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A look at a key player from each AFC North team who needs to show something in offseason sessions:

Baltimore Ravens: Cornerback Jimmy Smith. Most Ravens first-round picks start as rookies. Smith hasn't established himself yet, and he's entering his third season. The 27th overall pick of the 2011 draft, Smith has the size and speed to be a top-tier cornerback. He just hasn't shown the toughness or consistency to warrant a place on the field. Smith's best game last season was the Super Bowl, where he successfully defended San Francisco's final two passes of the game (depending on your interpretation of pass interference). The Ravens are going to need Smith to carry that over into this offseason; Lardarius Webb is coming off a season-ending knee injury and Cary Williams went to the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. Smith could put himself in position to take over the starting job from Corey Graham.

Cincinnati Bengals: Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick needs to show he'll be ready when training camp starts at the end of July. Injuries sidelined him for most of the offseason last year, and a bone spur in his knee limited him to five games (and a total of four tackles) last year. Kirkpatrick had another procedure on the knee four months ago, and the hope is he'll be fully recovered for training camp. It's been a disappointing start to his career, which has been magnified by the fact guard Kevin Zeitler, the Bengals' other first-round pick from a year ago, has looked like a Pro Bowl player already. The Bengals need to know they'll be able to count on Kirkpatrick come summer. He'll have a chance to compete against Terence Newman for a starting job.

Cleveland Browns: Quarterback Brandon Weeden. Many first-round quarterbacks are given some time to develop. That's not the case for Weeden, who wasn't drafted by the current Browns decision-makers. The expectation is that Weeden will enter training camp as the starter. But nothing is guaranteed, especially when Weeden has yet to get a strong vote of confidence from either chief executive officer Joe Banner or head coach Rob Chudzinski. The Browns signed veteran backup Jason Campbell, which puts pressure on Weeden. He'll have to earn the starting job, and the competition begins in these offseason workouts. Weeden has to show growth from last season, when he ranked near the bottom of the league in completion rate (57.4 percent) and near the top in interceptions (17).

Pittsburgh Steelers: Offensive tackle Mike Adams. Although the Steelers are currently undecided on who will start at left tackle this season, Adams could get the first crack at protecting Ben Roethlisberger's blind side in these offseason camps. The 2012 second-round pick has to prove he can stay healthy. He sprained his MCL in the preseason opener, but to his credit, he returned five days later. Adams' rookie season then ended in November after he suffered an ankle injury. In 10 games at right tackle, he allowed seven sacks and 16 quarterback hurries. If Adams struggles, the Steelers could move him back to right tackle and flip Marcus Gilbert to the left side.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Who is one potential breakout player for each AFC North team in 2013?

Baltimore Ravens: Kelechi Osemele. It can be argued that Osemele did, in fact, break out at the end of his rookie season. And it could be argued that the Ravens’ shuffling of their offensive line -- moving Osemele to left guard from right tackle, Michael Oher from left tackle to right tackle and inserting Bryant McKinnie at left tackle -- was the single biggest reason for their spectacular Super Bowl run. But while the argument holds true that Osemele excelled at left guard, I believe he is just scratching the surface and will become a Pro Bowl-caliber player and one of the elite guards in the game. Still new to the position, Osemele is a massive human being with extremely long arms and huge, powerful hands. But unlike some offensive tackles who move inside, leverage and pad level is not a problem for this extremely talented young man.

Cincinnati Bengals: Mohamed Sanu. There wasn’t a Bengals player who jumped up as a breakout candidate, unlike with the other three teams. That isn’t to suggest that Cincinnati has drafted poorly. I view young players Kevin Zeitler and Vontaze Burfict as already having broken out. Last year’s first-round pick, Dre Kirkpatrick, certainly is a candidate, but we haven’t seen enough at the NFL level to judge him. The same is true for Devon Still and Brandon Thompson. That left receivers Sanu and Marvin Jones, who logged about double the snaps as Sanu in 2012. Either could develop into a quality second option opposite the great A.J. Green, but Sanu is the better prospect in my opinion. While he isn’t a perimeter burner like Green, he is a sure-handed, big-bodied wideout who fits well with Andy Dalton, who gets the ball out quickly and allows his receivers to perform after the catch. Like the defensive players mentioned above, there isn’t a lot of film of Sanu to go off. He caught just 16 passes before a Week 12 foot injury ended his rookie season, but he should be penciled in as a starter and see plenty of favorable matchups.

Cleveland Browns: Jordan Cameron. There were easier choices for the Browns than Cameron, namely on the offensive side of the ball, from their impressive rookie class from a year ago. Trent Richardson, Josh Gordon and even Mitchell Schwartz all have extremely promising young careers after impressing as rookies. I expect all three to drastically improve and for Richardson to be one of the top running backs in the league in 2013. But I went with Cameron, a relatively unknown tight end, because of his abilities, the coaching and a major increase of snaps. Cameron is the typical athletic former basketball player with the long frame to really excel against safety and linebacker coverage. But why do I really expect this breakout? Look no further than Cleveland’s new head coach, Rob Chudzinski. Going back to his days as the tight ends coach at the University of Miami, Chudzinski has a spectacular track record for developing great talent into great production at this position. Cameron is his latest project; expect it to go very well.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Cortez Allen. Recent first-round selections David DeCastro and Cameron Heyward crossed my mind for this honor, but I went with Allen over those linemen. Allen fits the mold of what Pittsburgh does at cornerback to a T. On a regular basis, the Steelers draft big, developmental cornerbacks in the middle rounds. Those players tend to have nondescript rookie seasons while making their bones on special teams and learning “The Steeler Way” in Dick LeBeau’s defense. In Year 2, these cornerbacks often take a step forward, playing in sub packages and filling in for injured starters. And if that development goes well, as it did for last year’s starting cornerbacks, Ike Taylor and Keenan Lewis, they take over a starting position. It’s Allen’s turn to do exactly that. The Steelers allowed Lewis to leave for New Orleans, showing they have all the faith in the world in Allen. They did sign William Gay -- another corner they once drafted and who fits this mold -- but Gay is a depth player who is obviously familiar with the system and franchise. Allen gets the opportunity to step up. Expect big things.

Free-agent cornerback Terence Newman posted on Twitter that he chose the Bengals over the Raiders because of loyalty. Newman made sure everyone knew the Raiders were offering more money.

“I came in with [Bengals defensive coordinator] Mike Zimmer and feel it’s only right that I leave as him coaching me," Newman tweeted.

Zimmer, who was Newman’s defensive coordinator from 2003-06 with the Cowboys, pushed for the Bengals to sign Newman last season and it paid off for Cincinnati. First-round pick Dre Kirkpatrick was never healthy, and Newman ended up starting 15 games. Newman led the Bengals with 14 passes defenses and finished second among defensive backs with 75 tackles.

Still, how much loyalty will the Bengals show Newman? He turns 35 just before the season, and the team probably wants Kirkpatrick to get into the starting lineup this year, based on the recent history of Cincinnati cornerbacks.

When Johnathan Joseph was drafted in the first round in 2006, he was a full-time starter for the Bengals by Week 11 of his rookie season. When Leon Hall was selected in the first round in 2007, he was a full-time starter by Week 10 as a rookie.

The Bengals, who officially announced the re-signing of Newman on Monday, may move him to nickel back either during training camp or some time in 2013, although they've learned not to take anything for granted with Kirkpatrick. Last season, Kirkpatrick didn't instill confidence after a preseason fracture in his knee and Week 13 concussion essentially led to a redshirt season. That's why the Bengals paid for an insurance policy. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals are spending $3 million on Newman this year.

“Terence has always had great talent, and he’s become a smarter player every year of his career,” Zimmer said in a statement. “He sees things well and he challenges receivers. He’s tough. He takes care of his body and doesn’t miss reps. He’s the kind of guy we want back as we work to keep our defense together.”

Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, the team's first-round pick, is active and will play in his first NFL game.

It is unknown how much Kirkpatrick will play against the Broncos and quarterback Peyton Manning. Bengals cornerback Terence Newman has struggled this season.

Kirkpatrick was sidelined during offseason camps with injuries and then hurt his knee before training camp. He has practiced for the past three weeks, but this is the first time this season that he has suited up.

Former Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell is inactive for Denver.

Here are the inactives:

BRONCOS: WR Andre Caldwell, CB Tracy Porter, RB Knowshon Moreno, C/G C.J. Davis, TE Julius Thomas, DT Sealver Siliga and QB Caleb Hanie.

BENGALS: CB Jason Allen, WR Marvin Jones, S George Iloka, LB Rodrrick Muckelroy, DT Brandon Thompson, WR Ryan Whalen and TE Richard Quinn.

Steve Spurrier has suggested Alabama might be good enough to defeat an NFL team.

I'm not sure whether Spurrier was serious, but as Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll pointed out, the notion is ridiculous (unless, perhaps, Spurrier had the 2002-03 Washington Redskins in mind).

"Alabama's got a great team and Nick [Saban] is a fantastic coach," Carroll said, "but when you match up the interior lines against regular NFL teams on either side of the ball, it wouldn't even be close."

Athletic prodigies occasionally flourish in the professional ranks. LeBron James was 18 years old when he had 25 points, six rebounds, nine assists and four steals in his NBA debut.

In the NFL, rules prohibit players from participating until they're at least three years removed from high school. It's generally thought athletes aren't ready for the physical pounding until they're older. Rookies face adjustment periods. Even the best ones can appear lost during the first days of training camp.

The majority of players on Alabama's roster will likely never play in the NFL. It is absurd, then, to think those players would defeat a roster filled with players who are, by definition, good enough to play in the league.

For fun, I've put together a chart showing 2012 NFL draft choices from Alabama. There were eight, including four first-rounders. Injuries have sidelined three of them. Four others have played quite a bit. Another pick, fullback/tight end Brad Smelley, is on the Cleveland Browns' practice squad.

We'll have to wait and see if Alabama produces 22 rookie starters, three full-time specialists and some core special-teams players for NFL teams in 2013. Kind of thinking not.

Injuries will force the Bengals to go with three cornerbacks Sunday at Jacksonville.

Four cornerbacks -- Leon Hall (hamstring), Nate Clements (calf), Jason Allen (thigh) and Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) -- are among the seven inactives. That means the Bengals will go with Terence Newman and Adam Jones as the starting cornerbacks. Chris Lewis-Harris, who was signed from the practice squad, is the third corner. Cincinnati could go with recently re-signed safety Chris Crocker as the nickel corner.

The banged-up Cincinnati secondary faces Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who ranks 30th in the league with 468 yards passing. His 5.9 yards per attempt is 31st.

Here are the Bengals' inactives: CB Leon Hall, CB Nate Clements, CB Jason Allen, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, RB Bernard Scott, LB Roddrick Muckelroy and WR Ryan Whalen.

The Bengals are down to two healthy cornerbacks heading into Sunday's game at the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Nate Clements (calf), Leon Hall (hamstring), Jason Allen (thigh) and Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) have not practiced all week. Hall, who is listed as questionable, is the one who has the best chance of playing. Kirkpatrick is out again, and Clements and Allen are doubtful.

Asked how not practicing affects his availability Sunday, Hall told the Cincinnati Enquirer, “We’ll see. Not necessarily. I think we’re still going to take it day by day and probably do the same thing that I did last week.”

If all the injured cornerbacks are inactive, the Bengals will have two corners: Terence Newman and Adam Jones. Chris Crocker, the team's starting strong safety last season, was re-signed Thursday and could play nickel back for the Bengals.

The Bengals are fortunate that they're playing the Jaguars on Sunday. Jacksonville is the 31st-ranked passing team in the NFL, averaging 147 yards passing per game.

There's a chance that Steelers first-round pick David DeCastro is done for the season after suffering a right knee injury in Saturday night's 38-7 preseason win at Buffalo. "It's potentially severe," coach Mike Tomlin said after the game. "We'll see what the MRI says."

The rest of the division says: Welcome to the club, Steelers.

With DeCastro getting hurt, the top pick for each AFC North team has now been injured for an extended period. Browns running back Trent Richardson (knee), Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and Ravens outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw (shoulder) all missed a large chunk of training camp and have yet to start a game in the preseason.

Richardson, the third overall pick who had his knee scoped Aug. 9, is expected to play in the regular-season opener, albeit in a limited role. Kirkpatrick, the 17th pick of the 2012 draft, hurt himself before reporting to camp and just began practicing a week ago. Upshaw, a second-round pick, was out for seven days in camp and has yet to unseat Albert McClellan for the rush linebacker job since his return.

The difference with DeCastro is that his injury might leave him sidelined for his entire rookie season. After having a rough start to camp, DeCastro has looked more than solid in the preseason. Now, after watching his right knee bent awkwardly, the Steelers will have to wait for the MRI to see if they'll get him back this season.

While this continues the bad luck for the top picks in the division, it also could extend the Steelers' rough streak with knee injuries. Since the regular-season finale on Jan. 1, Pittsburgh has seen four starters (running back Rashard Mendenhall, offensive tackle Max Starks, nose tackle Casey Hampton and fullback David Johnson) suffer torn anterior cruciate ligaments.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has to feel some satisfaction when he hears about the controversy stemming from the Internet video that features Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul dunking Prince Amukamara into a tub of ice. You know, the one that was tweeted out to the public by the Giants punter.

Perhaps that's why Lewis is continuing his ban on Twitter even though the Bengals are officially out of training camp mode.

"I think guys understand why. It would not help us," Lewis told reporters Monday. "I know social media is important. Part of our future probably. And it's an important part of their past on a collegiate campus. But I don’t think we were really handling it very well. Before we did something that didn't shine well on the football team, I think it was just best for us on the football team."

This comes across as a move that a college coach would make. I'm not in favor of muting grown men. If 31-year-old Travelle Wharton wants to tweet (he's @travellewharton), he should be able to do so.

But it's hard to argue with Lewis' results. This has been "Camp Quiet" in Cincinnati. It might be the fewest distractions ever at a camp for Lewis.

The biggest hurdle this preseason has been injuries, although there will be no updates on Twitter about them. It is believed Lewis' original ban was spurred by rookie first-round pick Dre Kirkpatrick confirming on social media that he injured his leg. Kirkpatrick hasn't tweeted anything since July 24.

Lewis has made a concession that players can tweet if they need to promote their foundations or charitable causes.

"But I don’t need to hear about where you are and what you're doing, or your comment on something that's not so smart that someone else says," Lewis said. "We don't need to be associated with that. Let's focus on football. It's been a good focus."

Trent Richardson's sore knee could keep the Browns running back out of Friday's preseason opener. This has unfortunately become the status quo for the top rookies in the AFC North this summer.

Of the top picks for each team in the division, there's a good chance that only one will make his preseason debut this week. That would be Steelers guard David DeCastro, and he's only starting Thursday because of an injury to Willie Colon. The good news for DeCastro is that he's only experiencing growing pains. Others haven't been so lucky.

Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, the Bengals' top pick in the 2012 draft, is on the non-football injury list after hurting his leg before camp began. He's expected to miss the preseason, but coach Marvin Lewis said the No. 17 pick could return for the regular-season opener next month.

Outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw, the Ravens' top pick, was sidelined for seven straight practices with a shoulder injury before practicing Tuesday on a limited basis. Head coach John Harbaugh said it's unlikely that Upshaw will play Thursday at Atlanta, but he has yet to make a final decision on the second-round choice.

While these picks are going through a rough start, this year's rookie class could make an immediate impact. It's possible that 11 rookies will start the regular-season opener. The Browns could go with six rookies: Richardson, quarterback Brandon Weeden, offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz, wide receiver Josh Gordon, defensive tackle John Hughes and linebacker James-Michael Johnson. There could be two rookie starters for the Steelers (DeCastro and offensive tackle Mike Adams) and the Bengals (guard Kevin Zeitler and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu). Upshaw is expected to be the only first-year starter for the Ravens.

While the Bengals have to be disappointed that first-round cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick could miss all of training camp, they have to be thrilled by the return of cornerback Leon Hall.

More than eight months since tearing his Achilles tendon (remember that recovery time for Terrell Suggs), Hall passed his physical and lined up with the first-team defense. Hall told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he's been given permission to do “pretty much everything”.

Said Hall after a Friday walkthrough: “We’re still going to kind of monitor how many reps I get in a row but it will be easier now that there is only one practice a day. It’s now me practicing as much as I can. I’m pretty much full go.”

Hall told me at last month's mandatory minicamp that he would be ready for camp -- "PUP [physically unable to perform list] is not in my dictionary right now," he said in June -- and he lived up to his word.

Getting back Hall is huge for the Bengals. In the first nine games with Hall last season, the Bengals gave up eight touchdown passes. In the final seven regular-season games after Hall's season-ending Achilles injury, they allowed 12 touchdown passes. He could be the most valuable cornerback in the division.

» NFC Camp Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Dates

Three thoughts as training camps open around the NFL:

One thing I'm certain of: The Bengals are a much better team than the one that surprisingly made the playoffs last season. Whether this translates into more wins is uncertain. The Bengals haven't put together back-to-back winning seasons since 1981-82. But you have to be impressed with what the Bengals accomplished this offseason. Few teams had a better draft and free-agency period.

Cincinnati has more dependability and a bigger red zone punch with running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The Bengals addressed the guard position, which was their weakest spot, by drafting Kevin Zeitler in the first round and signing Panthers free agent Travelle Wharton. Cincinnati added defensive depth by signing five former first-round picks in free agency: Adam Jones, Terence Newman, Jason Allen, Derrick Harvey and Jamaal Anderson. The big question is whether the Bengals have done enough to close the gap between them and the Ravens and Steelers.

One thing that might happen: Leon Hall suits up for camp and Dre Kirkpatrick sits for most of it. This isn't how most envisioned the Bengals' cornerback situation. Kirkpatrick was the one who was supposed to step up in the starting lineup if Hall hadn't recovered from an Achilles injury. The roles are apparently reversed. Kirkpatrick, the 17th overall pick of the 2012 draft, reportedly injured his leg and could miss most of training camp.

The Bengals remain hopeful that Hall will be able to take the field Friday, the first practice of training camp. Hall, who was held out of spring workouts, has yet to be cleared to play. If Hall and Kirkpatrick are both sidelined, Cincinnati will lean heavily on Jones, Newman, Allen and Brandon Ghee.

One thing we won't see: A major veteran free-agent addition to the wide receiver group. The Bengals took some heat for not addressing the loss of two of their top three wide receivers when Jerome Simpson (Vikings) and Andre Caldwell (Broncos) left in free agency. Cincinnati didn't sign a wide receiver in free agency and didn't draft one in the first two rounds. Head coach Marvin Lewis came away very impressed with his wide receivers this spring, which is a good indication that the Bengals won't be making any moves for someone like Braylon Edwards, barring injury or a meltdown by this group.

Heading into camp, Brandon Tate, Mohamed Sanu and Armon Binns are battling to start opposite A.J. Green. Tate is the early favorite after an impressive spring. He didn't catch a pass last season, when he signed a week before the season opener, but he has picked up the Bengals' offense in his first full offseason with the team. The Bengals are equally as high on Sanu, a third-round pick who has drawn comparisons to T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Quarterback Andy Dalton said his receivers are "going to surprise a lot of people."

Bengals first-round pick Dre Kirkpatrick has told teammates that he suffered a leg injury that could sideline him for most of training camp, according to CBS Sports.

The Bengals declined to declined to comment, citing coach Marvin Lewis' policy of not addressing any potential injury issues until training camp has started. Cincinnati's first camp practice is Friday.

Kirkpatrick, the 17th overall pick of the 2012 draft, was expected to compete for a starting cornerback job if Leon Hall hadn't fully recovered from his Achilles injury. He was expected to be the nickel back at worst.

This injury would keep a talented rookie off the field but it hits one of the Bengals' deepest positions on the team. In addition to returning starter Nate Clements, Cincinnati has three former first-round picks (Adam Jones, Terence Newman and Jason Allen) as well as promising third-year veteran Brandon Ghee at cornerback.

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.

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.