Ranking the AFC North TEs, Pre-NFL Draft Edition

To compare tight ends against one another is like comparing one variety of apple to another—in some systems, a tight end is simply an extra receiver and has minimal blocking duties.

In others, tight ends are required to block and little more. Sometimes a tight end is required to take on both duties equally and other times, a team will bring in a group of tight ends to specialize in one task or another.

All of those philosophies are represented in the AFC North, which makes it hard to rank them. But I will try, keeping each player's duties in mind.

Again, I am only ranking the tight ends who were on the field in some capacity last season—bench depth doesn't have large enough statistical sample size to properly judge their talents.

1. Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals tight end, Jermaine Gresham is primarily a pass-catching tight end, as his 56 receptions for 631 yards and six scores in 2011 clearly illustrates.

Tight ends are generally solid safety valves for rookie quarterbacks and he was just that for Andy Dalton last year. He's underrated in a league where receiving tight ends are becoming more and more en vogue, but numbers like these prove he's the best at the position in the AFC North. 

2. Ed Dickson, Baltimore Ravens

Ed Dickson isn't all that far behind Gresham in terms of numbers. In 2011, he caught 54 passes for 528 yards and five scores. The Ravens were hoping to get a tight end more involved in the passing game last season and they certainly succeeded in Dickson. Expect him to be even more integral to their offense this year.

3. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers

As the years pass and the Steelers amass greater talent at wide receiver, Heath Miller's receiving duties diminish. But he's still an integral part of Ben Roethlisberger's short-to-intermediate and third-down passing game, as evidenced by his 51 receptions for 631 yards and two scores last season.

4. Dennis Pitta, Baltimore Ravens

With a bit more development, the Baltimore Ravens could be a formidable two tight end passing team. Dennis Pitta isn't as dynamic a playmaker as Dickson, but he managed to make an impact in 2011 with 40 catches for 405 yards and three touchdowns.

5. Ben Watson, Cleveland Browns

Ben Watson has been more productive in the past than he was in 2011. For example in 2010 he had 763 receiving yards, but three concussions kept him sidelined for a few games and he saw his job fall to backup Evan Moore.

Watson shouldn't be the team's No. 1 tight end this year. The injury concern is too great and Moore looks ready to take the reigns as starter.

6. Evan Moore, Cleveland Browns

Evan Moore took over the primary pass-catching tight end duties in 2011 after usual starter Ben Watson was sidelined with repeated concussions. Though the Browns will try to push Jordan Cameron to be their receiving tight end this season, Moore should take and keep hold of the starting job. He caught 34 passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns last year.

7. Leonard Pope, Pittsburgh Steelers

Leonard Pope wasn't a Steeler last year, but he is now, and he deserves to be mentioned on this list. Pope caught only 24 passes as a Kansas City Chief in 2011, but managed to get 247 yards and a touchdown out of them. This Todd Haley favorite will likely back up Miller this season, especially during the four-game suspension of Weslye Saunders.

8. Alex Smith, Cleveland Browns

Alex Smith's primary duty for the Browns is blocking, but he does factor in as a receiver at times. He notched 131 yards and a score on 14 receptions last season. His numbers should be similar to that total in 2012—catching passes just isn't what he's there for.

9. Weslye Saunders, Pittsburgh Steelers

It's unclear whether Weslye Saunders was brought on to ultimately take over for Miller when his time in Pittsburgh is done or to just add another dimension to the tight end position. Either way, Saunders has yet to make a consistent impact. He caught just four passes last season, for 29 yards and a score.

With a four-game suspension this year and Leonard Pope on the roster, he may drop to third on the depth chart.

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