In a division that features my Super Bowl favorite, a team in disarray, a team trying to build off of last year’s surprising sucess, and a team trying to rebuild after last year’s struggles, training camps should be a good indicator for how the season may fall.
With every team having their quarterback situation set, receiver and tight end battles are aplenty, and with that comes secondary battles to combat the passing offenses that are in store for this season in the AFC North.
Baltimore Ravens
Todd Heap vs. Ed Dickson vs. Dennis Pitta
In what has been a highly mediocre offense since before the Super Bowl winning team behind Trent Dilfer so many years ago, Todd Heap has been one of the lone consistent Pro Bowl threats on the offense. He’s been the 2nd or 3rd option as a receiver and has been a stable blocker on many great running teams.
However, with Joe Flacco at the helm, the offense has a bright future, one that involves not only relying on the defense to hold opponents to 21 or less. And with that, comes adding more and more targets for the aerial attack of Flacco.
This year, Ozzie Newsome brought in Ed Dickson from Oregon and Dennis Pitta from BYU in the draft, and both are dynamic and versatile tight ends whose talents will demand playing time. Heap will likely win the battle to start, but Dickson and Pitta will be looming over his shoulder all year and could lead to Heap losing playing time and maybe a job by years end.
Mark Clayton vs. Donte Stallworth
Just three seasons ago, Donte Stallworth was a feature part of the Patriots record breaking passing attack. Then, he moved on to Cleveland, where he was stuck in a struggling offense. Now, a year off from the league after his legal situation, he’s back to competing for a starting gig.
Mark Clayton has had ample opportunity to be ingrained as the starter, but has yet to emerge as a consistent threat in this offense. And with this season being a Super Bowl kind of year, don’t expect the Ravens to allow anyone to develop through the season, especially Clayton.
Clayton, being comfortable in the system, has the edge and Stallworth has been out for almost a year from the NFL, but I wouldn’t be surprise if Stallworth is lining up as a starter by Week 1.
Tavares Gooden vs. Dannell Ellerbe
Both mid-round picks in years past, Gooden and Ellerbe are great fits for this offense and have the athletic ability to thrive next to Ray Lewis and in the future.
Gooden, the former Miami (FL) grad, moves very well in space and is the quicker and faster of the two. Ellerbe is more of a power linebacker who can take on blockers a little more effectively and clog up space in the middle of the defense.
It might depend on how Ray Lewis is feeling this season. If he’s still the same, 120+ tackle per year type of Ray Lewis, it could be whoever plays better in training camp. If not, they might have to choose the linebacker who best complements Lewis’s skills. I’d give the edge to Gooden now, because he’s played more than Ellerbe over the past few years and he’s a bit more versatile,
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jonathan Scott vs. Willie Colon
A battle that seems as though it can’t be seized by anyone, the right tackle position is a constant nuiance for the Steelers since Marvel Smith left town.
They have been filtering in many guard-type players at the position, with none really sticking. As of now, Willie Colon is the starter. However, the Steelers would much rather another player emerge and take away Colon’s spot at right tackle.
They have lots of young “interior” lineman on their roster, but guys like Trai Essex, Kraig Urbik, and Maurkice Pouncey are better fit for the inside of the line. Therefore, they’ll have Scott and Colon battling for the spot. Colon will likely win, but Scott has shown in the past he can be a possible starter at the tackle position.
Antwan Randle El vs. Arnez Battle vs. Emmanuel Sanders
After they dealt away Santonio Holmes, Steelers brass were banking on a stiff competition to make up for the loss. Mike Wallace, last year’s 3rd receiver and emerging stud on the outside, will take Holmes’s regular spot. But who will take Wallace’s spot?
Antwan Randle El is back in town after a few year sabatical in Washington. He played slot receiver for this team in the Steelers first Super Bowl of the decade, and if he’s got that same versatility and speed as before, he could reassume his starting role.
They brought in Arnez Battle, who has always been a solid and underappreciated receiver, yet a guy who never emerged as a legitamate starting receiver over the course of a season. He’ll have great talent around him, and this might be his last chance to shine as a receiver in the NFL, so look for him to fight hard for this spot.
As for Emmanuel Sanders, the Steelers take pride in their drafting skills. And after selecting Mike Wallace, they gave him every opportunity to assume a productive role. Sanders is a speed threat with good hands who needs some overall fine tuning. The Steelers could have him assume a Holmes’s role, if he plays well enough in training camp. It’s Randle El’s job to lose, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he does.
Bryant McFadden vs. Joe Burnett vs. William Gay
Cornerback has never been a huge strong point for the Steelers this decade, and it usually has been hidden by the great pass rush and safety play.
With Ike Taylor secure on one side, the Steelers will have to choose between one guy, Bryant McFadden, who’s done an adequate job over the past few seasons, or one of their younger cornerbacks, Joe Burnett or William Gay
William Gay played decent last season, well enough to legitamatly garner interest as the starting cornerback. Burnett showed in college at times that he could be an elite cornerback at the next level, but suffered through drast inconsistencies. He’s got great talent, but he’ll need to put it all together if he wants to emerge as a starter.
Cincinnati Bengals
Andre Caldwell vs. Jerome Simpson vs. Matt Jones vs. Dezmon Briscoe
In a wide open race to for the 3rd receiver spot, almost every option is a younger recevier.
Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson, both rookies a season ago, didn’t really impress with the Bengals and both were viewed as disapointments by season’s end. Even though both dealt with injuries, rumors of inadquacies on and off the field let them to both be not viewed as the futures of this team.
The Bengals went out this off-season and added another formerly troubled receiver, Matt Jones, via free agency and Dezmon Briscoe from Kansas through the draft. Even though both will have to adjust to the new system, both were brought in to, at the very least, stir up lots of competition.
Odds are the Caldwell and Simpson will get every chance to prove they’ve grown in this league, but Matt Jones has the skill and size, and Briscoe could be a surprising option as well.
Andre Whitworth vs. Anthony Collins
Andre Smith has yet to emerge as a consistent option to play left tackle, and odds are that he’ll stick to his more natural position on the right side for the time being, but will be assured the job once he does seize it.
In the mean time, a lackluster set of options are in competiton for the left side. Anthony Collins played well last season in a platoon effort with fellow competitior Andre Whitworth. Whitworth has been a bit more of a project for this team, and has more athletic ability than Collins.
However, Collins is a more football savvy left tackle and understands how to maximize his body and technique to get the job done. Neither are outstanding options to protect Carson Palmer’s blind side, but one of these players will be the stop-gap for Andre Smith, and I’d take Collins by a hair.
Chris Crocker vs. Gibril Wilson
The Bengals have been consistently stockpiling their defensive backfield…with cornerbacks. And since Madieu Williams left via free agency a few years back, they have missed any sort of playmaking safety in their backfield.
While I don’t believe either of these guys is the answer, hopefully one of them can emerge as a possible fringe Pro Bowl talent for a season while the Bengals try to build one a season ago.
Chris Crocker has been ingrained as the starter for a few years now, and done a solid job. While he production is very unlikely to increase, he isn’t a bad option for the now and the immediate future.
Gibril Wilson was once touted as one of the top safeties in the NFL, but quickly lost his luster when he landed in Oakland. Trying his second chance at rebuilding his career, he’ll have the opportunity to play with a young defense and cornerback group, and won’t have tons of pressure on him to succeed.
Cleveland Browns
Jerome Harrison vs. Montario Hardesty vs. James Davis
In a three way battle, this may be the most sought after running back starting job in the NFL. All three players have lots to prove over the remainers of their NFL careers, and all three have the talent to be fringe starters.
Harrison emerged last year as the starting back, yet outside of a game or two, he never showed enough promise to lock down the job. James Davis was a favorite of mine when he came out of the draft two years ago, but wasn’t though of highly in the coaching staffs mind. While the front office is a little different, the coaching staff is pretty much the same, and you have to wonder how much that will impact Davis’s chances.
Finally, the 3rd round rookie and only player coming off a drastic injury, Hardesty, according to reports, is quietly the front runner for the starting job. It is a bit surprising, but Hardesty quietly shot up draft boards late, and only fell past the 2nd round because of the depth at running back and the worries about his injury. He seems just fine now, and he may actually be one of only two starters in this draft class to start opening day at running back (the other Ryan Matthews in San Diego.
TJ Ward vs. Larry Asante
A battle between two rookies, both of which were not 1st rounders, either means that you’re in trouble at that spot, or you did an extreamly good job at drafting.
In this case, it’s a mixture of both. Mike Holmgren was banking on these two early rounders to compete in camp, and both have the talent to play early on in their careers. While I wasn’t high on either player, both did have NFL starting potential, and for this team, that potential better emerge quickly.
Ward was the higher selection, so based on that alone, he should be the favorite. However, Asante was higher on my draft board leading up to the 2010 draft, so I’ll stick to my guns and pick Asante as my favortie to win the job in Cleveland.
Scott Fujita vs. Chris Gocong
In a battle to see who plays opposite Matt Roth will be one veteran and one relatively younger talent, both of which don’t have extensive experience in the 3-4 defense.
However, both players fit the mold of what coach Eric Mangini is looking for in that outside linebacker spot: athletic, versatile, and smart.
Fujita exemplifies the versatile and smart aspect of that position, while Gocon fills more of the athletic and versatile portion, hence why the battle should be intriguing to follow. Mike Holmgren traded for Gocong, likely with the intention of having him strongly compete for the starting gig, with his intent on Gocong winning it.
As of now, I’d give the edge to Gocong simply because there is more behind him, but Fujita is too experienced not to get a crack at it.
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