ESPN NFL

In a world and a sports scene increasingly full of self-aggrandizing phonies, New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin is the real deal. He says what he feels, stands by what he believes and puts on no airs. He's refreshing for this, and the acclaim he's received after coolly and brilliantly coaching his Giants to a second Super Bowl title in five years has had the rare quality of being universally hailed as well deserved.

Coughlin's genuine away from the football field too, and that's a big reason why he was in Virginia on Wednesday night to be honored by the U.S. Army for his volunteer work with military personnel, veterans and wounded soldiers. Coughlin and Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh were honored at the ceremony, and Coughlin said he was humbled to receive the Outstanding Civilian Service Award. Per Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post:

"When the general was standing there reading off that stuff about me, it was almost like I was saying to myself, 'Who's he talking about?'" Coughlin told The Post after the hour-long celebration overlooking the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building.

"It was unbelievable to me," continued Coughlin, who was accompanied to the event by wife Judy. "The patriotism just came pouring out of me with all of the pomp and circumstance and standing there next to a four-star general. That's what you call humbling."

The Army honored Coughlin for allowing soldiers and the families to attend practices and games, for repeatedly visiting wounded soldiers at both Walter Reed Medical Center and other installations and for flying to Iraq in 2009 as part of a USO tour with John Harbaugh, Jeff Fisher, Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden.

Again, the real deal. Coughlin doesn't make a show of having military personnel at his games and practices. He'll drop a line here and there to make sure they're recognized and thanked for their service, but it comes from the heart. He feels this stuff deeply, and there's no doubt he means it when he says the ceremony Wednesday night ranked among his great professional thrills. The general who oversaw the ceremony, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Raymond T. Odierno, is a Giants fan from New Jersey. But he said that had nothing to do with the fact that Coughlin was honored.

"You're talking about someone who has really dedicated himself over a long period of time to caring about our soldiers and their families," Onierno told The Post. "His dedication to the military is quite significant."

Asked jokingly if the fact he also bleeds Giant blue had anything to do with Coughlin's award, Odierno smiled and shook his head.

"Absolutely nothing to do with that," he said. "Absolutely everything to do with what he's done for the military."

Not much more to say on this. I just really thought it was worth writing about, in case you guys missed it.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh believes Ed Reed will play despite recent comments that suggest the Pro Bowl safety is wavering.

"Ed is a guy that I really trust and I really care about and believe in," Harbaugh said after Wednesday's workout. "There's been no indication that he's not going to play as far as I'm concerned. I don't worry about Ed. He's a mature guy. He's a superstar. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer. He's a leader. We're counting on Ed being here."

Reed was among a handful of veterans who didn't attend Wednesday's voluntary practice.

He created a stir last week when he told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he was "not 100 percent committed right now to playing this year." Reed later clarified his comments, saying he plans on playing in 2012 and possibly beyond.

In trying to interpret Reed's comments, Harbaugh said he believes Reed was talking about not being committed to the offseason workouts.

"He's got a lot of things going on and he's working on personal things," Harbaugh said. "I guarantee he's training. I guarantee he's preparing for the season. That's just Ed."

Speaking for the first time about Terrell Suggs' injury, Ravens coach John Harbaugh offered no timetable on the return of the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, but he stressed the team won't dwell on the loss.

Suggs told ESPN that he partially tore his Achilles tendon during a conditioning drill in Arizona, but believes he can return by the middle of the 2012 season.

"He will be okay, Terrell Suggs will be fine. He will be back," Harbaugh told a local Baltimore television station Friday, via the Baltimore Sun. "He will go to work on that rehab like no other. He will continue to be a huge part of what we are doing, continue to be a leader and then the young guys will step up. They will step forward, and you are a football team first, you are a team, team is not one guy."

It will likely take a team of players to replace the production of Suggs, a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker who has the fourth-most sacks (30) in the NFL since 2010.

Suggs seemed defiant when telling reporters Thursday that he would come back this season. Harbaugh, though, painted a different picture of Suggs after his injury.

"My heart went out to Terrell because he was so down about it, it was so hard for him to actually spit out what had happened," Harbaugh said. "He didn’t want to tell me because he felt so bad about it. Once we got past that, then I felt bad about it. Once I got past feeling bad about how he felt bad about it, then I felt bad about it. We are going to be fine. I got a chance to talk to Ray [Lewis, Ravens linebacker] and a lot of the players and you move forward, that’s what it’s all about, you just move forward and the next guy steps in."

Chris Mortensen on John Harbaugh's Spygate comments; Gary Horton talks about how the San Francisco 49ers added speed to their offense; and in "Did You Hear That?" Tedy Bruschi remembers his first day of rookie minicamp.

Somehow, and I’m still trying to figure exactly how, the New Orleans Saints have been dragged into yet another controversy.

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh was doing an interview with a local radio station Tuesday morning. Harbaugh was asked a question about the Saints’ bounty program and the general concept of cheating throughout the NFL.

Harbaugh didn’t say a thing about the Saints. Instead, he turned his answer toward the New England Patriots, who had their own controversy with Spygate several years ago.

“In the end, everything is brought before the light of day, when it’s all said and done,” Harbaugh said in the interview. “What happens, even the thing in New England, no matter whether those things had any impact on whether they won their championships or not, they got asterisks now. It’s been stained."

That set off a firestorm in New England, and the Ravens quickly moved into damage-control mode. The Ravens just sent out a statement from Harbaugh. Although the Saints didn’t get mentioned in his on-air words, they do get mentioned in Harabaugh’s latest statement.

“While on the 98 Rock show this morning to talk about the run to honor O.J. Brigance and raise funds for ALS research, I answered a question about playing within the rules and referred to the perception that the Super Bowl championships won by the Patriots and Saints have a stain,’’ Harbaugh said. “My reference was to the perception out there that came as the result of the league’s actions. I could have been more clear that I was referring to those viewpoints. I totally believe that the Patriot and Saint coaches and players earned those championships. Bill (Belichick) and Sean (Payton) both know that. There has been some distortion about what I said.

“The original tweet indicated I pointed the finger at Bill Belichick and mentioned Bill’s name. I did not. I have so much respect for Coach Belichick and the job he does and has accomplished in his Hall of Fame career. I called him to remind him of my respect for him. I also reached out to Tedy Bruschi, who rightfully defended those Patriot players and coaches on ESPN, to tell him that I agree with him that the Patriots earned every victory.”

Ravens coach John Harbaugh surprisingly called out coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, saying their three championships have to be questioned because the team broke NFL rules by taping opposing coaches' signals.

“In the end, everything is brought before the light of day, when it’s all said and done,” Harbaugh told 97.9 FM in Baltimore. “What happens, even the thing in New England, no matter whether those things had any impact on whether they won their championships or not, they got asterisks now. It’s been stained."

Harbaugh was right in saying that the Patriots' championships will always be questioned because of Spygate. He was the wrong person to be saying it, though.

This shows a lack of loyalty on Harbaugh's part. Some people in the Ravens' organization believe Belichick played a key role in Harbaugh becoming the Ravens' head coach. After the Ravens fired coach Brian Billick in 2009, owner Steve Bisciotti called Belichick to ask him about Harbaugh, who was considered the dark horse in the team's coaching search. Belichick spoke glowingly of Harbaugh, who share similar backgrounds. Belichick's coaching roots also started on special teams.

If someone gives you an important pat on the back, why would you punch them in the gut? The Patriots' championships could very well be "stained" for many people, but this quote stands out as a black eye for Harbaugh. He wasn't even asked about the Patriots in the interview. The question was about the New Orleans Saints and cheating in the NFL in general. Harbaugh was the one who directed his answer at the Patriots. This is the sore spot in Belichick's coaching past. He was fined $500,000 and the Patriots were stripped of a first-round pick. The last person to bring this up should be Harbaugh.

A few hours after his radio interview, Harbaugh issued a statement through the team to clarify his comments.

"My reference was to the perception out there that came as the result of the league’s actions," Harbaugh said. “I could have been more clear that I was referring to those viewpoints. I totally believe that the Patriot and Saint coaches and players earned those championships. Bill [Belichick] and Sean [Payton] both know that."

Harbaugh said his comments have been distorted because he never mentioned Belichick by name. "I have so much respect for Coach Belichick and the job he does and has accomplished in his Hall of Fame career. I called him to remind him of my respect for him."

It doesn't matter if Harbaugh never said Belichick's name. By saying the Patriots' championships are "stained," you're pointing a finger at everyone in the organization involved with that scandal including Belichick, who was fined more than anyone.

By all appearances, Harbaugh and Belichick are friendly, or as friendly as Belichick gets in coaching circles. Both say they talk to each other during the NFL owners meetings every year, and Harbaugh and Belichick were chatting on the sideline of the Johns Hopkins-Maryland lacrosse game last month.

But this isn't the first time that the Ravens have taken shots at the Patriots' cheating past.

In November 2010, linebacker Terrell Suggs called the Patriots' championships "fake" on a Ravens-produced television show. Then, two days after losing at New England in the AFC Championship Game this year, kicking consultant Randy Brown mentioned the Patriots might have been involved in a scoreboard malfunction that showed the wrong down and ultimately rushed Billy Cundiff into missing the game-tying field goal at the end of the game.

After Brown's comments, Harbaugh was the first to squash any controversy, issuing a statement that read: "Any suggestion that the wrong down information was a deliberate effort to affect the outcome of the game is nonsense."

This time, however, Harbaugh is the one stirring up Belichick's past and he's wrong to do so. There could be a very cold handshake exchange after the Ravens-Patriots game on Sept. 23.

This is the time of the offseason when the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers shine. They build the foundation for Super Bowl-contending teams by finding players in April and not in March.

When it comes to drafting Pro Bowl players, the Ravens and Steelers rank among the top four since 1996, according to the Ravens' public-relations department. Baltimore and Pittsburgh have each selected 15 Pro Bowl players during that span, tied for third-most in the league. Only the New England Patriots (17) and Green Bay Packers (16) have produced more.

The secret to the Ravens' and Steelers' drafting success is establishing a vision of what type of player fits their teams. That philosophy comes from the stability of the organizations. Ozzie Newsome has been the Ravens' chief decision-maker since the team relocated to Baltimore in 1996, and Kevin Colbert has been the Steelers' general manager since 2000. The teams each have had two head coaches (Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher for the Steelers, and John Harbaugh and Brian Billick for the Ravens) for the previous 13 seasons.

That type of cohesion builds a relationship to the point where the scouting department knows what players the coaches want. The front office has insight on what players succeed in their teams' offensive and defensive systems.

"I think that's one of the enjoyable things about Pittsburgh," Tomlin said at the Steelers' pre-draft press conference this week. "We don't get caught up in draft grades and the evaluation of the draft, and things of that nature like a lot of other things that could distract you. It's simply measured in terms of how we perform."

The Steelers have drafted four Pro Bowl players in the past five years: linebacker LaMarr Woodley (2007), wide receiver Mike Wallace (2009), center Maurkice Pouncey (2010) and receiver-returner Antonio Brown (2010).

Last season, seven of the Ravens' eight Pro Bowl players were drafted by the team: inside linebacker Ray Lewis, safety Ed Reed, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, running back Ray Rice and guards Ben Grubbs and Marshal Yanda.

This type of consistent success is more amazing when you consider the level of difficulty. The Steelers and Ravens are finding these Pro Bowl players despite annually picking toward the bottom of each round.

These division rivals don't like each other, but they tend to like the same type of player. The Ravens and Steelers target tough, physical and competitive players.

“His motor in the fourth quarter is really, really important,” Ravens director of player of personnel Eric DeCosta said. “A lot of the guys who impress me are the guys who are getting their butts kicked in the fourth quarter, losing by 20, 25 points, and he’s still making plays or trying to make plays."

DeCosta added, "How does a guy tackle? If it’s a cornerback, does he face up and use his facemask? Does he bring you down? Does he miss a lot of tackles? If he’s a running back, does he run through contact? Does he lower his pads and try to break tackles? You get a sense. When you talk to people, you get a sense. Then when you interview a guy, you get a sense for his toughness.”

The true measure of draft success isn't the number of Pro Bowl players produced. There is a higher standard.

"Super Bowl championships," Colbert said. "That's it. There is no scorecard. Never will be, never has been."

The San Francisco 49ers traveled across the country on a short week to face the Baltimore Ravens in a Thanksgiving matchup last season.

The situation was a tough one, the 49ers were not happy about it and the NFL's schedule maker, Howard Katz, heard about it. Did he ever.

"At the league meeting last month, Katz was approached by Baltimore coach John Harbaugh and told he had to meet his brother," Judy Battista writes in the New York Times.

They met, alright. Jim Harbaugh used the occasion to complain about the holiday trip to Baltimore for a game the 49ers lost, 16-6.

"I talked to him, then I talked to him the next day, and then I talked to him the third day," Katz told Battista. "He said, 'Now that I've met you, I don't hate you quite as much.' His brother said to me, 'That’s as good as you’re going to do.' "

Battista's story details the scheduling process from Katz's perspective. We recently discussed one aspect -- short weeks -- for NFC West teams.

The 49ers won't be spending Thanksgiving in Baltimore this season, at least.

Note: Thanks to Kent Somers for pointing out Battista's story, as well as this fantastic one from Paola Boivin on the new life Pat Tillman's widow, Marie, is leading.

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.”

It wasn't Ravens coach John Harbaugh's preference to have starting cornerback Lardarius Webb returning punts entering this offseason. His mindset probably didn't change after Webb agreed to a five-year, $50 million extension with a $10 million signing bonus and a $5 million option bonus.

Having Webb field punts was a risk before. Now, it has become a pricey proposition. The Ravens will try hard to find a replacement for Webb on returns, and it probably will come in the draft.

"You can’t sit there and play scared, so I don’t have a problem with [Webb returning],” Harbaugh said Wednesday, a day before Webb's deal. “But I would rather have a backup doing it? Yes. If there is another option that is a better player or takes your starting corner and takes him off the punt return, that’s even better."

Webb ranked 16th in the NFL in punt returns (10-yard average), returning one for a touchdown. The other two punt returners listed on last year's Ravens depth chart -- Chris Carr (Vikings) and Tom Zbikowski (Colts) -- signed elsewhere in free agency.

Baltimore brought in Ted Ginn Jr. for a free-agent visit but he re-signed with the 49ers. The Ravens were also linked to Eddie Royal before he joined the San Diego Chargers.

“We tried to do something with a free agent or two, and it didn’t work out, but that’s OK,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll move on to the next opportunity.”

That "next opportunity" means the draft. One returner to keep an eye on is Fresno State's Devon Wylie. Other top returners coming out of college are: Florida International's T.Y. Hilton, Alabama's Marquis Maze and Stanford's Chris Owusu.

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

Cincinnati Bengals

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cleveland Browns

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

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

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

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

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

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

Baltimore Ravens

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pittsburgh Steelers

Key additions: None

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

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

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

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

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

No team has taken more hits than the Ravens since free agency began two weeks ago.

Baltimore watched a Pro Bowl offensive lineman (guard Ben Grubbs), perhaps their grittiest player on defense (linebacker Jarret Johnson), and an underrated role player (defensive end Cory Redding) go elsewhere and has yet to sign anyone to replace them.

There's no question that the Ravens are among the biggest losers after the first wave of free agency. But it's debatable how much ground the AFC North champions have lost to the Steelers, Bengals and Browns.

At this point in the offseason, the Ravens remain the team to beat in the division. I'm not saying that. The Ravens' history is.

There should be serious concerns about Baltimore's holes at left guard, outside linebacker and defensive end. There should be doubts whether Baltimore can reach the playoffs for a fifth straight season. The Ravens' rebuttal is, look at last year.

It was eight months ago when the Ravens entered training camp without the two leading receivers in franchise history (Derrick Mason and Todd Heap were released) and an eight-year starter at nose tackle (Kelly Gregg). Baltimore also went through the preseason with its two projected starting cornerbacks (Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr) sidelined by injuries.

The situation in 2011 was far more dire than the one facing the Ravens right now. Team officials, though, didn't share the panic of their fan base.

The Ravens are more like a college team than an NFL one in how they handle personnel. When they lose someone in free agency, they act like the player graduated and they plug in another one of general manager Ozzie Newsome's recruits, eh, I mean draft picks.

Rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith (second-round pick) replaced Mason. Second-year tight end Ed Dickson (third round) stepped in for Heap. Second-year nose tackle Terrence Cody (second round) moved into Gregg's spot. And Lardarius Webb (third round) and Cary Williams (signed off the Titans' practice squad) became the surprising starters at cornerback.

Before the 2010 season, you could have made a sound argument why the Ravens would miss the postseason. By the end of it, Baltimore was one pass away from advancing to the Super Bowl.

It certainly helped the Ravens in last year's playoffs that Peyton Manning didn't play and Ben Roethlisberger was banged up. Still, the Ravens swept the division and made it to the AFC Championship Game after making changes at eight starting spots.

There aren't as many questions as last year, but perhaps the question marks loom bigger.

They need Art Jones or Pernell McPhee to start at defensive end. Both exceeded expectations in backup roles, but can either one start?

"Those two guys are excited," coach John Harbaugh said. "They're disappointed to see Cory go. They learned so much from Cory. Cory was such a great mentor for those guys. I talked to Pernell on the phone and I've seen Art here twice in the last couple weeks. I could hear Pernell smile and I could see Art smile."

They need Paul Kruger to start at outside linebacker. Kruger made an impact in the pass rush, but is he strong enough to stop the run?

"When we lost Jarret, I went back and watched all of Paul’s tape," Harbaugh said. "I watched every one of his plays from last year, just to try and get a feel just for whether or not we’d be comfortable with him in there. He did a nice job in coverage, he set the edge well. Obviously, he’s a very good pass-rusher. I believe Paul can do it. I think he will do it."

They need Jah Reid to possibly start at left guard. Reid practiced at guard last year, but can the converted offensive tackle really make the switch?

"I would say right now, today, he’s the left guard," Harbaugh said. "He’s got to earn that spot but we’ll be continuing to look for players. Our goal would be to put the five best offensive linemen on the field. Jah, certainly, I’d like to see him be one of those guys, but it’s up to him to earn that spot.”

Honestly, I could see a couple of these situations not working out. The Ravens might end up really missing Grubbs and Johnson. But I also had my doubts that Torrey Smith and Cary Williams would work out as starters last season, too.

Like the Steelers, Packers and Giants, the Ravens are known for making more shrewd free-agent moves than splashy ones. Baltimore can still improve its team with late additions like they did with Bernard Pollard and Bryant McKinnie last season. The Ravens can also address some of these holes in the draft.

It's been a rough start to free agency for the Ravens. But they're used to it by now. They lose in March and win in January. Until that track record changes, it's tough to bet against them.

“Obviously, we’ve been very patient and we’ve been working, trying to do things that will put us in position to make our team better,” Harbaugh said. “I think we’re kind of methodical in our approach. We want to make smart decisions, we want to make wise decisions."

The AFC North is known for bone-jarring hits, intense rivalries and verbal jabs among players. But bounties have never been an issue for any team in this division, according to the AFC North coaches.

"It's not something that's been a part of our culture in any situation I've been in," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review at the NFL owners meetings. "I don't know what generates that kind of atmosphere."

The NFL announced harsh penalties last week against the New Orleans Saints for paying cash bonuses to players for injuring opponents, including a year-long suspension for coach Sean Payton.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh called Payton "a great friend" having coached against him in college in the 1980s and coached with him as part the Eagles staff in 1998.

"I think he’s a great coach and he’ll be back winning a bunch of football games. But I respect what the league did, I respect what Roger did," Harbaugh said. "I think it sends a message. It’s smart, it’s courageous and it’s the right thing to do. I know one thing, me like everyone else will fight like crazy to make sure that that’s not an issue in the future. But it’s an important statement to make and player safety is the No. 1 issue. Integrity of the game is important.”

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said he's never had to deal with bounties in his 21 years of coaching in the NFL and doesn't feel the need to address it with his team.

"I never felt like I had to because I think our coaches already understood," Lewis said. "That's one of the things in our fine system."

Browns coach Pat Shumur said the team is in a wait-and-see mode on whether linebacker Scott Fujita will be disciplined by the NFL. Fujita recently said he paid teammates for big plays when he was a member of the Saints in 2009, but not for intentionally injuring players.

"We were not involved in that at all," Shumur said said. "I do think that player safety and the integrity of the game is very important for us to embrace that."

The AFC coaches met with the media today at the NFL owners meetings. Here are the top five issues addressed by Ravens coach John Harbaugh (via the Baltimore Sun) and my reaction:

On bringing in competition for kicker Billy Cundiff: “If we can get a kicker that is capable of competing with Billy, we’ll do it. Do you have to draft a guy? Is there a free agent? Is there a guy that will be on the street. That’s kind of hard to determine. We want competition for pretty much every position. I say that so I’m not ruling anything out, but Billy is our kicker." Hensley's reaction: The Ravens simply can't give the job back to Cundiff after he missed the game-tying field goal in the AFC Championship Game -- and missed it badly. His struggles go beyond hooking one critical kick. After a Pro Bowl season in 2010, Cundiff missed 10 field goal attempts in 2011, all of which came on the road. Harbaugh needs to bring in competition even if it's Shayne Graham again.

On the importance of upgrading the offensive line: “I think we have to upgrade the offensive line. I don’t even know if we have a full complement of linemen to be on our 53-man roster right now. We don’t have our five starters set. We have guys where [you say], ‘Can they play a position or not?’ We’re talking about Jah [Reid]. Can he play left guard? The thing I’ve learned over the years in Philadelphia and everywhere else, it starts with the offensive line on offense." Hensley's reaction: The left guard position is the biggest hole on the team. I still think they look to the draft to fill this spot and use Reid as a fallback option.

On whether Ray Rice will hold out to protest the franchise tag: "I don’t know what their strategy will be, if they feel like they even need a strategy. That kind of goes back to the agent more than the player. But Ray Rice is a man. He loves football. He wants to be in there with his teammates. I’m hoping he’ll be there from Day 1. I would expect him to be there from Day 1. But if he’s not, I’m not going to hold it against him as a coach. We just need the best Ray Rice that’s possible for the first game.” Hensley's reaction: Even if Rice holds out, there shouldn't be any concern about his conditioning. He's as dedicated to the weight room during the offseason as he is during the season. Rice will be ready for the season opener.

On linebacker Paul Kruger: “I think Paul is probably the leading candidate for the SAM linebacker job. I could very definitely see him doing that. When we lost Jarret [Johnson], I went back and watched all of Paul’s tape. I watched every one of his plays from last year, just to try and get a feel just for whether or not we’d be comfortable with him in there. He did a nice job in coverage, he set the edge well. Obviously, he’s a very good pass-rusher. I believe Paul can do it. I think he will do it. I talked to him on the phone. He’s committed to doing it. It means everything to him." Hensley's reaction: It's been a struggle for the Ravens to find a position for Kruger, who has bounced every year from linebacker to defensive end to linebacker again. I think he can handle the linebacker position on passing downs, whether it's rushing the passer or playing in coverage. His biggest challenge will be stopping the run.

On adding a kick returner: “We definitely think we could add a returner. Not to say that we don’t have guys in-house that could do it because we do. But we want to put some competition in there. We tried to do it in the offseason and it hasn’t worked out so far. We’ll keep trying and the draft is certainly a big part of that.” Hensley's reaction: The Ravens missed their opportunity when they let Ted Ginn Jr. leave without a contract, but they weren't the only ones (the Lions and Vikings did also). It seems like the Ravens aren't comfortable going with Lardarius Webb on punt returns and turnover-prone David Reed on kickoffs.