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There are so many positives surrounding the Bengals' organization these days. They're coming off a surprising playoff season. They are returning two young offensive stars in A.J. Green and Andy Dalton. And they're having one of the best offseasons of any team in the league.

Then, like so many times over the past year, the franchise's name is getting put in the headline with another player in legal trouble. Bengals undrafted rookie Brandon Joiner was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison on charges stemming from a 2007 incident that occurred when he was playing at Texas A&M, according to the Bryan-College Station Eagle.

Technically, Joiner didn't get in trouble while being a member of the Bengals. That still doesn't answer the bigger question: Why do the Bengals get involved with such players? Why are they bringing in a player with this type of history? I understand that football players are hardly choir boys, but Joiner was indicted in January 2008 for robbing a drug dealer at gunpoint.

The Bengals should be the last team taking a chance on Joiner. They've had four players get in trouble with the law over the past 10 months: running back Cedric Benson, cornerback Adam Jones, wide receiver Jerome Simpson and linebacker Rey Maualuga. Benson and Jones both had legal incidents before the Bengals signed them.

In other news, the Bengals signed first-round pick Kevin Zeitler, the team announced. Of course, this positive move is overshadowed by another player in a courtroom.

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

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 Bengals in 2012.

Dream scenario (11-5): The Bengals end their three-decade-long streak of inconsistency and put together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1981-82. Cincinnati wins its second division title in four years and hosts a playoff game at a sold-out Paul Brown Stadium.

The offense takes another step forward in coordinator Jay Gruden's second season. A.J. Green becomes a top-five receiver in the NFL and turns in a Calvin Johnson-like season (Johnson produced 1,331 yards and 12 touchdowns in his second season). Wide receiver Brandon Tate and rookie third-round pick Mohamed Sanu make surprising impacts and fill the void left by Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell. The running game goes from plodding to productive with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and two new run-blocking guards in veteran Travelle Wharton and first-round pick Kevin Zeitler.

The defense remains a top-10 one in the NFL and avoids a second-half swoon like last season. Rey Maualuga becomes a force in the middle now that he is healthy and adjusted to playing inside linebacker again. Cornerback Leon Hall is able to start the season after making a full recovery from last season's Achilles injury. The rest of the cornerbacks (Adam Jones, Jason Allen and Terence Newman) show they still have first-round talent. Safety Reggie Nelson lives up to his new four-year, $18 million contract.

Nightmare scenario (6-10): New players, same result. Even with an influx of young talent, the Bengals once again show they can't follow up a successful season, which crushes the momentum built from last year's surprising playoff season and productive offseason. This would follow the Bengals' pattern. Cincinnati had a four-win season after the last time it had gone to the playoffs in 2009.

Quarterback Andy Dalton suffers from a sophomore slump and regresses after defenses have had a full offseason to dissect him. Green also can't put up the same numbers from a year ago, although it's not his fault. Defenses clamp down on him because the Bengals don't have anyone to step up to become the No. 2 wide receiver. Green-Ellis, who averaged 3.7 yards per carry, doesn't upgrade the running back position over Cedric Benson.

Defensively, the Bengals start the season without Maualuga, who receives a suspension for violating the personal conduct policy. Hall doesn't heal as fast as expected and begins the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, meaning he misses the first six weeks of the season. His replacements prove to be either too old (Jones, Allen and Newman) or too young (first-round pick Dre Kirkpatrick). New starting safety Taylor Mays becomes a liability in pass coverage.

A respected committee of ESPN experts -- including Trent Dilfer, Mel Kiper, Gary Horton and Matt Williamson -- got together to look into the crystal ball and produce the NFL Future Power Rankings .

The projection is for the 2015 season and takes into account five factors: roster (32.5 percent), quarterback (17.5 percent), draft (15 percent), front office (15 percent) and coaching (20 percent).

You'll need an Insider subscription to see the entire post, but here's the AFC North portion of it:

5. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Williamson: The "Steeler Way" has been working extremely well for a long time, as Pittsburgh's front office evaluates college talent and its own players as well as any team in the league. They are exceptional.

Hensley: The key was the Steelers using their top two picks on offensive linemen. As long as Ben Roethlisberger is protected and stays healthy, the Steelers will be among the top teams in the NFL.

10. BALTIMORE RAVENS

Kiper: No team consistently delivers as much value. Ozzie Newsome is a Hall of Famer … in the front office, too. The Ravens face some big personnel losses on defense coming soon, but few are better equipped to move on.

Hensley: The biggest question mark facing the Ravens by 2015 is how do they replace the leadership of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Baltimore needs its offense to become the dominant unit in order for the Ravens to be a top-10 team at this point.

11. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Dilfer: Andy Dalton quietly had an exceptionally good rookie season. Only Cam Newton diminished it. He has maintained a mature approach that we saw when he was at TCU; he gets deep into his reads, has an accurate arm and should continue to get better. If they can run it a little better, this offense will take a big leap.

Hensley: The Bengals have certainly set themselves up with two really strong drafts. The key is developing this talent and making sure these young players reach their potential. Cincinnati could be the most complete team in the division by 2015, with the emphasis on could.

32. CLEVELAND BROWNS

Williamson: Color me skeptical of the Browns' front office -- and this organization isn't exactly patient. Cleveland's front office is now directly tied to Brandon Weeden's future success. I can't say that is the perfect position to be in.

Hensley: With the exception of Trent Richardson, this team lacks playmakers. That's a rough spot to be in when you play defenses like the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals. And don't forget that Weeden will turn 32 during the 2015 season.

Offseason training activities for veterans and rookies kick off today for the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. Here's a look at the newcomers to watch for each team:

BENGALS: Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The prize of the Bengals' free agency was Green-Ellis, the New England Patriots free agent who signed a three-year, $9 million contract. The focus for the Bengals' offense is to get Green Ellis in rhythm with the team's new-look line. He's an improvement over Cedric Benson, who upgrades the Bengals in the red zone and provides a dependability factor.

Green-Ellis never fumbled in his four seasons in New England. Benson, meanwhile, fumbled five times in two December games last season. Green-Ellis' ability to hammer the ball across the goal line won't show up in non-contact drills this offseason, but it will be appreciated during the season. He led the Patriots with 24 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons. As a team, Cincinnati totaled 18 rushing touchdowns over that same span.

BROWNS: Defensive end Frostee Rucker. All eyes will remain on the Browns' two first-round picks, running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden. Both will be instrumental in how the Browns revive the NFL's 29th-ranked offense. What shouldn't go overlooked is the addition of Rucker, the former Bengals lineman who will be pivotal in turning around another weak area -- the league's 30th-ranked run defense.

Rucker, 28, was the Browns' big target in a low-key free agency period for the team. A full-time starter for the first time in his career last season, he signed a five-year, $21 million contract that includes $8 million guaranteed. The hope is he can have the same impact with the Browns as he did for the Bengals, who ranked 10th in the league in run defense last season. The statistic that jumps out with Rucker is his 11 tackles for loss, which led the Bengals.

RAVENS: Offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele. The biggest question mark on the Ravens' offense is left guard. Osemele needs to beat out Jah Reid in order to become the first Ravens rookie offensive lineman to start a season opener since Michael Oher in 2009. Baltimore tried to address that spot in free agency, but it was unable to re-sign Ben Grubbs and failed to lure Evan Mathis from the Philadelphia Eagles.

The lack of success in free agency forced the Ravens to use a second-round draft pick on Osemele. There's no doubt that Osemele will be able to hold up physically, considering he's 6-foot-5, 333 pounds. The challenge for him is adjusting to a new position. An offensive tackle at Iowa State, Osemele has to show he can fit in next to veterans Matt Birk and Bryant McKinnie. There will be a drop-off at this spot since a Pro Bowl player like Grubbs is gone, but the development of Osemele will determine if it is a major or minor one.

STEELERS: Offensive tackle Mike Adams. The Steelers showed their commitment to Adams starting right away when team officials phoned Willie Colon after the draft to let him know he was moving to guard. Now, it's up to Adams to show he's capable of doing so. He's a first-round talent who fell to the second round because of off-field issues. The uncertainty with Adams on the field is whether he's strong enough to play in the NFL as a rookie.

There's no such doubts with first-round pick David DeCastro, who is expected to be an eventual Pro Bowl player at right guard. As the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review pointed out, the Steelers have started a rookie up front to open the season three times since the 1970 merger. Pittsburgh could have two in the starting lineup in Week 1 at Denver. Of course, it's up to Adams to show he's ready.

The Cincinnati Bengals have the most remaining unsigned draft picks in the division, but they became the first AFC North team to sign its first-round pick.

The Bengals announced they have reached a deal with cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, the 17th overall pick in the draft. He agreed to a four-year deal worth $8.6 million with $7.84 million of that fully guaranteed, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Kirkpatrick’s signing is the earliest by a top Bengals draft pick since 2003, when Cincinnati sealed a deal on April 24 with quarterback Carson Palmer, the top overall selection in that draft.

“It’s great for the club and great for Dre to have him signed this early,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “Contracts can be a distraction for young guys drafted high, but now he can put all that behind him and focus on making himself better and making us a better team.”

Kirkpatrick could make an immediate impact this season for the Bengals. He could fill in for Leon Hall, who is still recovering from an Achilles injury, or he could beat out veteran Nate Clements.

“Dre was the tallest (6 feet 2) of the top corners in the draft, and with all the big receivers in the league right now, we see that as an extra advantage for us,” Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said. “He does a great job at the line of scrimmage. He’s been coached hard with a national championship team, so we really like his pedigree.”

The Bengals have four draft picks who remain unsigned: guard Kevin Zeitler (first round), wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (third round), defensive tackle Brandon Thompson (third round) and running back Dan “Boom” Herron (sixth round).

“Like Coach [Lewis] says, it’s just great to have this part done,” Kirkpatrick said. “I’m happy to officially be a Bengal, and I’m going to be the best player I can be for the team and our fans.”

The Ravens have signed their entire draft class, while the Steelers and Browns have two picks each who are unsigned.

The AFC North quarterbacks received no love from NFL.com, which ranked the division's passers fifth in the league.

This is a little low in my estimation. Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Andy Dalton and Brandon Weeden (or Colt McCoy) should at least be No. 4. Here's how NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah assessed the division:

It was a tough call putting this group behind the AFC West QBs. Big Ben has two Super Bowl rings and is arguably the best in the league at extending the play. Last season, Flacco was a dropped pass away from making his Super Bowl debut, while Dalton would've been the talk of the league if not for Cam Newton's amazing rookie year. I'm not the biggest Weeden fan, but he does have size and a live arm.

For those reasons, I would put the AFC North ahead of the AFC West, which ranked fourth despite featuring a banged-up Peyton Manning and a struggling Philip Rivers, along with two quarterbacks on the hot seat (Matt Cassel and Carson Palmer). Roethlisberger has to be considered better than Manning at this point. Flacco outplayed Tom Brady in the AFC title game, and Rivers threw the third-most interceptions in the NFL (20). And Dalton made more of an impact on his team as a rookie than veterans Cassel and Palmer did last season.

The AFC North falls short of No. 3 with the NFC East, which has Eli Manning, Tony Romo, Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III. Roethlisberger has as many rings as Manning, but it's difficult to argue that Flacco had a better season than Romo (31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions). The nod goes to the NFC East in Dalton-Vick and Weeden-RG3.

It comes as no surprise that the Cleveland Browns have the largest rookie pool. With 11 draft picks, including two first-rounders, the Browns were allowed to spend $9.7 million to sign their selections.

The league determines the numbers for the rookie pool by how many picks a team has and where those picks were located in each round.

The rest of the AFC North is in the middle of the NFL in terms of the rookie pool: Cincinnati Bengals ($6.8 million), Pittsburgh Steelers ($5.1 million) and Baltimore Ravens ($4.3 million).

The Ravens were the first team in the NFL to sign all of their draft picks. There's only two unsigned picks for the Steelers (guard David DeCastro and linebacker Sean Spence) and the Browns (running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden).

The Bengals still need to sign six of their draft picks: cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, guard Kevin Zeitler, wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, tight end Orson Charles and running back Dan Herron.

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Cincinnati Bengals and why.

It would be easy to say Marvin Lewis faces a pivotal season because the Bengals coach is in the final year of a two-year extension. But, by all accounts, owner Mike Brown has approached Lewis a handful of times about a new deal, and it's Lewis who hasn't found time for a sitdown.

While it looks like there is no fear with job security, there is still a great amount of pressure on Lewis to take the Bengals to the next level. In his nine years as Bengals coach, Lewis has yet to win a playoff game or guide the team to consecutive winning seasons. If the Bengals want to elevate themselves to the ranks of the Steelers and the Ravens, Lewis has to get the Bengals to make noise in the postseason. During Lewis' tenure in Cincinnati, he has watched the Steelers win two Super Bowls and the Ravens reach the AFC Championship Game twice.

There's no question that Lewis is a good coach. He's done what others have failed to do in Cincinnati. Lewis has become the franchise's winningest coach, holding the team together through the death of a player (wide receiver Chris Henry), an extended holdout by his franchise quarterback (Carson Palmer) and numerous arrests. But Lewis' track record is his team wins when expectations are low but disappoints when the anticipation is high. And the buzz has never been higher in recent years than the 2012 season.

The Bengals surprisingly went to the playoffs last season and improved in most areas this offseason. Cincinnati upgraded at running back (BenJarvus Green-Ellis), guard (Travelle Wharton and Kevin Zeitler) and cornerback (Dre Kirkpatrick, Terence Newman and Jason Allen). The Bengals' top two offensive players from a year ago, quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green, are having their first full offseason with the team after last year's lockout.

What hangs over the franchise is the NFL's longest playoff win drought (21 seasons). It's up to Lewis to get this team to end that.

Quarterback Carson Palmer said both sides won when the Cincinnati Bengals traded him to the Oakland Raiders last season.

Not sure whether we should file this under "What did you really expect him to say" or "Players are sometimes delusional about their own situation." Palmer made this comment when asked if he needed to patch things up with his former team.

"It was time to move on and it was time for them to move on," Palmer said Monday on the Dan Patrick Show, "and they're in a better place and I'm definitely in a better place."

Palmer added, "I think in the years to come both organizations will look back and say this thing was the best thing to happen."

It's fair to say that Palmer's time with the Bengals had run its course. But it's inaccurate to say both organizations are happy with the results, at least based on last season.

The Bengals went to the playoffs with new quarterback Andy Dalton and received two additional draft picks (including cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round this year) in the deal with Oakland. Palmer ended up going 4-5 as the Raiders' starter and lost the head coach (Hue Jackson) who spearheaded the move to get him to Oakland. The Bengals even ended up with Jackson as an assistant. Not sure how Palmer is counting, but this was a win-win-win for Cincinnati.

For Palmer to justify Oakland giving up a first-round pick in 2012 and a second-rounder in 2013, he has to do more than lead the Raiders to the playoffs. He has to win postseason games and a good number of them. Some might say Palmer would have to guide Oakland to the Super Bowl to validate what the Raiders gave up for him.

Here's the buzz surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens as they hold rookie minicamps this weekend:

BENGALS: First-round cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick had an uneven start in his first minicamp. "[He] got challenged often as he was matched up against Vidal Hazelton and [Armon] Binns," the Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy wrote. "Some times he did well and other times he struggled as the receivers got a step or two in coverage." Undrafted linebacker Vontaze Burfict had an uneventful first day, meanwhile. He told reporters that he is motivated to prove people wrong. "Not being picked, going undrafted, I have a big chip on my shoulder," Burfict said. "I’m ready to hit somebody.”

BROWNS: Much of the focus was on first-round quarterback Brandon Weeden. "He displayed an arm strength not seen around these parts since Derek Anderson, but the smooth touch on short passes that Anderson didn't possess," the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot wrote. The third overall pick, running back Trent Richardson also made an impression. He stiff-armed a defender and knocked him to the ground even though it was a non-contract practice.

RAVENS: Baltimore's rookie minicamp was closed to reporters. According to the team's website, which had access to practice, second-round linebacker Courtney Upshaw moved around at different positions and looked solid in pass coverage. The website reported: "He recognized a swing pass on one play, and would have had a tackle for loss, drawing praise from linebackers coach Ted Monachino. He also had a tipped pass that was picked off."

In a race that doesn't earn you anything except a blog post like this, the Baltimore Ravens became the first team in the NFL to sign their entire 2012 draft class.

This shouldn't come as a surprise because the Ravens were one of five teams not to have a first-round pick. Baltimore wrapped up its signings Thursday afternoon by agreeing to terms with second-round pick Courtney Upshaw and sixth-round pick Tommy Streeter.

The new collective bargaining agreement has sped up the signings. In previous seasons, teams wouldn't begin striking deals until after the July 4th holiday. Now, NFL teams are signing picks at a record pace.

As far as the rest of the AFC North, the Steelers have two more picks left to sign while the Browns have five remaining, including both first-round picks (running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden). The Bengals have signed two of their 10 draft picks.

Teams usually have to recruit undrafted free agents in order to get them to sign. In the case of Vontaze Burfict, it seemed like the former Arizona State linebacker was the one pursuing the Cincinnati Bengals.

Burfict, a one-time first-round prospect whose stock plummeted due to poor offseason workouts and increased concern about his off-the-field issues, sought out Marvin Lewis after his pro day, according to the Bengals head coach. Burfict's persistence -- as well as investigative skills -- made an impression on Lewis.

"It was just the fact he took the opportunity to find my phone number because I don't know that I gave it to him," Lewis told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "To call me, to write me a letter, to do some other things. He got my phone number and called me and said, 'I hope I get an opportunity.' I said, 'I hope you do, too.'"

The Bengals signed Burfict after he went undrafted and plan to use him at middle linebacker. The team also plans to give him a fresh start.

”I struck a chord with him and maybe that’s what he needs," Lewis told the Enquirer. "He’s got a lot of story. I don’t have to believe any of it. It doesn’t matter one way or another to me now. What he does now from this point forward is going to determine whether or not he can be a NFL player. I think he has some ability. When you watch the tape there are a lot of things he didn’t do very well. But he does some things I can’t coach that he can do.

Lewis added, “We will continue to get him in shape. He’s a better conditioned athlete now than he was at the combine and at ASU in March. If he continues to go down that path, he seems bright enough to learn. He seems willing to want change this image people have of him.”

This is a good move for the Bengals because it's a low-risk one. They didn't invest a draft pick or a big signing bonus in him. The upside is he can become the top backup this year -- and perhaps start if Rey Maualuga is suspended under the league's personal conduct policy -- and make an immediate impact on special teams.

The first step for Burfict begins this weekend, when the Bengals have their rookie minicamp.

The Cincinnati Bengals enjoyed the most successful free agency period of any team in the division. The Bengals were applauded by many experts for being among the big winners in the NFL draft.

The question everyone in Who Dey Nation wants answered is how much ground have the Bengals made up on the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. But that's the wrong question to be asking.

Whether or not the Bengals return to the playoffs isn't about their division rivals. It's about whether this franchise can finally handle success.

The Bengals haven't put together back-to-back winning seasons since 1981-82. To put that into perspective, those were the years when Ronald Reagan was beginning his first term as president, a gallon of gas was going for $1.30 and Marvin Lewis was starting his coaching career at Idaho State.

This doesn't mean Cincinnati has struggled every year. The Bengals have been to the playoffs three times since 2005, the same amount as the Cowboys and one fewer than the Packers over that span. The problem has been following up that success. An AFC North title in 2005, and an 8-8 season in 2006. Another division title in 2009, and a 4-12 season in 2010.

There are few connections to this year's Bengals team and the 2010 one. Only seven players remain starters from Team Ochocinco & T.O., and Andy Dalton, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Thomas Howard had nothing to do with that disaster of a reality show from two years ago. A.J. Green is still A.J. Green ... and not A.J. Verde.

Momentum has clearly been on the Bengals' side since they drafted Dalton and Green last year. Cincinnati went from the NFL's worst team at the start of the 2011 season --according to the ESPN power rankings -- to a playoff one. With the second-most salary cap room in the NFL, the Bengals then used free agency to not only fill holes but upgrade those positions. It was a methodical approach that avoided the pricey big names like Carl Nicks, Robert Meachem and Cortland Finnegan. The theme was solid moves instead of splashy ones.

They signed Green-Ellis, an all-around running back and touchdown machine, to replace Cedric Benson. They added left guard Travelle Wharton, a strong run blocker, to take over for Nate Livings. That should boost a team that ranked 30th in the NFL in yards per rush (3.3) and tied for 21st in touchdown runs (three).

Cincinnati didn't ignore the defense, signing six former first-round picks. The Bengals kept their free-agent priority, safety Reggie Nelson, beating out the New York Jets for him. Cincinnati then added three cornerbacks (Jason Allen, Adam Jones and Terence Newman) and two defensive linemen (Jamaal Anderson and Derrick Harvey).

In the draft, the Bengals landed the best zone cornerback (Dre Kirkpatrick), top run-blocking guard (Kevin Zeitler), the 2011 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (Devon Still), a top-rated tight end (Orson Charles) and two promising wide receivers (Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones).

"You don’t win games on paper and that's what we have to realize, starting with me," Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth told the team's website. "We've got to be better. This looks like a good class. But the rookies know it's going to come down to what they do and how they prepare and how they go after it."

This team is clearly better than last year's one. The expectations, though, are higher. The pressure will be on to finish better than last year's record of 9-7. The pressure will be on to win the division.

The Ravens lost the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the start of the season (Terrell Suggs) and likely won't have their running back in training camp (Ray Rice isn't expected to sign his franchise tag anytime soon). The Steelers could be without their starting running back (Rashard Mendenhall) and nose tackle (Casey Hampton) for the first six weeks of the season and lost long-time leaders (Hines Ward, James Farrior and Aaron Smith) in their salary-cap purge.

While the Bengals have question marks at the No. 2 wide receiver spot and strong safety, the gap is significantly smaller between the traditional AFC North powers and Cincinnati this year. The Bengals return a Pro Bowl quarterback and wide receiver in Dalton and Green. They bring back a defense that ranked seventh in yards allowed (316.3) and nine in points given up (20.2). This team isn't lacking in talent or chemistry in the locker room, just a proven track record.

The biggest challenge for these young Bengals is beating the best. Cincinnati went 9-0 against non-playoff teams and 0-7 against teams who made the postseason. Maybe that's why the Bengals are ranked No. 16 in the post-draft ESPN power rankings, which is eight spots lower than what they finished last season.

There's going to be doubters, especially for a franchise that has gone three decades without consecutive winning seasons. But, based on what they accomplished in free agency and the draft, these are the new and much improved Bengals. All they have to do is show they can handle the best teams in the NFL along with their own success.

Jacob Bell has retired, according to Yahoo! Sports.

For many of you, I'm sure your first response is: Who?

Bell was a backup guard for the Cincinnati Bengals. Well, sort of. Bell signed a one-year, $890,000 deal (included $65,000 signing bonus) with the Bengals as a free agent on April 6. So, he was on the team for 32 days. I'm not sure that really qualifies you for being an ex-Bengal.

Some suggested that Bell decided to retire after the Bengals drafted Kevin Zeitler in the first round. But Bell had to know the Bengals were going to draft a guard early when he joined the team. I even called him "a safety net" when he signed with the Bengals.

Bell, though, was a starter for 100 of his 109 career NFL games with the Titans and Rams and possibly wasn't happy with becoming a backup. It's still stunning to think of someone turning down $890,000 because they couldn't handle a demotion.

It's not a newsflash that the Pittsburgh Steelers wanted David DeCastro. Pittsburgh selected the Stanford guard with the 24th overall pick, taking him over Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

But how much the Steelers coveted DeCastro will probably surprise you. According to NFL Network, the Steelers had a draft-day trade in place with the New York Jets to move up to No. 16, one spot ahead of the Bengals, and take DeCastro.

The Jets were reportedly willing to fall back to the Steelers' spot at No. 24 to get pass-rushing defensive linemen Bruce Irvin or Quinton Coples. Once the Seahawks surprisingly chose Irvin at No. 15, the Jets backed out of the trade with the Steelers and drafted Coples, NFL Network reported.

On April 26, the night of the first round, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert was asked if the team had attempted to trade up for DeCastro after selecting him. "I’ll leave that to the imagination," Colbert said last month. "I’ll just say again, we identified several guys that we thought we would entertain trading up to get, and this kid was one of them."

You could tell the Steelers were excited to get DeCastro that night because they used the word "excited" three times in Colbert and Mike Tomlin's opening statement about DeCastro. In the end, the Steelers still got the top-rated guard in the draft by staying put and not losing draft picks.

It's not known what the Steelers were willing to give up, but they might have had to trade their picks in the third and fourth rounds to move up for DeCastro, according to the draft trade chart. Pittsburgh selected linebacker Sean Spence in the third round and moved up in the fourth for nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu. The Steelers' entire draft would have looked completely different and wouldn't have been as strong.

The reason behind the trade was getting in front of the Bengals, who had been heavily linked to DeCastro leading up to the draft. But Cincinnati was more interested in Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler than DeCastro. The Bengals passed on DeCastro at No. 17 (when they chose Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick) and No. 21 (when they traded back to No. 27). According to the Bengals' official website, the team got an extra third-round pick to fall back six spots to get Zeitler, who would've been their choice if they remained at No. 21.