Required Reading: Links to the Best in AFC North Coverage, 5/18 Edition

Today's AFC North required reading includes an update on Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed's comments about retirement, an argument for the Cincinnati Bengals to be featured on Hard Knocks and a look at what David DeCastro will do for the Pittsburgh Steelers' run game.

Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed caused a stir yesterday when he told the SiriusXM NFL Blitz that he was contemplating retirement. However, he has since backtracked. Reed told the Carroll County Times that he's not focused on football right now, but that doesn't mean he's not going to play for the Ravens this season.

Yesterday, the Philadelphia Eagles gave running back LeSean McCoy a five-year contract extension, adding fuel to the fire on the highly-combustible contract talks between the Ravens and Ray Rice. Despite this, Bleacher Report's Shawn Brubaker says the Ravens simply cannot sign Rice to a long-term deal right now.

Chris Roling of Bleacher Report says the Cincinnati Bengals would be the perfect team to be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks this year.

The Bengals finally got one of their two first-round picks under contract, extending a four-year deal to cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick earlier this morning.

Bleacher Report's Brian Stepanek gives us the seven players the Cleveland Browns will rely most heavily on in the upcoming season.

Alen Dumonjic takes a look at the role newly-drafted offensive guard David DeCastro will have when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers' run game.

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