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While most of us aren't looking further ahead to this NFL season beyond the upcoming draft, Thursday's schedule release provides a useful opportunity to examine the Cincinnati Bengals' 2013 home and away opponents and make a few early predictions.
In 2012, the Bengals went 10-6 and reached the playoffs for the second consecutive season. So how may they fare this year? Here's a look at every game on the Bengals' schedule this year and how they'll handle each opponent.
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The Baltimore Ravens made another free-agency addition on Friday when inside linebacker Rolando McClain passed his physical and was rewarded with a one-year, $1.1 million maximum-value contract from the team. However, unlike their other signings this offseason, it'll take a bit of time to see if McClain was a steal for the price or simply a low-risk experiment.
McClain, the Oakland Raiders' eighth-overall pick in the 2010 draft, has often been called a bust after three seasons in Oakland were marked by inconsistent, oft-disappointing production as well as a number of legal and character issues. He's appeared in 41 games, with a total of 244 combined tackles, 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble, an interception and 20 passes defensed.
His best season came in 2011, when he notched five of those 6.5 sacks and 14 passes defensed and 99 combined tackles. His 2012 season came to an early end, however, after being suspended by the team after a heated argument with Raiders head coach Dennis Allen. He was then unceremoniously released from his contract in early April.
Clearly, the Ravens snagged McClain to meet an immediate need at an affordable price. At best, McClain will take over as a full-time starter for the retired Ray Lewis; at worst, he'll be released in training camp for a very small ($700,000) salary cap hit.
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If healthy, David Nelson will likely be the Browns' starting slot receiver in 2013.
The Cleveland Browns signed former Buffalo Bills wide receiver David Nelson on Monday in another attempt to help boost their overall offensive production. The move adds age and experience to the Browns' rather young receiving corps and gives them a battle-tested starter in the slot.
However, Nelson's health is an issue—he tore his ACL in last year's season opener against the New York Jets—which explains why the Browns were only willing to give him a one-year deal. Though Nelson anticipates he'll be ready by the time OTAs begin and will be a full participant once training camp starts, the nature of the injury could carry with it setbacks.
If Nelson can fully recover, he'll be an upgrade in the slot receiver position. The job fell to first-year players Travis Benjamin and Josh Cooper in 2012 and Greg Little often lined up in the slot as well, all to mixed results. The Nelson signing buys the Browns time to develop Benjamin and Cooper and allows Little to work the outside of the field, which suits him better.
Nelson spent his last three seasons with the Bills, with 2011 being his best. He caught 61 of the 98 passes thrown his way, for 658 yards and five touchdowns in that season. In contrast, Cooper and Benjamin combined for 26 catches on 55 targets in 2012, for 404 total yards and two touchdowns, both belonging to Benjamin.
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With each day that we draw closer to the NFL draft, the din of rumors, speculation and, of course, predictions grows louder and louder. Information is scattered around all corners of the media, and things just seem to start making less and less sense.
That's why we're here to help. The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the more complete overall rosters coming into this year's NFL draft, but it doesn't make their decisions any easier or carry less weight than other teams in the league.
If you want the latest updates on who the Bengals may be considering and the major storylines surrounding the team as the draft approaches, consider this your one-stop shop. Until the draft begins, this will be updated with everything you need to know about the Bengals' pre-draft process.
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The Baltimore Ravens came off of their Super Bowl win with a plan to get younger, releasing and not re-signing a number of their long-term veterans. Though the rebuilding process began in free agency, it will continue in earnest when this month's NFL draft begins.
With so many positions to fill and the scrutiny closer than ever, there's a lot of ground to cover when it comes to the Ravens' pre-draft process. To make it easier to keep track of everything, we've provided you this one-stop shop for every Ravens draft and trade rumor, an updated seven-round mock draft and a look at some of the team's biggest draft-day storylines.
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With the Pittsburgh Steelers having significant holes to fill on both offense and defense and no way to pick up quality free agents, the majority of their roster building this year will have to come from this month's NFL draft. There will be no shortage of speculation, therefore, about what the Steelers may choose to do, from their 17th overall first-round pick all the way to their final selection in Round 7.
To make the pre-draft process easier, we've put together a one-stop shop for all of your Steelers needs, including the latest rumors and reports, an all-new seven-round mock draft, trade possibilities and in-depth examinations of some of the biggest storylines surrounding the Steelers' draft, updated constantly until the start of the draft on April 25.
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The 2013 NFL draft is rapidly approaching, which means rumors and predictions about what teams will do are also picking up a similar quick pace. With the Cleveland Browns having the sixth-overall pick in the first round and a number of needs to address as they try to improve their team and, ultimately, their win-loss record, there's a lot to talk about.
Think of this as your go-to spot for everything about the Browns' upcoming draft. From rumors to an updated mock draft, trade possibilities and major stories surrounding their potential picks and pre-draft visits, it will all be updated here up until the first day of the draft.
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Ben Roethlisberger's 2013 success rests on more than just his own shoulders.
No Mike Wallace. Emmanuel Sanders could be torn away at any moment for just the cost of a front-loaded offer sheet the Pittsburgh Steelers cannot match. Heath Miller is recovering from a major knee injury. The run game is just a series of question marks. Like the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the offensive line is still a work in progress.
So what is Ben Roethlisberger to do?
Roethlisberger has been the Steelers' rock since becoming the starter in 2004, despite his many injuries. His ability to extend plays, take punishment and make seemingly impossible passes is a major reason—if not the reason—why the team has reached the Super Bowl three times with him under center.
But another reason for Roethlisberger's prolonged success has been the supporting cast around him. The Steelers have always been able to provide him with weapons—Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes, the aforementioned Miller and Wallace—but now, those weapons have dwindled.
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For all of the struggles the Cleveland Browns have had in the win department, one would think that their recent draft history was partially to blame.
However, over the past five years, the Browns actually haven't had terrible drafts—granted, there have been players who have ultimately not managed to contribute much in Cleveland or in the NFL in general, but there are recent Browns drafts that have proved fruitful from top to bottom (2011 being a shining example).
With this year's draft rapidly approaching, now is a good time to take a look back and see who's worked out and who simply hasn't among the Browns' recent selections. Here are the studs and duds among the Browns' last five draft classes.
Stud: CB Joe Haden, 2010, Round 1, Pick 7
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With a huge amount of salary cap space and a brand new coaching staff and front office, it was believed that the Cleveland Browns would make a splash in free agency this offseason.
While the Browns' additions this offseason may seem like a mere drop in a giant sea to some, in fact, many of the players they picked up will play integral roles for the new-look team.
There is a difference, however, between optimism about these pickups and what these players will realistically achieve in 2013. Here, we will try to figure out the latter and make predictions, not about what their seven new acquisitions could do, but rather what seems to be the most reasonable expectations for them this year.
