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Steelers cornerback Keenan Lewis voiced high expectations for himself after the third practice of the offseason.

"Pro Bowl," Lewis told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Watch out, this is going to be a big year right here."

This would be a bold prediction for someone entering his first season as a starter. This is even bolder considering Lewis isn't a lock to be a starter this season.

Lewis is competing against two draft picks from last year, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. Allen, a fourth-round pick, played on the Steelers' nickel defense like Lewis did last season. Brown, a third-round pick, is considered a favorite of the coaching staff.

Lewis' prediction begs a bigger question: What is going on with the players in the AFC North this offseason?

The Ravens' Joe Flacco thinks he's the best quarterback in the NFL. Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb wants to be the NFL's best cornerback.

Now Lewis is announcing his grand plan for the season despite having one NFL start to his credit. Even if Lewis wins a starting job with the Steelers, it's going to be tough for him to be the top cornerback on his team (Ike Taylor) and in the division (Webb and Joe Haden), much less make the Pro Bowl.

I understand the importance of playing with confidence, especially at the cornerback position. You just wish that some players would go out there and quietly prove it instead of announcing it to the football world.

» 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 Ravens in 2012.

Dream scenario (13-3): The Ravens come back more motivated after falling a couple of plays short of getting to the Super Bowl. Baltimore takes care of its biggest distractions before the season by signing quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice to long-term deals. The Ravens go on to produce the best record in the AFC and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Flacco backs up his claim of being an elite quarterback and finally takes control of the offense. He has a reputation makeover similar to the one Eli Manning had. Flacco gets help in the passing game with wide receiver Torrey Smith and tight end Ed Dickson, who stretch the field even more in their second seasons as starters. Rookie second-round pick Kelechi Osemele is able to make the transition from college tackle to left guard, which is the biggest question mark on the Ravens' offensive line.

Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs gives the defense a big boost when the NFL's reigning defensive player of the year is able to return in early November from an Achilles injury. Rookie second-round pick Courtney Upshaw steps up to replace Jarret Johnson as the team's edge setter on run defense. And Baltimore shuts down some of the best wide receivers in the NFL with the league's most impressive pair of cornerbacks in Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith.

Nightmare scenario (7-9): Baltimore can't shake the crushing loss in the AFC Championship Game and fails to make the playoffs for the first time in the John Harbaugh era. The injury to Suggs is too tough to overcome, and Rice isn't the same player after skipping offseason workouts and training camp. Not being at the top of their game hurts the Ravens, who have the fourth-toughest schedule in the NFL.

The offensive line shows some cracks with declining left tackle Bryant McKinnie and overhyped right tackle Michael Oher. Center Matt Birk begins to show his age (he turns 36 in July), and Baltimore fails to adequately replace Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs. The lack of consistency up front puts more pressure on Flacco, who is forced to rush and throws more interceptions than he has in the past. Anquan Boldin watches his receptions decrease for a third straight season, and Torrey Smith drops more deep passes than he catches.

Defensively, Suggs is able to return late in the season but he doesn't have the explosiveness to be effective. The Ravens drop out of the top 10 in defense for the first time since 2002 because Paul Kruger can't replace Suggs, Ray Lewis' play slows down with his age (he's 37) and Ed Reed stays in a funk because he's unhappy with his contract.

Defense has been the big brother on the Baltimore Ravens for more than the past decade. It's been the one responsible for hard-fought wins, playoff victories and even a Super Bowl title.

Now, linebacker Ray Lewis is 37. Safety Ed Reed "isn't committed" to football this year. And linebacker Terrell Suggs, the best defensive player in the game last season, is out for an extended period with an Achilles injury.

The Ravens can't lean on their defense any longer. It's unfair to ask these defenders to hold teams to 16.6 points per game like last season. If the Ravens want to reach the playoffs for a fifth straight season, the offense has to take charge.

Being an average offense isn't going to cut it. The pressure is on for the Ravens to produce more points and yards than they've done the past 14 years, and quarterback Joe Flacco says he wouldn't want it any other way.

"I hope it does put more pressure on us," Flacco said. "I feel like we need that pressure. I feel like I want that pressure on us. I feel like we need to become a better offense and we need to become somebody that goes out there and puts points on the board week in and week out and is really responsible for winning a lot of games. If it does put pressure on us, I’m all for it."

You have to wonder if Flacco relishes the pressure. He certainly seems to invite it. Flacco is heading into the final year of his contract and is coming off an offseason in which he declared himself the best quarterback in the league.

To his credit, Flacco has played his best when faced with pressure situations. He's won in Pittsburgh the past two years with touchdown passes in the final 32 seconds of the game. He would've thrown the winning pass in the AFC Championship Game if Lee Evans had held onto the ball.

No one can accuse Flacco for lacking confidence. He's played with a chip on his shoulder since coming to the NFL from the University of Delaware, which Flacco himself called the "minor leagues of college football." Then, in early April, Flacco was asked if he was a top-five quarterback. His response: "I don’t think I’m the top five, I think I’m the best."

Flacco has since said the comments have been blown out of proportion. But he has never backed down from them. Maybe this is Flacco's way of putting more pressure on himself.

"I believe I'm the best at what I do," Flacco said this week. "I’m not comparing myself to anybody, but I do believe in myself. Just like anybody else that has any pride or feels like they want to be the best would say. What do you want me to say? I’m mediocre. I’d rather take criticism for believing that I’m the best than saying, ‘I’m probably somewhere in the middle of the pack.’ That’s kind of crazy to me."

The reality is Baltimore has been a middle-of-the-pack offense despite its talent. The Ravens have the league leader in total yards in running back Ray Rice. They have one of the most prolific wide receivers in NFL history in Anquan Boldin (the fastest player ever to 400, 500 and 600 catches in a career) and an emerging deep threat in Torrey Smith (five of his seven touchdowns covered at least 25 yards). Their fullback is a Pro Bowl player (Vonta Leach), their two offensive tackles are former first-round picks (Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher) and their right guard (Marshal Yanda) is perhaps the best at his position.

"We just continue to keep getting better every year, and we flashed some really good things last year," Yanda said. "We just need to be more consistent. I think we’ve flashed tools to be the No. 1 offense."

The problem is their potential hasn't led to production. Baltimore has never had an offense ranked higher than 13th since Vinny Testaverde left in 1998. In four seasons with Flacco and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, the offense has ranked 18th, 13th, 22nd and 15th.

"Those are some names that should make this offense more than just a par-for-average offense," said Marcellus Wiley, a former NFL defensive lineman and current ESPN analyst. "This is an offense that is 15th-ranked and should be better than that."

Some might say the Ravens have underachieved because they haven't been put in a position where they've needed to be aggressive. With one of the best defenses every year, Baltimore knows a win is virtually assured when it scores more than two touchdowns. In fact, the Ravens have won 82 percent of their games (46-10 record) since 2008 when they score more than 14 points.

That mindset has to change with Suggs out of the lineup and an imposing schedule that features seven quarterbacks who have totaled 22 Pro Bowls and six Super Bowl titles: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton.

The Ravens have to think touchdowns instead of field goals. They have to attack downfield instead of worrying about a turnover. The Ravens' playoff hopes rest on the offense getting out of the passenger seat and living up to the expectations of being a top-10 one in the league.

"You definitely want to be that," Flacco said. "I think we have the ability to be that. It's just a matter of making our mind up and having the confidence to do that."

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.

There's been a strong buzz recently that the Baltimore Ravens are considering Georgia Tech wide receiver Stephen Hill with the 29th overall pick.

This is a little surprising because Hill is a unpolished prospect who needs time to develop as a route runner. But the Ravens appear intrigued by his downfield playmaking ability. And, as you saw last season with Torrey Smith, quarterback Joe Flacco can get the ball downfield when receivers can outrun or outleap defenders.

As I've mentioned before, the Ravens could be thinking ahead at wide receiver. This could be Anquan Boldin's final season with the Ravens. If that's the case, Baltimore could groom Hill for a season before asking him to become a starter.

I believe the Ravens are interested in Hill, but I think Alabama linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw are rated higher on Baltimore' board. Hightower would be the eventual replacement for Ray Lewis, and Upshaw would fill the void left by Jarret Johnson.

Of course, the Ravens' interest in Hill could be a moot point. Unless the Ravens trade up to the No. 20 spot (held by the Titans), they have to hope Hill makes it past two division rivals -- the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 21 and the Cleveland Browns at No. 22.

Ravens fans can relax: there's not going to be a Kyle Boller reunion.

The Ravens signed quarterback Curtis Painter instead of Boller and Dennis Dixon, according to NFL Network. Painter is expected to compete with Tyrod Taylor to be the team's backup to Joe Flacco.

While Boller isn't returning to Baltimore, there is a reunion taking place. Painter rejoins new Ravens quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell, who was the Indianapolis Colts' head coach last season. Painter made eight starts for the injured Peyton Manning last season but did not win a game before being benched.

I thought Painter was the front-runner for the job because of his connection to Caldwell. Based on potential and experience, he should have been last on the list.

It's understandable that the Ravens passed on Boller. Bringing back Boller would've been a public relations nightmare because he flopped as a first-round quarterback.

What I'm scratching my head over is the Ravens not signing Dixon. He's 27 and athletic. He has much more potential than Painter.

In the end, it probably doesn't matter whether it's Dixon or Painter or Taylor. Flacco has yet to miss a start in his NFL career.

The Baltimore Ravens may have contract issues with Ray Rice and Joe Flacco, the NFL is getting closer to removing kickoffs, and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark says he wants to be the first black head coach at LSU.

The Baltimore Ravens are among three teams interested in Steelers free-agent quarterback Dennis Dixon, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos are also in the running for Dixon, who is not expected to return to Pittsburgh.

The Ravens have been inconsistent in how they've addressed the backup quarterback position recently. In 2010, Baltimore spent $3.8 million on Marc Bulger to have veteran insurance behind Joe Flacco. In 2011, the Ravens went with rookie sixth-round pick Tyrod Taylor.

One reason why the Ravens could go with Bulger in 2010 was the uncapped year, but it's definitely a major philosophical switch to go from a playoff-tested quarterback in Bulger to a raw prospect like Taylor. Of course, Baltimore hasn't needed a backup, because Flacco has never missed a start in his four-year career (64 straight, the third-longest current streak in the NFL). But the Ravens' playoff chances would get decimated if Flacco got hurt, and the team had to turn to Taylor for an extended period.

Dixon, 27, the No. 3 quarterback last season for Pittsburgh, has made three career starts in his four seasons with the Steelers. He has a 2-1 record, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Dixon's first start came against the Ravens in 2009, when his interception in overtime set up the winning field goal.

Here are the backup quarterback situations for the rest of the AFC North:

BENGALS: Cincinnati is set with journeyman Bruce Gradkowski. When Andy Dalton was hurt in last year's season opener, Gradkowski rallied the Bengals to a 27-17 win at Cleveland.

BROWNS: At this point, the Browns are going with Seneca Wallace, the team's backup for the past two seasons. But the depth chart could get moved around if Cleveland drafts a quarterback in the early rounds. If the Browns don't take a quarterback, Wallace won't be competing with Colt McCoy for the starting job, the team said.

STEELERS: Besides Ben Roethlisberger, the only quarterbacks on the roster are Troy Smith and Jerrod Johnson. The Steelers likely will bring back Byron Leftwich or Charlie Batch. The favorite to return is Leftwich, who reportedly drew interest from the Colts.

Outside linebacker Keith Rivers, who was traded today to the New York Giants for a fifth-round pick, wasn't the only disappointment in the Bengals' 2008 draft class.

Cincinnati failed to find a long-term impact player out of its 10 picks that year. Rivers, the ninth overall pick in the 2008 draft, finished with the most starts in this class with 33, and the only players that remain with the team are two backups: defensive tackle Pat Sims (third round), and offensive tackle Anthony Collins (fourth round).

Wide receiver Jerome Simpson (second round) produced a career-high 50 catches last season as the team's No. 2 wide receiver, but he now faces 15 days in a Kentucky jail after pleading guilty to a drug charge. The Bengals haven't ruled out bringing him back.

Wide receiver Andre Caldwell (third round) showed promise in 2009 when he made a career-best 51 catches. But he followed that up with a combined 61 receptions the past two seasons. Caldwell signed this offseason with the Denver Broncos.

There were two players -- defensive tackle Jason Shirley (fifth round) and safety Corey Lynch (sixth round) -- who played a handful of games for Cincinnati before going elsewhere for reserve roles. Shirley played last season for Carolina, and Lynch was with Tampa Bay.

The last three players taken in the Bengals' 2008 draft -- tight end Matt Sherry (sixth), defensive end Angelo Craig (seventh) and wide receiver Mario Urritia (seventh) -- never played a regular-season game for Cincinnati and are out of the league.

In comparison, the Ravens drafted quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice that season, and the Pittsburgh Steelers selected running back Rashard Mendenhall. Even the Browns, who had limited picks after trading for Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, got underrated defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin in the sixth round.

Two weeks from now, the Washington Redskins will select, with the second pick in the 2012 NFL draft, their quarterback of the future. In all likelihood, this will be Baylor's Heisman Trophy-winning Robert Griffin III, a player who has already captured the hearts and the imaginations of Redskins fans to a startling extent. There is, according to anyone who's been asked, no reason to dream anything but the biggest dreams about what Griffin can be, and the extent to which he can restore the franchise to its former glory. These are fun times to be a Redskins fan.

One of the big questions these days, then, is not whether Griffin can make the Redskins a winner, but rather how soon. The Redskins had a good young defense in 2011, and there's reason to think it could be better in 2012. Fans are happy with the past couple of drafts, and the sense that there is a plan for the future. But at the same time, no one wants another 5- or 6-win season in Washington. Mike Shanahan, entering his third season as head coach, needs to show some concrete, on-field improvement in 2012 in order to avoid spending the capital he's built up from the trade that will allow him to draft his franchise quarterback. So what is reasonable to expect from the 2012 Redskins?

The key thing to remember is that, as excited as everyone is about Griffin, he still will be a rookie quarterback in 2012. Teams with rookie quarterbacks do not often reach the playoffs, though the past four seasons have offered several examples. Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco both reached the playoffs as rookies in 2008. The Jets made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game at the end of Mark Sanchez's 2009 rookie season. And last season's Bengals were a playoff team behind rookie quarterback Andy Dalton.

But for the Redskins to emulate those teams' achievements, they will have to rely on much more than just their rookie quarterback. In fact, the best way to get a rookie quarterback to the playoffs is to ask him to do as little as possible.

The 2008 Ravens ranked second in the NFL in total team defense and fourth in rushing offense. The 2009 Jets ranked first in total team defense (by a stunning 32 yards per game) and first in rush offense. The 2008 Falcons were not a good defensive team, ranking 24th in the league. But they were second in the league in rushing yards, which means Ryan was not asked to carry the offense. Last season's Bengals ranked just 19th in the NFL in rushing yards, which put more of a burden on Dalton and his superstar rookie wide receiver, A.J. Green. But they did have that superstar rookie wide receiver. And they ranked seventh in the league in total defense.

Of our four examples, the 2011 Bengals asked the most of their rookie quarterback. They averaged 33.4 pass attempts per game, which ranked 20th in the league, and threw for 209.2 passing yards per game, which also ranked 20th. The other three examples on our list? They flat-out coddled their rookie quarterbacks by comparison:

2009 Jets: 24.6 att/gm (32nd), 162.3 pass yds/gm (31st)

2008 Ravens: 27.1 att/gm (T-29th), 185.7 pass yds/gm (28th)

2008 Falcons: 27.1 att/gm (T-29th), 215.0 pass yds/gm (17th)

Now, Shanahan is a better-regarded offensive coach than any of the men who coached those teams. Rex Ryan of the Jets, in particular, believed he could win it all with defense, and very nearly did. Shanahan will design an offense in which Griffin can flourish, utilizing his arm and accuracy as well as his athleticism, speed and mobility. He'll design an offense in which Griffin works in concert with the run game, and in which each needs the other to thrive. Shanahan is likely to ask more of his offense than Ryan did of his in 2009, or than John Harbaugh did of his in 2008.

But the Redskins might find themselves limited in how quickly they can make it all work. It's possible that Pierre Garcon, Josh Morgan, Leonard Hankerson and tight end Fred Davis will be a great young receiving corps. But it's likely that it will take some time before they can really be that. There are likely to be growing pains, especially as questions persist on the offensive line, in the running game and on the back end of the defense. The 2012 Redskins are not as finished a product as the teams into which Sanchez and Flacco and Ryan were dropped, and it's unreasonable to expect instant success.

Could they contend for and even win a playoff spot? Sure. No one knows, because there are too many external factors to consider. Did the Giants get better? Did the Cowboys fix their defense? Can the Eagles make good on their mulligan? Heck, Sam Bradford's 2010 Rams weren't a very good team (12th in team defense, 24th in rush offense, by the way), but they went into the final game of that season with a chance to be an 8-8 division champion. You never know what kind of opportunity circumstances might offer.

If you're imagining big things for the 2012 Redskins, however, I think it's best to soft-pedal your expectations. In fact, those 2010 Rams might turn out to be the most apt comparison. But if the Redskins remain on the fringes of playoff contention deep into December and end up winning something like seven or eight games, as a Redskins fan you'd have to be happy with that, wouldn't you? Especially considering the direction in which things seem to be moving.

This is exciting, this idea of a new franchise quarterback. It's just important to remember how far down the Redskins have been for so long, and that fixing these things the right way can take some time.

The Baltimore Ravens' Joe Flacco created a stir last week when he said he thinks he is "the best" quarterback in the NFL.

When asked about those comments, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh never said Flacco was the best quarterback in the NFL but he made it clear he wants to help his quarterback reach that level.

"I will stand behind him and I think I understood what he was saying but sometimes you shrug your shoulders and you just have to laugh and say ‘all right let’s go prove it then,'" Harbaugh told a Baltimore radio station, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. "If that’s how we feel about it, then let’s go prove it. Let’s make them acknowledge that. We have not obviously done that yet and I think that’s what Joe is saying so I’m going to work as hard as I can so that a year or two or three from now the rest of the world can actually say ‘you know what maybe he was right, maybe he is the best quarterback out there.’ That’s our job, that’s Joe’s job and that’s what we need to work on doing.”

I think everyone can agree Flacco isn't the best quarterback in the NFL. But I think everyone can also agree Flacco will have a tough time reaching that elite status in the Ravens' current system. The best quarterbacks in the NFL -- Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger -- carry their teams week after week and to Super Bowls. They win games with their arms and rarely have to share the spotlight with a running back.

The Ravens don't consistently have to rely on Flacco that same way because they have Ray Rice. Last season, Rice accounted for 38 percent of the team's offense, leading Baltimore in rushing (1,364 yards) and catches (76, which is 19 more than any other Raven). If the Ravens really wanted to help Flacco, they could loosen the reins on him a little bit. Of course, Flacco has to earn that right by becoming more consistent and avoid dud games like the ones against the Jets and Jaguars last season.

Like I wrote on the blog last week, Flacco said these words and it's up to him to back them up. And there are ways Flacco can elevate himself into the conversation of being a top quarterback. He beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh last year with a last-minute touchdown throw. He nearly led the Ravens to the Super Bowl if Lee Evans didn't have the ball stripped away in the end zone.

So, Flacco can distinguish himself when he comes through in the clutch and in the playoffs. That's where quarterbacks shine. But there's an increased level of difficulty to reach the top tier of quarterbacks when you play with a top-tier running back.

Harbaugh, though, admires Flacco's self-confidence and honesty.

"He’s not really interested in I don’t think in finessing an answer in a way that we all, we know what he was saying but then they parse it and take the part and say ‘Joe Flacco thinks he’s the best quarterback in football,'" Harbaugh said. "Joe Flacco is working to be the best quarterback in football and in his mind he’s capable of being that. That’s what he is saying. I don’t know. Joe is Joe, we do talk to him about that, but you have to love Joe, you have to love his mindset, his attitude, he’s a fierce competitor, I’ve always said that and he’s our quarterback and I love the guy."

Here are other topics covered by Harbaugh in the interview:

• Ravens safety Ed Reed, who is entering the final year of his contract, said he has been unable to get a new deal from the Ravens. Harbaugh said he isn't concerned about Reed's future in Baltimore. “Obviously we have utmost respect for Ed, he and I have a tremendous relationship," Harbaugh said. "We’ve been texting back and forth, it’s been really positive, I know he is working really hard because he always does and last year I thought he was in the best shape of his whole career, at least the career I’ve seen, the last four years let me say that. He was in tremendous shape, he played very, very well, and I agree with him, I think he has plenty of years left to play and the rest of it is part of the business part of it and that’s part of the way it goes. That stuff has a way of working itself out so I’m not worried about it that way.”
• The Ravens are also in talks on a long-term deal with Rice, who received the franchise tag. Asked whether he would be surprised if a new deal doesn't get worked out with Rice, Harbaugh said, “I’d be surprised, not be surprised and you get to the point where you’re not surprised by anything. It’s the business part of it and you just don’t know which way it’s going to turn. Ray’s got to do and his agents and his representatives have to try to do the best they can for Ray. That’s got to fit within what is smart for us to put the best team together in the end because the team, the team, the team does apply to your salary cap situation. You have to build the strongest team that you possibly can for the resources that they give you. Obviously you have to pay your best players, your most productive guys as well as you possibly can. We want everybody to make as much money as they can, that’s the American way but there are limitations and parameters there and hopefully we can come out to the best possible answer.”

The genius of Ed Reed lies on his ability to get in the heads of quarterbacks. But getting in the head of Reed is laborious, frustrating and often pointless.

In Ed Reed's latest interview (on a local Baltimore radio station), one point is clear: he is unhappy.

Reed wants respect. And how teams show players respect, according to Reed, is to pay them. Reed, who is entering the final year of his contact, feels he should get paid more than every defensive back because, well, he's Ed Reed.

But it's so hard to analyze his comments because, as owner Steve Bisciotti said this year, Reed doesn't give definitive answers.

Just listen to Reed's answer when he was asked yesterday if he plans on playing in 2012.

"I plan on playing, but everybody in the world knows plans can change," Reed told 105.7 The Fan. “I got some unfinished business. I got a lot on my mind I’ve been thinking about. The truth of the matter is, it’s about respect. It’s about getting respect, and it’s a business.”

My guess is his "unfinished business" has something to do with a new contract. What the Ravens are going to do with Reed long-term is going to be a major storyline next offseason. He said last week that he thinks he could play four to five more years.

Reed said he tried to rework his contract with the Ravens last year but “took the back seat” when negotiations didn’t go the way he expected.

“My plan when I went to negotiate was always, it’s always to help the team. I was not trying to break the bank," Reed said. "Do I deserve a good substantial amount? I mean you look at Peyton [Manning, Broncos quarterback]. Peyton got five [years] for $96 [million]? I know I’m not a quarterback, but at the end of the day … They pay certain positions certain ways. I’m different, man.”

Reed is scheduled to make $7.2 million -- which, by most bank accounts, is not disrespectful -- in the final season of a six-year, $44.4 million contract. But Reed could be feeling left out because the Ravens are in contract talks with quarterback Joe Flacco, running back Ray Rice, as well as cornerbacks Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams.

“Honestly, I got to take a look at myself from the outside in,” Reed said. “For what I offer on the football field, for what I give on the football field, and for what they know they’re going to get, it’s much more than these young guys out here today and what they’re getting. And I’m talking about at any defensive back position right now.”

Reed also mentioned that he's been dealing with some comments made "from people who I work with."

"Whether they know it or not, they made them,” Reed said. “Whether you think I’m a business-minded man or don’t listen to you, I do. It’s not bad, but it’s something that you take to heart, because at the end of the day, I know I’m giving everything, and they know I’m giving everything on that football field.”

The Ravens face a major decision next year when Reed becomes an unrestricted free agent. Judging from his comments, Reed isn't going to be giving any hometown discounts.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco created a stir this week when he said: "I think I'm the best" quarterback.

While Flacco has taken some heat for his bold comments, former NFL lineman Damien Woody didn't have any problem with what the quarterback said.

"I think it's a great attitude," Woody said. "As a professional athlete, you don't play second fiddle to anyone. You got to have that confidence, especially the quarterback position -- the most important position in all of sports. You got to feel like: When I'm on that field, I'm better than any other player."

You can voice your opinion in a SportsNation poll, which is asking fans to rank Flacco. Here's a sampling of the feedback given on Flacco's comments:

timmylyy: "i know youre supposed to confident in your skills, but theres a line between being confident and being delusional."

mycentstoo: "April fools day was 2 days ago Joe..."

JDO13: "If he blurted out anything else, his mental toughness would be questioned. Now, he has too much confidence. His answer was set up for failure no matter what. "

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Ravens have the 29th pick in the NFL draft, so there's not a lot of drama surrounding the team's first-round pick. Here are my impressions from Baltimore's pre-draft press conference:

• The Ravens are open to trading up or down in the first round, and their history suggests they will do it again. Over the past four drafts, Baltimore has made a trade in the first round three times and nearly did it for a fourth straight year if not for the draft-day debacle with the Bears last year. The Ravens, though, won't trade up more than 10 spots. “It’s really who the player is and who the other players are around him,” said Eric DeCosta, Baltimore’s director of player personnel. “You’ll never see us trade up to get a player unless we think clearly he’s by far he’s the best player there.”

• General manager Ozzie Newsome was honest when he named the team's biggest draft needs: offensive line, wide receiver, depth in the pass rush and strong-side linebacker. Even though coach John Harbaugh once again spoke about how Jah Reid can take over at left guard, I'm thinking the Ravens want a highly rated prospect like Georgia's Cordy Glenn to fall to them. When asked about interior linemen, DeCosta mentioned four names: Glenn, Stanford guard David DeCastro, Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler and Wisconsin center-guard Peter Konz.

• The Ravens acknowledged they probably won't sign another player in free agency until after the draft. Baltimore only has $1.7 million in salary-cap room (third smallest in the NFL), but Newsome said that won't stop them from making a move. "Regardless of what the number we are at the cap, we have a plan," Newsome said. "We talk about the cap every day. If there is a good player that can come in and help our football team, we will be able to fit him under our cap."

• Baltimore officials appear resigned to the fact that running back Ray Rice won't be attending any offseason team activities. Rice, who has yet to sign his franchise tag, said yesterday that he hasn't decided if he will skip team workouts. "Up until a guy actually signs his franchise tender, he's not under contract and we're not even allowed to ask him to our mandatory minicamp," Newsome said. "We understand those things and lived them through [Terrell] Suggs, Chris [McAlister] and even Wally Williams. We've experienced that before. Would Coach Harbaugh want 100 percent participation in every offseason program and every OTA and every minicamp? Yes he would. But he knows that unrealistic also."

• I get the feeling that the Ravens are privately pleased by Joe Flacco's comments that he is "the best" quarterback in the NFL. There was talk last year that the Ravens waited to start negotiations on an extension with Flacco to motivate him for the 2011 season. Now, by making such a bold statement, Flacco has to live up to those words this year. "I don't think there is any player, any coach and any GM who doesn't think they're not the best at what they do," Newsome said. "If you make a statement like that, you have to prepare yourself to be the best. I am sure Joe is also doing that."

Some argue that Joe Flacco is among the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL. Others see him as one of the top quarterbacks under 30.

Now, raise your hand if you believe Flacco is the best quarterback in the NFL. Anyone? I mean anyone not wearing a purple No. 5 jersey.

"I think I’m the best," Flacco told a Baltimore radio station when asked if he felt like he was a top-five quarterback. "I don’t think I’m the top five, I think I’m the best. I wouldn’t be very successful at my job if I didn’t feel that way."

This reminds me of the time before last season when Eli Manning said he would put himself in the same class as Tom Brady. Everyone laughed until Manning beat Brady in the Super Bowl.

Flacco faces the same situation: You said it, so let's see if you can back it up.

Like Manning, Flacco was right to say it. No matter what you or I think, Flacco should believe he's the best quarterback in the league. Just like Colt McCoy should think he's leading the Browns to the division title.

How was Flacco supposed to respond when asked that question? I guess he could have given a more toned-down answer -- that he doesn't compare himself to other quarterbacks, for example, or doesn't place labels on himself. If he'd said that he was the 15th-best quarterback in the NFL, people would be ripping him for having no faith in himself.

Flacco isn't Kyle Boller. He's won more games in his first four seasons than any other quarterback in NFL history. Flacco directed a winning 92-yard touchdown drive in the final minute against the NFL's top-rated defense last year. He also outplayed Brady in the AFC championship game and was one stripped pass away from leading the Ravens to the Super Bowl.

The problem is, Flacco looked like he was the NFL's worst quarterback at times, too. He struggled to complete passes and record first downs in prime-time disasters last season against the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Before Flacco can say he's "the best," he has to show he's consistent. He has to prove that the team can depend on him week after week. He has to take the Ravens to a Super Bowl and win it. That's the definition of being "the best" in the NFL. Right now, Flacco isn't even the best quarterback in his division.

Last season, Flacco didn't finish in the top 10 in completion rate (26th), passing yards (12th), touchdowns (13th) or quarterback rating (18th). You don't need to call for a Discount Double Check to see the disparity between Flacco and a certain quarterback in Green Bay.

It's understandable why Flacco has this attitude. He's always having to defend himself against critics. For some reason, he's become a punching bag for NFL players during the past year. During last offseason, Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley said Flacco will never win a Super Bowl "in this lifetime." And, during last season's playoff run, Flacco's own teammate -- safety Ed Reed -- questioned the quarterback's hold on the offense.

From Flacco's point of view, he has to pump himself up because it seems like no one else will. You don't hear the same criticism or negativity directed toward Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who has similar career passing numbers as Flacco but no playoff wins.

Flacco isn't a cocky quarterback, but he is very prideful. You ask him if he's the best quarterback, and he's going to say that he is. Flacco has thought of himself as the underdog ever since he entered the NFL as a first-round pick out of FCS school Delaware. "I had to go down to the minor leagues of college football to prove who I was," Flacco said after getting drafted by the Ravens four years ago. "I'm going to carry that with me for the rest of my life and use it for the best."

So it's not a matter of whether Flacco is the best quarterback in the NFL. He's obviously not. What's important is that he believes it. The challenge now is to back it up.