2012 NFL Free Agency Primer for Every AFC North Team

Free agency officially begins tomorrow, and now that the salary cap figure for 2012—$120.6 million—has been finalized, it's easier to know just what all four teams in the AFC North are preparing to do.

Let's take a look at each team's free agency situation and what we can expect to happen in the coming days.

Cincinnati Bengals: Anything is Possible

We've known for some time now that the Cincinnati Bengals would have a glut of cap space this year with which to play, but now that the actual cap figure has been released, it's been determined that they have $49.9 million available to them. 

Their top in-house free agent, safety Reggie Nelson, will likely be the recipient of a chunk of that change. The Bengals are set to make him an offer today, one that will hopefully keep him in Cincinnati.

Nelson may still choose to take his talents elsewhere but not without being offered what is likely to be a lucrative deal from the team he's spent the last two years with rehabbing his career. 

The Bengals also need to consider keeping around another safety, Gibril Wilson, and defensive end Frostee Rucker is also a free agency priority.

Though Cincy can spend freely this offseason, don't look for them to blow their cash on too many big names. They'll likely add a veteran running back (my top three for Cincinnati are Michael Bush, Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Mike Tolbert) and one of the many wide receivers set to hit the market.

Also, don't be surprised if they look to improve their pass rush and make overtures to OLB/DE Mario Williams and/or Dwight Freeney.

Pittsburgh Steelers: It's All About Mike Wallace

The Pittsburgh Steelers went from being around $30 million over the salary cap just a month ago to now being $10.5 million under. However, that's not going to be enough cash to make a long-term contract offer to wide receiver Mike Wallace.

Instead, they're likely to give him a first-round restricted free agent tender, worth $2.742 million. While first-round tenders generally aren't matched by interested teams (it's been 10 years since the last time it has happened), Wallace may be too tempting for teams to ignore this time around.

If another team offers Wallace a heavily front-loaded deal, the Steelers won't be able to match it and they'll receive that team's first-round 2012 draft pick as compensation. That's the outcome the team needs to prepare for, considering by this time next week the odds are that Wallace will have found a new home.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette also expects the Steelers to offer RFA tenders to a handful of other players, including offensive guard Ramon Foster, center Doug Legursky, cornerback Keenan Lewis, safety Ryan Mundy and fullback/tight end David Johnson.

Those players are at less risk of heading elsewhere after being tendered.

In terms of additions, don't expect the Steelers to make many moves to pick up new players out of the free-agent market.

They may grab an inexpensive offensive lineman to provide depth, and there's been some talk of recently-released Colts running back Joseph Addai drawing the Steelers' interest, but they'll only add players who come cheaply if they do so at all.

Cleveland Browns: Is Matt Flynn in Play?

It's not surprising that the Washington Redskins decided to overpay for the St. Louis Rams' No. 2 overall draft pick in order to land quarterback Robert Griffin III, but now that means the Cleveland Browns have to make a decision about their own quarterback situation between now and tomorrow's start of free agency.

The top free-agent quarterback on the market is thought to be Matt Flynn, most recently of the Green Bay Packers. The Browns have been named a likely landing spot for Flynn this offseason, but much depends on which other teams are interested and whether Flynn is even worth it to them.

The Browns have just over $17 million in cap space, but general manager Tom Heckert made it clear last week that the team won't be making major moves in free agency. The Browns are generally a quiet team when it comes to free agency, and it's doubtful that they'll sign any higher-priced, big name players.

In my estimation, I don't see the Browns signing Flynn, going after either Ryan Tannehill or even Brandon Weeden in this year's draft instead.

The Browns' top free agent, running back Peyton Hillis, is expected to test to the open market, but if no other team picks him up, Cleveland will give him a contract offer.

The most recent offer the Browns made to Hillis last year was reportedly worth $16 million over the first three years; after his many public issues in the 2011 season, don't expect him to make that much if he remains a Brown this year.

Baltimore Ravens: Spending Money In-House First

With $14.45 million to spend this offseason, the Baltimore Ravens will certainly make some additions from outside, but first they'll try to lock down a few of their own free agents.

Most important is offensive guard Ben Grubbs. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Ravens have made him a "substantial offer," but adds that the number won't go up.

He also speculates that if Grubbs doesn't take the offer, the Ravens won't engage in a bidding war, considering that the team doesn't have a ton of cap space to play with just to sign one player.

Aside from Grubbs, the Ravens' other offseason priorities include a contract extension for quarterback Joe Flacco, reaching a long-term deal with franchise-tagged running back Ray Rice and holding onto cornerbacks Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams.

The latter two should receive first-round tenders. Center Matt Birk is expected to stay with the team, as is defensive back and special teams ace Brandon Ayanbadejo; the rest of the team's unrestricted free agents all may be leaving Baltimore, which means the team will have a lot of ground to cover in this year's draft.

If the Ravens sign a free agent off of the open market, look for them to target wide receiver. The Steelers' Mike Wallace is not an option, considering he'd command around $9 million per season, and the same goes for both Marques Colston and Vincent Jackson.

They could make a push for Mario Manningham, Pierre Garçon or even Brandon Lloyd—known producers who won't break the bank.

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