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Unlike the other all-time great safety in the division, the Steelers' Troy Polamalu is committed to playing this season. But Polamalu did acknowledge to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he thinks of the end of his career "all the time."

"People have asked me how many years do you think you can play? My reaction is always, when you live day to day, it's hard to talk years," he said. "It's always been my mantra in life, whether it was my first year as a rookie or year 10, I just live day to day."

It's fair to say that Polamalu, who turned 31, has fewer years ahead in his playing career than behind him. But that won't impact this season. The fact that Polamalu was there for voluntary workouts will.

Polamalu usually skips these practices because he prefers working out with his trainer in Los Angeles. He said he chose to come this year "for obvious reasons."

"We had a lot of our major leadership leave, people that we count on," he said. "I think it's nice for the younger guys to see a familiar face, and, honestly, to get myself better."

This older Polamalu might think of retirement more, but he is also more mature and responsible. He understands the effect of losing the likes of James Farrior, Aaron Smith and Chris Hoke on defense. He understands that the Steelers need him in Pittsburgh and not on the West Coast.

General manager Kevin Colbert said at the NFL owners meetings that he couldn't identify who would become the new leaders on this team. "We're looking for that right now," he said.

Well, the Steelers looked at one when they saw Polamalu entering team headquarters for a workout in May.

Here are some quick hits from the first day of offseason training activities in the division:

BENGALS: Brandon Tate lined up as the No. 2 wide receiver in the first day of OTAs, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. This shows that the Bengals have been impressed with Tate's training this offseason. He didn't have a catch last season, but I think he will have an impact beyond being a returner. He came from a totally different offense in New England and needed a full season to adjust. Tate will compete against Jordan Shipley, Andrew Hawkins, Ryan Whalen, Armon Binns and rookies Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones.

BROWNS: Colt McCoy took the first snaps in most drills, including team ones, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. But the favorite to win the job remains rookie first-round pick Brandon Weeden. The more interesting tidbit was how McCoy addressed a report that the Browns told him they wouldn't draft a quarterback in the first round. No "he said, she said," McCoy told reporters in his first comments since Cleveland drafted Weeden.

RAVENS: No media access for the opening of Baltimore's workout. I will be attending the open practice Wednesday.

STEELERS: As expected, wide receiver Mike Wallace didn't attend the workouts today. He has yet to sign his restricted free-agent tender. But there was a surprise. Safety Troy Polamalu, who usually skips these practices, was in attendance and plans to be at all the OTAs. "It's my time to be around the team a little more," Polamalu said.

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

When Browns running back Trent Richardson reports to rookie minicamp Friday, the first-round pick wants one less thing to worry about -- his contract.

Richardson said signing was his top priority and hears it's "really close to being done."

"I want it done by [Thursday], because I want to get everything done with," Richardson told 92.3 FM The Fan in Cleveland. "I'm here to play football, and I'm here to win."

Richardson seems motivated to prove he's worthy of being the third overall pick in the draft.

"People have made comments about me being an ordinary running back," Richardson said, referring to comments made by Jim Brown on draft day. "As of now, I haven't been in the league, so I do have to make a name for myself."

Hensley's slant: While the Browns say they won't hand the starting job to quarterback Brandon Weeden, team officials have made it clear that Richardson will carry a lot of the weight of the offense this year. The stat that jumps out to me is Richardson scored 24 touchdowns last season at Alabama. That's four more than what the Browns' offense scored in 2011.

BENGALS: When the Bengals begin their rookie minicamp Friday, they will take a look at a couple of wide receivers who went undrafted but bring a lot of speed. Connecticut's Kashif Moore ran the 40-yard dash art the NFL combine in 4.42 seconds, and New Mexico State's Taveon Rogers was timed at 4.33 seconds at his pro day in March. "The more [speed] you can get, the better; let's see it," Cincinnati wide receiver coach James Urban told the team's official website. Hensley's slant: It will be difficult for any of the undrafted rookie receivers to make the Bengals this season. They don't have a clear-cut No. 2 wide receiver as of yet, but they have plenty of depth at that position with A.J. Green, Jordan Shipley, Andrew Hawkins, Brandon Tate, Ryan Whalen, Armon Binns along with draft picks Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones.

RAVENS: Newly signed defensive tackle Ryan McBean told the team's official website that he's grateful for another chance and put a positive spin on the three-game suspension that he received for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. “It gives me time to get myself ready and focus on improving my craft," McBean said. "Whatever aches and pains I have, maybe those three weeks will help me heal whatever it is. Whatever the situation is, I’ll use that time to get better.” Hensley's slant: It was a low-risk move by the Ravens, who need experienced depth on the defensive line. According to the Carroll County (Md.) Times, McBean signed a one-year, $1.2 million deal that includes no signing bonus. That means the three-game suspension will cost him a little over $200,000.

STEELERS: Fourth-round pick nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu heard a familiar voice when he answered the phone the other day. It was Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. "I answered the phone and I didn't know what number it was," Ta'amu told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I answered it and was kind of star struck. I tried to play it cool. You hear his voice and you remember those Head & Shoulders commercials." Hensley's slant: It's says a lot about the locker room when veterans reach out to the rookies. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger called first-round pick David DeCastro to congratulate him after being drafted. But DeCastro made the mistake of thinking Roethlisberger was the team's travel coordinator setting up his flight to Pittsburgh.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns couldn't hide their enthusiasm for Trent Richardson.

The Browns wanted him so badly that they gave up three picks to move one spot to make sure they got the only elite running back in this draft. Then, even before the Washington Redskins made their pick at No. 2, Cleveland turned in its card with Richardson's name on it.

Richardson brings new life and enthusiasm to one of the worst offenses in the NFL. He also brings something equally important -- a physical identity.

Cleveland's long-plodding offense is now tougher, rougher and meaner. With all due respect to Jim Brown, Richardson is far from "ordinary." Richardson is the type of no-nonsense running back a team needs when colliding with the likes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

In the SEC, one of the best college conferences in the country, Richardson set Alabama season records for rushing yards (1,679) and touchdowns (21) by showing no hesitation when running between the tackles. He was fearless in bulling past defenders and stiff-arming them. What makes him a playmaker is his ability to also make players miss in the open field. His power and elusiveness are a special combination.

This is a draft where the Browns must rebuild their offense. They started by finding the centerpiece for it.

"We’re thrilled. He’s one of the guys who’s passionate, productive and durable," Browns coach Pat Shurmur said. "He’s the kind of runner that we feel is going to help us to put an offense together to score the points that we need to win the games that we’re going to win.

"If you don’t sense the excitement in my voice, then you’re missing it."

What the Browns were missing last season was a spark on offense. Cleveland ranked 29th in yards and 30th in scoring. That's why trading up to secure Richardson wasn't just the right move. It was the only one.

It was an aggressive move for an aggressive player. Outside of quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, Richardson was the only other player in this draft who could immediately affect an offense.

Problem: The Browns scored four rushing touchdowns last season, which was tied for the the second-fewest in the past 15 NFL seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Solution: Richardson is one of three players in SEC history to score 20 or more rushing touchdowns in a season.

Problem: The Browns' running backs averaged the fewest yards after contact (1.77) last season.

Solution: Richardson thrives on contact and talked openly Thursday night about crashing into Ray Lewis and Troy Polamalu.

There's a risk in taking a running back so high in the draft, which is why few teams do it. There have been five running backs taken in the top five in the previous 10 drafts: Cedric Benson (2005), Ronnie Brown (2005), Cadillac Williams (2005), Reggie Bush (2006) and Darren McFadden (2008). They've combined for one Pro Bowl.

Shurmur indicated that if the Browns didn't take Richardson in the top five, another team would have. This prompted the Browns to give up picks in the fourth (118th overall), fifth (139th) and seventh (211th) rounds to move up one spot to get Richardson. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and St. Louis Rams reportedly were thinking about trading up for him.

Why were so many teams interested in Richardson? As Shurmur describes him, Richardson is virtually flawless.

"He can run with power. He can make you miss when he gets in the open. He can score," Shurmur said. "I like the fact that when he’s asked to pass-protect, he will do it aggressively. And, when you throw him the football, he catches it. Unless I’m missing something there, that’s what runners got to do."

The Browns needed a playmaker at running back. Perhaps just as important, they needed a running back who will show up every week. That was a major problem last season, when Peyton Hillis, Montario Hardesty and Brandon Jackson missed a chunk of the season with injuries.

"The other guys on this team, the coaches and our fans need to know that our players are going to show up," Shurmur said. "I’ve seen this in this player. We feel like that’s what we’re getting."

Richardson has his skeptics, namely the best running back in Browns history. When asked Thursday afternoon about the possibility of Cleveland taking Richardson, Jim Brown said, "I'm not overwhelmed with it. The problem is that he's ordinary. I think he's ordinary." Asked what about him is ordinary, Brown said, "the size, the speed, his moves."

You have to admire how Richardson responded to the criticism. Like his style of play, he attacked it head on.

"I got a lot to prove," he said on a conference call with reporters. "I'm going to make sure they all mention my name and compare people to me."

Shurmur couldn't say at what point during the draft process that the Browns knew Richardson was going to be their pick.

It could have been during his pro day in late March, when he knocked down Cleveland running backs coach Gary Brown in a blocking drill.

It could have been when he took 17-year-old cancer survivor Courtney Alvis to the senior prom 10 days before the draft.

Richardson acknowledged he didn't know he was going to be taken this high. But he's as excited as the Browns that it happened.

"It's bigger than winning the national championship game," Richardson said.

In a perfect scenario, the Browns would've been able to trade up last month to get RG3. They didn't get their quarterback, but they were determined not to lose out on their running back.

But Richardson is more than a running back to the Browns. He's their cornerstone and their new identity.

"He’s going to be what we think is going to be a really, really fine addition to the Cleveland Browns team," Shurmur said. "He’s going to be one of those players that our fans and our community will be able to watch run the ball for a lot of years. That’s what we’re excited about."

How to handle concussions during games have become a hot topic in the NFL. Now, head injuries are becoming more of a factor in how teams evaluate draft prospects.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said the team's scouting report on prospects include how many concussions the player sustained in college.

“That information is out there,” Newsome said last week at the team's pre-draft luncheon. “As far as what we do, and most teams do, is once we get guys here, we’ll get a baseline test done with those players, so that if a concussion occurs, then we have something that we can refer back to. But, it is something now that throughout the league -- and in all professional sports and on the collegiate level -- that everybody is spending more time looking at.”

This is not only a intelligent move. It's a necessary one. When a player has had concussions in college, there's a strong likelihood that he'll have them in the future. So having a player's history of head injuries is just as important as his history with knee injuries and perhaps even moreso.

Plus, the NFL has made the decision to protect players from themselves (and, in some instances, from teams wanting to put them back in the game too early). As a result, the league has set some tough guidelines for players to return to games after taking shots to the head, and those guidelines will only become stricter as years go by. If the league has become more sensitive to the subject of concussions, the teams have to increase their awareness of the players who are more prone to get them.

Teams are smart to get this information. But the smart teams are going to be the ones who use it properly. You can't let a player's concussion history overshadow his talent. If Troy Polamalu was coming out of college today, would he not be a first-round pick because of his history of concussions in college? Teams can't be scared off too easily with this new information. That could lead to passing up one of the best safeties in the game.

Still, this league is a business, and teams don't want to invest a first- or second-round pick in a player who has a short career because of head trauma.

The bracket for the "Madden 13" video game cover contest is officially up and running, and the odds of an AFC North player repeating appear to be long.

But, after witnessing what the "Madden curse" did to Peyton Hillis, maybe this is a good thing.

It's set up like the NCAA basketball tournament, except there are 32 players instead of 68 teams. The AFC North representatives are Ravens running back Ray Rice, Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Browns cornerback Joe Haden.

Why is the AFC North at a disadvantage to get a player on the cover this year? The highest-seeded player is Rice, who is fifth. One of the first-round matchups pits two division players against each other (Rice vs. Green). And Haden gets to go against Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is my favorite to win it all.

My pick to pull the biggest upset of the first round is Polamalu, a No. 13 seed who is going against fourth-seeded Larry Fitzgerald. Knowing Polamalu's popularity among Steelers Nation, I see him advancing to face the winner of the LeSean McCoy-Reggie Bush matchup.

Here are the first-round matchups for the AFC North players:

• Aaron Rodgers (1) vs. Joe Haden (16)
• Ray Rice (5) vs. A.J. Green (12)
• Larry Fitzgerald (4) vs. Troy Polamalu (13)

A look at some of the questions fielded in Wednesday's online chat:

Alex (Cincinnati): Say Bengals owner Mike Brown decided to put up the money this year, and took Mike Wallace from the Steelers. Do you think Andy Dalton would be able to utilize A.J. Green and Mike Wallace as the major deep threats they are?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): I don't think there is any question that Wallace is a better fit with the Steelers because [Ben] Roethlisberger has a stronger arm. But Dalton gets the ball downfield better than anyone expected. I don't see this happening, but the Bengals have the draft pick and the cap room to do so if they wanted Wallace.

Caleb (Washington, the state): I know you've already stated that nose tackle Dontari Poe is not gonna fall to the Steelers at 24. What would it take for the Steelers to move up to a point where they can draft him? We've seen them move on players they felt were special (Santonio Holmes and Troy Polamalu, both of which were great moves). Is Poe special enough that they aggressively go after him?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): All reports indicate that Poe is going to be special. You just have to watch it when it comes to the bigger defensive linemen. Some don't turn out because work ethic never matches talent ([Albert] Haynesworth). It would take a lot for the Steelers to jump the nine or 10 spots needed to get him. I don't see it happening, but he is one player that should tempt Pittsburgh.

Flaps (101): How far do you see Vontaze Burfict falling? Do you think the Ravens will still gamble on him if he's still available in a later round?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): He's looking more like a second-rounder now. But I don't see him falling to the bottom of that round. So, if the Ravens want him, they probably would have to move up in the second or trade back from the first.

Christian (Ohio): RG3 or Colt McCoy?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): RG3 > CM1

Tim (Kentucky): Do you see the Bengals being able to repeat themselves next year, maybe even winning the division with the elderly ravens and pitt falling off?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): The Bengals have had trouble putting two great seasons back-to-back. It doesn't matter whether the "elderly" Ravens and Steelers fall off. It's whether the Bengals can continue to improve. They went to the playoffs because of what they did in the offseason. Cincinnati needs another productive draft and free-agent period to make a run at the division title.

Gary (The Woodlands, Texas): Kind of narrowed minded of you to make that call on Colt after one year. I bet you thought that of Alex Smith as well. This is one of the Browns problems?they draft a QB and in a few years draft another essentially starting over. Draft a guy and give him some talent and see how that works out. Draft RGIII and pray he can do it all because the Browns won?t have the picks to help him.

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): For every Alex Smith, I can give you a lot more examples of quarterbacks that failed with good and bad situations. Alex Smith has become the answer for all supporters of struggling quarterbacks. It's a lot like the people who think you can find quarterbacks late in the draft and always cite Tom Brady. If you are a fan of 5-yard passes and quarterbacks who can only make plays by rolling out of the pocket, McCoy is definitely your quarterback.

Nick (Syracuse): Was Peyton Hillis's off year just the Madden Curse or something more?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): It was the "I'm playing in my contract year and can't get no love" curse.

Max (Austin, Texas): Do you ever get tired of 90 percent of the chat questions being from the same six Bengals fans?

Jamison Hensley (ESPN): Who Dey?

The AFC North is running a series where every position will be ranked and what could change at that position.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

1. STEELERS: Pittsburgh had the top-ranked pass defense, and it wasn't all about the pass rush this time. Actually, the pass rush was extremely inconsistent this season, so that No. 1 ranking is more of a reflection of the Steelers' secondary. Cornerback Ike Taylor and free safety Ryan Clark had career years. Taylor's season, though, was marred by a late-season decline that ended with him getting stiffed-armed by the Broncos' Demaryius Thomas on the touchdown that ended the Steelers' season. Clark had the best season of any safety in the division, which is saying a lot when Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed are in the AFC North. He finished second in the division with 100 tackles. Polamalu was solid, but didn't play up to his usual spectacular level. William Gay was a pleasant surprise, taking back the starting cornerback job that he lost in 2010. What could change: Gay is an unrestricted free agent, but it shouldn't take much to retain him. Look for rookie cornerbacks Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown to make more of an impact in their second seasons.

2. RAVENS: This group exceeded expectations, and did so in a surprising manner. Instead of starting Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr at cornerback, the Ravens finished fourth in pass defense with Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams. Webb was the division's top cornerback, recording five interceptions and breaking up 20 passes (and that doesn't include three interceptions in the playoffs). Williams was a physical presence at corner. The biggest disappointment was Reed, who intercepted three passes -- his fewest in a season where he played more than 12 games. The Ravens' other safety, hard-hitting Bernard Pollard, provided more of an impact than Reed. First-round pick Jimmy Smith endured an up-and-down rookie season. What could change: Smith should take over for Williams as a starting cornerback this season. Foxworth is expected to get cut, and the same could happen to Carr. Both backup safeties, Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, are free agents, but I suspect Nakamura will get re-signed.

3. BROWNS: Joe Haden showed signs of being a shutdown corner, even though he failed to make an interception. He held his own against some of the best receivers in the NFL, from Larry Fitzgerald to Brandon Marshall. His worst games came against Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green. While Haden is among the division's best cornerbacks, Sheldon Brown was the worst starting corner in the AFC North. Brown's biggest asset is the experience he provides to a young secondary. The defensive backfield was hurt by the loss of strong safety T.J. Ward, who missed the final 10 games with a foot injury. Teams took advantage of Ward's replacement, Usama Young. Free safety Mike Adams beat out Young for a starting job in training camp. Dimitri Patterson was a reliable nickelback, breaking up a dozen passes. What could change: The Browns might replace Adams, who is a free agent, and they could give rookie seventh-round pick Eric Hagg a shot at doing so. Cleveland is very interested in bringing Patterson back. It wouldn't be a surprise if Patterson starts in place of Brown.

The AFC North dominated the top of ESPN's Any Era team, which was unveiled last week. Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis topped the list and was followed by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Now, it's your turn. The AFC North blog wants to know which player tops your Any Era team. Here's what the Hall of Fame players are saying about the top three:

Jim Brown on Ray Lewis: “Ray Lewis embodies everything that a player should have and more because not only does he fulfill his role, but he helps everybody else on the team. He has a great heart, and his mental toughness is as good as it gets. You don’t want to have a physical tough guy without him being mentally tough and having heart, which means he can hang in there and give up a certain part of himself that other people are afraid to give up.”

Warren Moon on Troy Polamalu: "Troy Polamalu is a throwback player. Tough, hard-nosed, does whatever is asked, throws his body around. He throws it around so much that he gets hurt and knocks himself out with concussions. But when he gets hurt, they have to hide his helmet to keep him off the field. He will give you everything he's got. He is one of the nicest guys off the field and he turns into the Tasmanian Devil on it."

Dwight Stephenson on Ben Roethlisberger: "Love him or hate him, Big Ben is one of the toughest, gutsiest players in all of the NFL. Last year he breaks his nose and it is sitting under his left eye socket. The trainer bends it back straight, throws some tape on it, he plays a couple of plays with a mask on, doesn't like the mask, rips it off and goes back in and plays."

ESPN.com is also giving you a chance to rank the top 20 players on the Any Era team.

ESPN.com is unveiling its "Any Era" team this week which features 20 current players with the toughness to play in any period of NFL history. The team was assembled by votes from 20 Hall of Fame players (here's a full explanation of the project).

Coming in at No. 2 on the Any Era Team is Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. He's fearless, reckless, and as far as playing styles go, he's in a class by himself. Polamalu would excel in any period because he hits with the tenacity of those who played in the 1960s and he has the athleticism to make plays all over the field like those who star in today's game.

The hardest part in going against Polamalu is to locate him. His physical style allows him to be a safety-linebacker hybrid. The best compliment comes from ESPN's John Clayton, who wrote: "He's changed the way people look at safeties."

Here are explanations from three Hall of Fame players on why Polamalu made the cut:

LYNN SWANN: "Troy Polamalu is not afraid to take risks. I see him jumping over the offensive line and making a stop at the goal line. That takes timing, that's Troy going with his gut and knowing what he's studied and not being afraid to take risks. A lot of guys know tendencies but are too scared to take the risk or don't know what to do with it. Troy will jump over the line, he'll hit a guy behind the line of scrimmage, he'll force a fumble flying through the air."

FLOYD LITTLE: "He gets hurt all the time, he gets concussions, his shoulder gets bent out of shape, but you can't keep him off the field. He's not that big, not that fast, but he's everywhere and everyone needs to know where he is when they line up."

WARREN MOON: "Troy Polamalu is a throwback player. Tough, hard-nosed, does whatever is asked, throws his body around. He throws it around so much that he gets hurt and knocks himself out with concussions. But when he gets hurt, they have to hide his helmet to keep him off the field. He will give you everything he's got. He is one of the nicest guys off the field and he turns into the Tasmanian Devil on it."

It's time to unveil the defense for my All-AFC North team, which is based on performance this season, and not past reputation. There were many difficult decisions, and there should be. All four defenses in the division finished in the top 10 (Pittsburgh was No. 1, Baltimore was No. 3, Cincinnati was No. 7 and Cleveland was No. 10).

The All-AFC North team will wrap up tomorrow with offense. Of course, tell me who I left off, who should have been on and any other opinions in the comments section below.

Defensive end: Carlos Dunlap, Bengals. Tough call over Pittsburgh's Brett Keisel. Before being slowed by a hamstring injury, Dunlap was getting to the quarterback like no other defensive end in the division. Despite missing four games, he recorded 4.5 sacks and led the Bengals with 27 quarterback pressures, which was four more than anyone else on the team.

Nose tackle/defensive tackle: Haloti Ngata, Ravens. He didn't seem as dominant as last year, but it's hard to argue his impact. Ngata finished with five sacks, five batted-down passes, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He was a cog in the middle for the NFL's second-ranked run defense and he returned a fumble 28 yards for his first career touchdown in Week 3. Some would go with Casey Hampton, but he slipped at the age of 34 and so did the Steelers' run defense, which gave up 33 percent more yards rushing than a year ago.

Defensive tackle: Geno Atkins, Bengals. While the Bengals' run defense faltered in the second half of the season, their front four pressured the quarterback like no other in the AFC North and perhaps the league. And Atkins was a huge part of that by collapsing the pocket up the middle. He tied Oakland's Tommy Kelly for sacks by an interior lineman in the NFL with 7.5. He is the first Bengals interior lineman to top the team in sacks since 1996, when Dan Wilkinson led with 6.5.

Outside linebacker: Terrell Suggs, Ravens. He was the best defensive player in the division and arguably the best in the NFL this season. Suggs made an impact all over the field, becoming the only NFL player this season to finish with at least five sacks, five passes defensed and five forced fumbles. Critics would argue that his production came in three games (season opener against Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Indianapolis), where he totaled nine sacks and six forced fumbles.

Inside linebacker: D'Qwell Jackson, Browns. The comeback player in the division, Jackson finished second in the NFL with 158 tackles. That's 58 more tackles than anyone else in the AFC North. This is after Jackson missed the previous 26 games due to two separate pectoral injuries. He also tied for the AFC lead with three defensive fumble recoveries.

Inside linebacker: Ray Lewis, Ravens. There's no doubt that Lewis isn't the same player that he was five years ago and he had trouble getting off blocks after returning from a toe injury. But there's not a better run stopper in the division. With Lewis as the leading tackler, the Ravens finished tied for first in fewest rushing yards per carry (3.5) and second in fewest rushing yards per game (92.5).

Outside linebacker: James Harrison, Steelers. Many would consider nine sacks (which tied for tops on the Steelers) and two forced fumbles a solid season. But Harrison did this after having two back surgeries in March, missing four games with a fractured orbital bone near his right eye and getting suspended one game following his infamous hit on Colt McCoy. Harrison's ability to get to the quarterback was a big reason Pittsburgh finished No. 1 in the NFL in pass defense.

Cornerback: Lardarius Webb, Ravens. If you didn't know what a great season Webb was having, you did in the postseason when he picked off three passes. He led the division with five interceptions and 20 passes defensed. Not bad for a defender that everyone projected to be a nickelback this season. The Ravens also gave up the fewest touchdown passes this season (11).

Cornerback: Joe Haden, Browns. Haden was the headliner for the NFL's second-ranked pass defense and has the potential to be a shutdown corner. He finished sixth in the league (and second in the AFC North) with 19 passes defensed this season. Haden had three games this year with at least three pass breakups, including a career-high five in the season opener against Cincinnati. There were some slips, such as allowing a game-turning catch to A.J. Green and a game-sealing touchdown to Antonio Brown. Haden barely edged out Pittsburgh's Ike Taylor for this spot.

Strong safety: Troy Polamalu, Steelers. This wasn't his finest season, but Polamalu was a major presence on the NFL's top-ranked defense. Always lurking around the line of scrimmage, he finished third on the team with 91 tackles to go along with two interceptions and one sack. His best game came in the last one of the regular season, when his interception set up the game's only touchdown and his sack came from him breaking through the line after perfectly timing the snap.

Free safety: Ryan Clark, Steelers. The obvious choice would be Ed Reed. But even Reed would acknowledge that he struggled for most of the season. He managed three interceptions, his fewest for a 16-game season, and missed tackles toward the end of the season because of a shoulder injury. Clark enjoyed the best season of his 10-year career, leading the NFL's top-ranked defense with 100 tackles. That also ranked second in the AFC North. If you questioned Clark's impact, look at how the Steelers fared without him in Denver, when he had to sit out the playoff game because of a blood condition.

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

The Pittsburgh Steelers are about $25 million over the salary cap and need to cut about 20 percent of their payroll by the March 13 deadline, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

But the Steelers aren't panicking, at least not publicly.

"It's not a situation where we're looking to tear things apart and start over," team president Art Rooney II told Pittsburgh reporters yesterday.

Rooney, though, acknowledged there will be "some tough decisions."

"I would say it's probably as big an issue as we've had to face," Rooney said. "There will probably have to be some contracts that get restructured and things like that. No question, there's a lot of work to be done."

In the half-hour state-of-the-team interview, Rooney said wide receiver Mike Wallace will be among the priorities this offseason. He becomes a restricted free agent March 13.

The Steelers will also add 3,000 seats to Heinz Field after the 2012 season.

Hensley's slant: Those "tough decisions" will likely come down to players such as nose tackle Casey Hampton ($4.8 million salary in 2012), wide receiver Hines Ward ($4 million), guard Chris Kemoeatu ($3.5 million), inside linebackers Larry Foote ($3 million) and James Farrior ($2.8 million) and cornerback Bryant McFadden ($2.5 million). If these players don't take a pay cut, they probably will be released. The good news for the Steelers is that they bring back their core with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, three young receivers (unless Wallace goes elsewhere as a restricted free agent), two top-notch pass rushers and Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu.

BENGALS: Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was considered one of the front-runners for the Dolphins head coaching job earlier this week. Now he is out of the running for it, according to the Miami Herald. The search has been narrowed down to Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and Dolphins interim coach Todd Bowles, the paper reported. Hensley's slant: Based on the candidates remaining, it appears that the Dolphins want an offensive-minded coach, which eliminated Zimmer from consideration. This is bad news for Zimmer but a good development for the Bengals. While Zimmer still has a chance to get the head-coaching position with the Buccaneers, the Dolphins job was considered his best shot.

BROWNS: The Akron Beacon-Journal's Marla Ridenour was envious of the playoff teams' tight end play over the weekend. This is what Ridenour wrote: "Against Denver, the Patriots got 261 yards (200 receiving) and four touchdowns out of [Rob] Gronkowski and [Aaron] Hernandez. The Browns’ four tight ends — Ben Watson, Evan Moore, Alex Smith and rookie Jordan Cameron — totaled seven touchdowns all season. Hernandez also had a 43-yard run against the Broncos, longer than any Browns’ rush in 2011." Hensley's slant: The Browns are also trailing the rest of the division when it comes to tight ends. Cleveland was the only AFC North team not to have a tight end catch more than 50 passes. The Bengals' Jermaine Gresham (56 catches, six touchdowns), the Ravens' Ed Dickson (54 catches, five touchdowns) and the Steelers' Heath Miller (51 catches, two touchdowns) are all important pieces in the passing game.

RAVENS: I will be at the Ravens' facility where I will post blogs this afternoon. There will be a Joe Flacco column posted at some point today, and the featured blog yesterday was the Double Coverage segment.

Five AFC North players were named to the Pro Football Weekly-Pro Football Writers Association All-NFL team. Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs received Defensive Player of the Year honors from PFW-PFWA.

Here are the division players who made the team (along with my comment about the selection):

Maurkice Pouncey, Steelers center: A surprising pick over Houston's Chris Myers, who had the best season of any center.

Joe Thomas, Browns left tackle: He's the most well-rounded left tackle in the game. No argument here.

Haloti Ngata, Ravens defensive tackle: He wasn't as dominant as last season. Actually, Cincinnati's Geno Atkins made more big plays than Ngata this year.

Terrell Suggs, Ravens outside linebacker: A no-brainer pick here. Some players had more sacks and tackles. But no one was all over the field more than Suggs.

Troy Polamalu, Steelers safety: He remains the glue on the NFL's top-ranked defense this season. Even if he's not in on the play, he's affecting it in some way. Offenses are always game planning ways to avoid him.

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

Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden signed a three-year, $3.6 million extension to remain with the team, a league source confirmed to The Cincinnati Enquirer. The extension was first reported by an Orlando television station.

The Enquirer reported that the terms of the extension are similar to what defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer received when he stayed with the team two years ago.

This extension comes a day after Gruden declined an interview request from the Rams for their head-coaching position. Gruden made an impact in his first season as the Bengals offensive coordinator with his work with rookie quarterback Andy Dalton.

Hensley's slant: Perhaps the biggest key in developing a quarterback is continuity. Keeping Gruden means keeping Dalton in the same system with the same coaching. The next step for the Bengals' passing game is finding a more reliable No. 2 wide receiver.

BROWNS: The Browns' timeline for hiring an offensive coordinator could be affected by other teams filling their head-coaching vacancies, according to The Akron Beacon Journal. Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur has been talking to offensive coordinator candidates, but it's unclear whether any formal interviews have occurred. "Candidates with options and deadlines" have been communicating with the organization, a league source told the paper. Hensley's slant: The biggest splash the Browns can make is hiring either Brad Childress or Mike Sherman. But this unaggressive approach suggests the Browns might just promote from within. Quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple, a former offensive coordinator at the University of Miami, would be the top candidate currently on staff.

RAVENS: Ed Reed isn't concerned that he finished the regular season with three interceptions, the lowest total for a full season in his 10-year career. “They’re not throwing my way. What do you want me to do?” Reed said, via The Baltimore Sun. “They’re not throwing my way. I can remember two interceptions that really touched my hands, and I didn’t make the play, but I’m not getting action. So this question is for the other teams and the other quarterbacks.” Hensley's slant: Don't be surprised if Reed makes an impact in the playoffs after a quiet regular season. He has seven interceptions in nine postseason games. And remember that two picks were taken away two years ago in Indianapolis by penalty. Reed won't drop a pass thrown at him like Cincinnati's Chris Crocker did last week in Houston.

STEELERS: Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu won his appeal of a $10,000 fine for using a cell phone on the sideline of a game, a league source told the NFL Network. The league fined Polamalu on Oct. 16 because he used his cell phone near the Steelers' bench during a game against Jacksonville. He reportedly made a brief call to his wife after leaving the game with concussion-like symptoms. Hensley's slant: This is no surprise because it was a bad call by the league in the first place. Remember the NFL had fined Polamalu more than Texans defensive end Antonio Smith (who has to pay $7,500 for pulling off the helmet of Ravens guard Andre Gurode) and Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew (who has to pay $7,500 for a chop block). That just didn't make sense.

DENVER -- Here are some numbers to remember for the Steelers, who play a wild-card playoff game against the Broncos at 4:30 p.m. Sunday:

3 -- Career postseason interceptions for Troy Polamalu

4 -- Heath Miller's postseason touchdown catches

5 -- Steelers selected to the Pro Bowl (returner Antonio Brown, safety Troy Polamalu, center Maurkice Pouncey, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Mike Wallace)

9 -- Receptions by Wallace in his last postseason game

10 -- Roethlisberger's wins in 13 postseason games, which is a .769 winning percentage

11 -- Postseason sacks by LaMarr Woodley in seven games

16.1 -- Brown's average yards per catch this season

33 -- Postseason games won by the Steelers, tied with the Cowboys for most in NFL history

88 -- Hines Ward's playoff catches for 1,181 yards and 10 touchdowns

171.9 -- NFL-leading passing yards per game allowed by the Pittsburgh defense