Ask Andrea: The AFC North Mailbag

It's Friday, which means another installment of the weekly Ask Andrea AFC North Mailbag. I'm Andrea (obviously), and I will be guiding you through six hard-hitting questions concerning the most hard-hitting division in all the NFL.

Remember, to get your questions in to me, you need to follow along on Twitter. Click the "follow" button below so you don't miss out on the next call for submissions.

Honestly, Bobby, I'd take Jim Brown's comments with a grain of salt.

For those who missed them, Brown took issue both with the team's drafting of Trent Richardson as well as the way Browns president Mike Holmgren conducts business. Brown claimed he wasn't being "cruel" when he pegged Richardson as "efficient" but not outstanding.

Brown is a pretty outspoken critic of his former team, and not all of his observations are the most astute, despite being one of the best players to ever take the field for Cleveland. I'd suspect his comments have a kernel of jealousy to them, and maybe he also thought it was a (misguided, albeit) way to spur Richardson on to greatness.

But we all know that Richardson is the real deal. Brown is entitled to his opinion, of course, but there's no reason to worry that he doesn't see in Richardson what many of us do.

It seems like Mohamed Massaquoi seems to be a front runner to earn the Browns' No. 2 receiver spot, but he'll have to impress over the summer to grasp more than a tentative hold on it.

Massaquoi isn't a very reliable receiver, and he has durability issues. Despite having between 30 and 40 receptions in each of his last three seasons, his yardage totals continue to drop. He will likely compete with rookie Travis Benjamin—who appears to have built up some early chemistry with quarterback Brandon Weeden—for the spot.

The Browns don't have the most impressive receiving corps—on paper, at least, at this point. So necessity will result in either Massaquoi or Benjamin earning the No. 2 job even if they'd be better suited as No. 3 receivers on other teams.

I think, for what Chris Rainey brings to the Pittsburgh Steelers and how much of an impact it seems he's going to be making as a rookie, it's not far-fetched to consider him one of the draft's biggest steals.

Rainey adds a dimension to the Steelers' offense that they've been lacking during the Bruce Arians years—a fast, versatile, situational running back/wide receiver hybrid. He has elements of Dexter McCluster and Darren Sproles and adds yet another layer of dangerous speed to what has become an ever-faster Steelers offense.

Rainey has his limitations to be sure—he's small and can't block, so he's only likely to hit the field on downs in which he could make an impact—which helped cause him to be available to the Steelers in the fifth round.

But he's going to add creativity to a Steelers offense that could use some. He may not be a touchdown machine, but he's a burner designed to eat yardage. I think there are times in the upcoming season where his play will prove invaluable.

Michael is talking about 2010 Arizona Cardinals draft pick Juamorris Stewart, who has yet to catch on with any team. Stewart came from a small school—Southern University—where he caught 153 passes for 23 touchdowns in his last two college seasons, but struggled in the pros due to his lack of elite speed.

Stewart seemed impressive at Steelers OTAs this week, at least according to members of the assembled media in attendance. But it's going to be hard for him to stick around to the point he makes the 53-man roster come later this summer.

At this point, dark horses are hard to point out. There's been just a few days of OTAs and one rookie minicamp, and certain players are going to rise and fall. That Stewart caught so many eyes this week is a good sign for him, and the Steelers could certainly use more wide receiver depth, which also works in his favor.

I'd also keep an eye on undrafted rookie running back Will Johnson. He'll be battling for the lone fullback spot with David Johnson and could win the job if he proves to be a more consistent blocker.

"Deserve" is a hard word to work with, Derek. On one hand, you have those who think that any quarterback taken in the first round "deserves" to be the starter based on his draft position.

However, on the other hand, there's also the fact that a rookie quarterback is inexperienced, and if someone with more familiarity with the system is capable enough to start, it wouldn't be the end of the world for that rookie to sit for a season.

While I think Weeden has the best shot to win the starting job, I wouldn't say for certain it's his just yet. He'll have to beat out Colt McCoy, yes, and he seems to have the arm strength and accuracy advantage over the veteran. 

But the Browns' West Coast offense is complex, and the learning curve could ultimately prove so steep for Weeden in the coming months that it's more risky to start him over McCoy at this juncture. 

Though I do think that Weeden will probably end up winning the starting job, I don't think it's a foregone conclusion just yet. I think the Browns are serious when they say this is a quarterback competition.

Out of all the Browns undrafted free agents they signed (14 at this time), I like wide receiver Josh Cooper's chances the best. Cooper was one of Brandon Weeden's targets at Oklahoma State, and the Browns might find it to be a good idea to keep him around and use him in the slot as Weeden gets more comfortable with his new system.

I also like offensive tackle J.B. Shugart's odds to make the team as well. The Browns would be well-served to hold onto some offensive line depth this year. Florida State receiver Bert Reed is fast and could end up with a special teams role as he develops into a potential target for Weeden (or Colt McCoy, if that happens).

Undrafted center Garth Gerhart, brother of running back Toby, could also earn a spot—or at least wind up on the practice squad—simply thanks to his work ethic, and again, a need for depth at center.

That's it for this week's Mailbag. Enjoy your (hopefully) long holiday weekend!

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