfortable. Every quarterback has limitations, but it's the team's job to accentuate his strengths.

RAVENS: Safety Bernard Pollard is remaining supportive of Ed Reed, who indicated last week that he isn't committed to playing football right now. "This is a business, and Ed and I have had these talks before, but whatever he decides to do, we back him 100 percent," Pollard said, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. "The guy is a heck of a football player, he’s been a heck of a football player his whole career and for me it’s exciting playing with him. I guess I will put this out there: He better not leave me hanging so we’ll be alright.” Hensley's slant: Teammates, especially the defensive backs, have tremendous respect for Reed. But they understand there are some things you have to deal with when it comes to playing with him, whether it's his tendency to gamble during games and his constant wavering in the offseason.

STEELERS: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said his relationship with new offensive coordinator Todd Haley is fine. There was drama this offseason when Roethlisberger and Haley didn't meet for two weeks after the Steelers hired Haley to replace Bruce Arians. “People blew it way out of proportion,” Roethlisberger told KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. “It’s something new, we’re getting to know each other … There’s no trouble between us at all. When you get a comfort level of like eight years of the same thing and then you change it, it’s just something different. So I’m not saying I don’t like the playbook or anything like that. Some of the concepts are awesome. It’s just getting an understanding of something new.” Hensley's slant: Roethlisberger will get a better feeling for Haley's new offense when he takes the field today for the start of OTAs. This offense will still be centered around Roethlisberger, but there will be a transition period after being in Arians' system for five years. That's why it would help if wide receiver Mike Wallace attended these workouts.

BEREA, Ohio -- The reason why the Browns don't have a coveted wide receiver is because they failed to be aggressive.

Cleveland got the running back it wanted by trading up to No. 3 to draft Trent Richardson. The Browns should've done the same later in the first round for their targeted wide receiver, Baylor's Kendall Wright.

By staying put at No. 22 on Thursday, the Browns have a 28-year-old rookie quarterback in Brandon Weeden and no difference-maker at wide receiver after three rounds. Cleveland reportedly had Wright rated higher than Weeden and would've taken Wright if he was available.

According to general manager Tom Heckert, there were three wide receivers the team considered "legitimate guys." This list presumably includes Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd and Wright. Blackmon and Floyd were taken in the top 13.

If the Browns thought Wright was the last of the best receivers, they should've moved ahead of Tennessee, which drafted Wright at No. 20. The Browns had to know the Titans were interested because Tennessee had four of the top receiver prospects, including Wright, in for pre-draft visits. Moving three or four spots up would've cost the Browns a third-round pick.

Heckert said there was no frustration over failing to add a receiver in the first three rounds.

"We could have taken a receiver. We don’t want to take a receiver just to take a receiver," he said Friday night. "If we didn’t get a receiver and we didn’t get a good player, we might be [frustrated]. But we are happy with the guys we took, we really are.”

You can't fault the Browns for passing on a wide receiver early in the second round. The Browns had to address right tackle at that point because they couldn't go into a season with Oniel Cousins as the starter there.

By the time the Browns were on the clock in the third round, there were no other deep threats remaining. Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill (New York Jets) and LSU's Rueben Randle (New York Giants) both were drafted in the second round.

Heckert said there is a chance the Browns might take a wide receiver in the final four rounds Saturday. The draft resumes at noon.

“We still have some picks left. There are some guys that we do like," Heckert said. "We’ll see what happens after tomorrow and then we can discuss if we don’t have any.”

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns officials insist there's "no story" with Colt McCoy a day after they were the ones who said they would discuss trading the now-supplanted quarterback.

"I haven't talked to one person about him," said general manager Tom Heckert, who rolled his eyes after third question regarding McCoy was asked Friday night. "There's nothing to talk about."

Actually, there's a lot to talk about. This is what happens when you use the 22nd overall pick on a quarterback. These are the questions you get when Brandon Weeden is answering questions at a Friday news conference like a mature, composed starter.

Here's my suggestion on what the Browns should do with McCoy -- absolutely nothing. I don't understand why the Browns would trade a quarterback in whom they just invested a full season of starts. If anyone should go, it should be current backup Seneca Wallace. Browns coach Pat Shurmur said last month that Wallace wouldn't be given a chance to compete against McCoy for the starting job, so I'm puzzled on why he should he be the one who stays.

There are instances where it would be a bad situation to keep a starting quarterback who just lost his job. Judging by his personality, McCoy wouldn't create any problems or disruptions.

The Browns are noncommittal on McCoy's future, which isn't a sign that he's sticking around. Asked if McCoy would be here for offseason minicamps, Shurmur said, "I plan on Colt being here on Monday as part of the offseason program. There really is no story right now. There really isn't. We drafted a quarterback to come in and compete with him at this point, and that's where it's at."

The Browns, though, were very strong in denying a report that said they told McCoy they wouldn't draft a quarterback in the first round.

"That's absolutely false," Heckert said.

Shurmur added, "We don't consult our players about what we're doing in the draft. I think it's ridiculous to assume that we would say those things."

It would also be ridiculous to assume the Browns drafted a 28-year-old quarterback to sit. Unless Weeden struggles mightily in training camp, he should be the starter this season. And the best quarterback on this roster to back up Weeden is McCoy.

BEREA, Ohio -- The two biggest problems I have with the Cleveland Browns taking quarterback Brandon Weeden are his age (28) and where they drafted him. There wouldn't be as much of an uproar if the Browns had selected Weeden in the second round and not the first.

Perhaps that was the Browns' original plan. If the Tennessee Titans hadn't taken Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright at No. 20, Cleveland would have drafted him at No. 22 instead of Weeden, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Asked if the decision at No. 22 would have been tougher if Wright were still on the board, general manager Tom Heckert said, "We liked Kendall and there were a couple of guys that we liked, but a quarterback is a quarterback, which I think that outweighs everything, at least in our opinion.”

So, would the Browns have taken Weeden if Wright was available? “We didn’t have to make that decision," Heckert said.

But the Browns should've had a decision even with Wright gone. Look at the two players selected after Weeden. The Browns could've had Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff or Stanford guard David DeCastro. Both would have addressed needs on the right side of the Cleveland's offensive line.

So, instead of getting the second-best tackle or No. 1 guard in the draft, the Browns take the third-ranked quarterback on their board (Weeden was higher than Ryan Tannehill). That's not getting the best value at the No. 22 pick.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Colt McCoy era is over. A new one -- make that older one -- began Thursday night when the Cleveland Browns selected Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden with the 22nd overall pick.

The Browns have gone from a weak-armed quarterback to a geriatric one by NFL standards. At 28 years, 195 days, Weeden is the oldest player ever to be taken in the first round of the Common Draft era, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Weeden is only two years younger than Ben Roethlisberger. He's one year older than Brady Quinn, the last quarterback taken by the Browns in the first round.

Drafting running back Trent Richardson in the first round was a no-brainer. And, even though I think Weeden can be a quality starter in this league, taking him in the first round makes little sense for a team that is not a quarterback away from contending for a Super Bowl.

The Browns have too many other needs on offense to reach for a failed minor-league pitcher. The Cleveland front office believes it found a franchise quarterback in Weeden, but you have to wonder who is going to block for him at right tackle and who is going to catch the long passes from Weeden's big arm. The Browns are right that Weeden will be an upgrade over McCoy. But, like McCoy, he might have trouble reaching that potential with the holes surrounding him.

In a span of a few hours, the Dawg Pound went from high-fiving over the selection of Richardson to scratching their heads over Weeden.

Why didn't the Browns take a wide receiver like Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill? Why didn't Cleveland pick up Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff or Stanford guard David DeCastro? Why did a rebuilding franchise select an older quarterback?

"We went through the process of evaluating him, we became very fond of him," Browns coach Pat Shurmur said. "We all did, from Randy [Lerner, owner] to Mike [Holmgren, team president] to Tom [Heckert, general manager] to myself. I came away saying this is a guy we'd like to have on our team. That's where we're at right now."

It was interesting that Shurmur pointed out that the owner had input on this decision. The pressure is on, and the clock is ticking.

At his age, Weeden has to start immediately. There's no time to let him sit and learn. And, because of his age, the expectation is to win immediately.

Browns officials shrugged off Weeden's age as being an issue. The number they concentrated on is 22, which is Weeden's wins in 25 starts in college.

"We feel like the kid's a winner," Shurmur said. "I wasn't concerned about his age."

The arrival of Weeden could mean the end of McCoy's days in Cleveland. The Browns gave McCoy a major vote of no confidence when they aggressively tried to trade up for Robert Griffin III last month.

The question now isn't whether McCoy will compete for the job. It's whether McCoy will even be on this team. Heckert didn't deny the possibility that the Browns could trade McCoy this weekend.

"To be honest, we haven't thought about that. We really haven't," Heckert said. "That's something we'll talk about tonight and tomorrow."

If it wasn't for Weeden's age, he would have been a top-10 pick. He has a strong arm. He's got a quick release. He is a hard worker. He is a respected leader.

There's a good chance that Weeden will be a productive quarterback and might end the string of other "franchise" quarterbacks like Tim Couch, Derek Anderson and Quinn. The problem is, teams draft quarterbacks in the first round to be the starter for the next decade. The odds are against that with Weeden, who will turn 30 in October next year.

The Browns have done such a great job in rebuilding the defense in the past two drafts that you want to give them the benefit of the doubt that they'll do the same on offense. When it came time for the Browns to pick at No. 22, Heckert said there was no decision to make especially after Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright was drafted by Tennessee at No. 20.

"Brandon was by far the best player for us," Heckert said. "There wasn't really even an afterthought. As soon as a couple of guys went, we knew we were going to take him."

Weeden might have been the best player available at that point. He was just not the right player for the Browns.

Browns general manager Tom Heckert told reporters that the team would like to keep the No. 4 pick and it has narrowed that choice down to two unidentified players.

Many believe those two players are Alabama running back Trent Richardson and Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. If that's the case, the choice should be Richardson. It’s not just me saying this. When you look at the alternatives, you’ll be saying this as well.

Everyone will agree that Richardson and Blackmon are the top prospects at their position. But the Browns can address wide receiver later in the first round or early in the second. Cleveland can’t do that a running back.

There is no one close to Richardson or his combination of power and elusiveness. At running back, there’s Richardson and everybody else. The second-tier running backs -- Virginia Tech’s David Wilson, Boise State’s Doug Martin and Miami’s Lamar Miller -- are second-round talents.

At wide receiver, Blackmon ranks No. 1 but he has his flaws. He doesn’t have elite size or speed.

The Browns can get a receiver with size late in the first round with South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery. They can get one with speed with Baylor’s Kendall Wright. They can get one with speed and athletic ability with Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill.

Heckert downplayed a report that he favors Blackmon over other possibilities at No. 4. "Everything you've heard is complete nonsense," he said.

He also needs to resist the temptation of moving down. They have 13 picks in this draft, including three of the first 37. Cleveland should stay at No. 4 and be thrilled to add an offensive playmaker. As I said previously, this draft for the Browns is about quality, not quantity.

There’s no question that the Browns need to draft a running back and wide receiver. When taking a big-picture look at both positions, there’s no question that the pick should be Richardson.

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

After signing his new $50 million contract, Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb hasn't been shy in voicing some lofty goals.

Last week, he told The Baltimore Sun that he wants a Hall of Fame career. This week, he told a local Baltimore radio station that he wants to be the top cornerback in the NFL.

"I pay my respect to the guys that have been there and done that, and I don’t try to jump the gun too quick," Webb said, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. "I know about the Revises, the Nnamdis, the Charles Woodsons, the Champ Baileys, and I want to get there one day and I still have a lot of work to get there."

Webb added, "Trust me, I’m putting the work in to be there. I want to be the best cornerback in the NFL -- not Revis. I don’t want you to say Revis every time. No disrespect, I’ve seen the guy play ball and he’s great. He’s a great player, a great DB, but I want to be the guy.”

Hensley's slant: You have to play with confidence, especially at the cornerback position. Webb will have every chance to prove himself this season, too. He'll play against some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, from Peyton Manning to Tom Brady to Ben Roethlisberger to Philip Rivers to Eli Manning.

BENGALS: Outside linebacker Thomas Howard, who was a walk-on as a freshman at UTEP, is giving back. His foundation awarded partial scholarships to two walk-ons on the UTEP football team. "I'm not the first one. I won't be the last one," Howard told the Bengals' official website. "No one really honors the walk-ons. No one really knows the struggles except the few guys that have gone through it." Hensley's slant: Just like at UTEP, Howard earned his spot on the Bengals, solidifying his starting role after leading the team in tackles last season. The Bengals have been so impressed by Howard that they traded former first-round pick Keith Rivers to the New York Giants.

BROWNS: General manager Tom Heckert pledged his support to quarterback Colt McCoy at the team's pre-draft press conference. "We like Colt," Heckert said, via The Associated Press. "We think Colt can play. I know everybody talked about the Washington deal, but it's not like you're saying Colt's a bad quarterback by doing that." Hensley's slant: What the Browns said by pursuing Robert Griffin III is that McCoy is not the preferred quarterback. It also said Cleveland doesn't think he is a franchise quarterback. If the Browns believed McCoy was the long-term solution at quarterback, they wouldn't have aggressively tried to trade up for RG3.

STEELERS: Memphis nose tackle Dontari Poe was among the last pre-draft visitors for the Steelers, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Poe rose up draft boards after one of the most impressive workouts at the NFL combine in February. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.98 seconds and recorded a combine-best 44 reps in the 225-pounds bench. Hensley's slant: Poe would be the heir apparent to longtime starting nose tackle Casey Hampton. But many believe Poe will be long gone before the Steelers pick at No. 24. The Chiefs, Cowboys, Eagles and Cardinals are all reportedly interested in him. The only chance Poe has of slipping to the bottom of the first round is if teams question his motor.

At least four teams have called the Cleveland Browns about the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft, sources told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

One of the teams believed to be in the mix is the St. Louis Rams. That would mean dropping to No. 6. Just say no. Why? The Browns can say goodbye to an elite offensive playmaker in running back Trent Richardson if they trade down. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would immediately grab Richardson at No. 5.

Another potential trade partner is the Philadelphia Eagles. This would require the Browns to fall to No. 15. Cleveland really has to say no to this one. Why? It's a pipe dream to think wide receiver Michael Floyd is going to be available at this spot. He's going to get drafted by Buffalo (No. 10) or Arizona (No. 13).

The top offensive prospects who should be on the board in the middle of the first round are guard David DeCastro and wide receiver Kendall Wright. Two additional second-round picks are not worth this dropoff. Plus, general manager Tom Heckert indicated 17 days ago that the Browns would consider falling back as far as No. 8. The Eagles' spot is out of that range.

As I mentioned earlier this week, the Browns shouldn't trade back. They need playmakers, not picks. Their draft should be based on quality, not quantity.

Still, there's a good chance that the Browns will trade back. Heckert's track record shows he likes to acquire extra picks. And, as ESPN Insider Bill Polian pointed out, Mike Holmgren's teams often find their running backs later in the draft or through free agency.

But Richardson is one of those special types of backs. He has the toughness to excel in a division like the AFC North and he has the potential to immediately affect an offense like Adrian Peterson did.

If Holmgren doesn't believe me, he should consult with his good friend and ESPN analyst Jon Gruden before thinking of trading back.

“The easiest thing to do is turn around and hand the ball to somebody 300 times a year,” Gruden said in a conference call. “Everybody says, ‘Don’t take a running back. You can get those guys in the fifth, sixth or seventh round.' You go try to find Trent Richardson in the fifth, sixth or seventh round."

Gruden added, “He’s a beast. He broke all of Emmitt Smith’s high school rushing records in Florida. I’ve seen him run over people, run around people, he protects the ball, he can catch it, can pick up blitzes. He might be the strongest human being on the planet."

Just because teams are interested in the No. 4 pick doesn't mean the Browns should be interested in giving it up. Just say no.

Trading down from the fourth overall pick is a much-talked about option for the Browns. Some have even suggested Cleveland is leaning toward moving out of that spot to acquire more picks.

Why is Cleveland even thinking about this? The Browns own three of the first 37 picks in the draft. They hold six selections in the first four rounds and eight in the first five. No one has more picks than Cleveland, which has a total of 13.

The theme of the Browns' draft this year should be quality and not quantity. Cleveland shouldn't consider moving down because that means passing on a impact talent like Alabama running back Trent Richardson. The Browns need playmakers and not picks this year.

As Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson points out in his latest Insider piece : "If anything, [the Browns] should be looking to trade up at times, packaging their excess picks to acquire higher-quality prospects. This team is starved for difference-makers."

I understand that the Browns couldn't turn down the Atlanta Falcons' offer last year to go from the top of the first round to the bottom of it. By letting the Falcons have wide receiver Julio Jones, Cleveland got three players from those picks in 2011 (defensive tackle Phil Taylor, wide receiver Greg Little and fullback Owen Marecic) along with picks in the first and fourth rounds this year.

Browns general manager Tom Heckert said at the end of last month that the team would consider trading as far back as No. 8. The breaking point for the Browns really should be No. 6 (the St. Louis Rams have that spot). Assuming a team is jumping up for quarterback Ryan Tannehill or wide receiver Justin Blackmon, Cleveland can come away with a top-tier prospect if it stays in the top six.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has five players in his elite tier (quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, offensive tackle Matt Kalil, Richardson and cornerback Morris Claiborne) and believes only seven players in this draft are top-10 quality.

When the Browns are on the clock in 16 days, they will likely get a call about trading back. This year, they should resist the temptation to do so.

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

Cincinnati Bengals

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cleveland Browns

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

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

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

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

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

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

Baltimore Ravens

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pittsburgh Steelers

Key additions: None

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

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

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

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

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

The Browns shouldn't trade down from the fourth overall pick. In fact, they shouldn't even be thinking it.

But unfortunately, the Browns are talking about it.

"We're most likely going to stay at No. 4 and we know we'll get a really good player there," Browns general manager Tom Heckert told the Cleveland Plain Dealer at the NFL owners meetings. "But there's about five guys we really like, so we would consider trading down -- but probably only to five, six, seven or eight."

He stressed "why not pick up some extra picks if you can get a guy you like a few spots back."

Yes, you can gain more picks by trading down. The problem is, you lose your shot at one of the coveted offensive playmakers in the draft.

If the Browns traded back, they can say goodbye to running back Trent Richardson. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take him at No. 5 (especially after signing wide receiver Vincent Jackson and cornerback Eric Wright in free agency).

If the Browns fall back more than two spots, they have no shot at wide receiver Justin Blackmon. He'll go to the St. Louis Rams at No. 6.

Moving back helped the Browns build up their defense last season when they traded with the Atlanta Falcons, who wanted wide receiver Julio Jones. But they can't keep falling back every year.

The Browns desperately need a playmaker, and they most likely will have their choice between Blackmon and Richardson. Cleveland needs to stay at No. 4 and make its selection.

Here are a few other items from Heckert, via the Plain Dealer:

• Even though most think the Browns will take either Blackmon or Richardson, Heckert didn't rule out taking LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.
• To file under the "not surprised" category, Heckert said it's likely that two of the first three picks will be offense, "but you never know who will be there at No. 22 and No. 37.''
• It appears Bengals free-agent running back Cedric Benson is a fall-back option for the Browns. Heckert didn't dismiss the possibility of signing Benson, who has received no interest in free agency. My guess is the Browns would look at Benson if they don't draft a running back.

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

In the wake the news that wide receiver Hines Ward will be released, inside linebacker Larry Foote and defensive end Aaron Smith are projected to be the next Steelers cut, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Smith, who is scheduled to make $2.1 million this year, has seen four of his past five seasons cut short by injury. Foote, who would make $3 million this year, is expected to get released while declining starter James Farrior would remain.

Hensley's slant: It's been speculated for months that the Steelers would part ways with Smith and either Foote or Farrior to create more salary-cap room. Neither of these moves come close to stirring the emotions of the Steelers' fan base like the release of Ward.

BENGALS: Cincinnati's draft history says the Bengals aren't going to trade up to select Alabama running back Trent Richardson, according to the team's official website. The Bengals traded up once in the first round in their existence, and it resulted in the drafting of -- get ready to cringe -- running back Ki-Jana Carter. Cincinnati also has taken a running back four times in the first round: Archie Griffin in 1976, Charles Alexander in 1979, Carter in 1995 and Chris Perry in 2004. Hensley's slant: This is not surprising, but it's still disappointing. Adding Richardson would have given the Bengals their own version of the triplets with quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green.

BROWNS: Running back Peyton Hillis fired his third agent in a year after parting ways with Kennard McGuire, ESPN's Josina Anderson reported. "If we can work something out with Peyton we will," Browns general manager Tom Heckert told Anderson. "Did he have some rough patches during the season? Yes. Were there stretches where things were blown out of proportion? Yes. Honestly, I feel like a lot of that was blown up in the media. Now, of course things will still come down to the money, but we'll just have to wait and see." Hensley's slant: This is the same agent who tried to deflect heat off Hillis this past season when he said he was the one who advised the running back to sit out a game because of strep throat. Hillis then fired him less than two weeks before the start of free agency. When a player cuts ties with an agent, it's usually when the player wants more than the agent thinks he is worth. This is another sign of Hillis' volatility.

RAVENS: Comcast SportsNet's John Eisenberg doesn't expect the Ravens to bring back inside linebacker Bart Scott, who spent seven seasons with the team. From all indications, the Jets are prepared to part ways with Scott, ESPNNewYork.com reported. "Scott will play somewhere in 2012, but probably not in Baltimore," Eisenberg wrote. "The Ravens want to get younger and faster at their signature position, not older and slower." Hensley's slant: I would be shocked if the Ravens decided to bring back Scott. He isn't the same linebacker that left Baltimore after the 2008 season. Scott's diminishing skills caused the Jets to take him off the field on passing downs. The addition of Scott would only slow down the Ravens.

Cleveland Browns general manager Tom Heckert is recovering from recent heart surgery, team president Mike Holmgren told Cleveland reporters Monday.

Holmgren stressed that Heckert "will be an integral part of the draft process" and would return to the Browns' facility on Tuesday with a slowly increasing workload.

Heckert, 44, has been an integral part in establishing stability with the organization even though it hasn't translated to the field in victories. In his two years with the Browns, Heckert has come away with six starters through the draft and signed five productive players to long-term deals.

You can see that the Browns have a vision for the foundation of the team. Cleveland has addressed rebuilding its defense by drafting cornerback Joe Haden, safety T.J. Ward, defensive tackle Phil Taylor and defensive end Jabaal Sheard the past two seasons. The Browns have also identified the core players that they want to lead this team, reaching multiyear deals with offensive tackle Joe Thomas, defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, tight end Evan Moore, outside linebacker Chris Gocong and middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson.

There's still a lot of work that needs to be done for the Browns to close the gap on the Ravens, Steelers and Bengals, all of whom made the playoffs last season. The biggest piece, of course, is finding their franchise quarterback.