NFL Coaching Carousel: AFC North

Every off-season, fantasy owners, and football fans in general, tune in to find out which free agents are heading where.

Signings like T.O. heading to the Buffalo Bills and TJ Houshmandzadeh's journey to the Northwest, where he'll join the Seattle Seahawks, are analyzed and scrutinized by everyone from ESPN to the guy sitting in the cubicle next to you as everyone attempts to figure out how these new additions will fit in in their new systems.

Strangely enough though, the coaching changes that occur each and every off-season garner much less attention despite these holding much more significance.

After all, the coaches are the ones devising the systems that guys like T.O. and Housh will be playing in. But, don't worry, the Bruno Boys, as usual, have you covered as we take a look at the Coaching Carousel of the NFL, breaking down all the important coaching changes division by division. This stop, the AFC North.

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Baltimore Ravens' Defensive Coordinator

Out: Rex Ryan
In: Greg Mattison

Spending 10 seasons helping to coach a defense that never ranked lower than sixth in the league during that time span is an excellent way to catch the attention of teams looking for a new head coach, and that's exactly what Rex Ryan did, parlaying his stay with the Baltimore Ravens into a head coaching gig with the New York Jets.

Ryan's departure led to the promotion of Greg Mattison, the team's linebacker coach in 2008, to the defensive coordinator position.

While Mattison may not have the most NFL experience as his year with the Ravens is all the time he's spent in the NFL, fantasy owners need not be worried that Mattison won't be able to keep the Ravens among the league's best defenses.

Well versed in the fast and furious defensive strategy the Ravens like to employ, a defensive strategy that Mattison utilized during his time as the University of Florida's co-defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2007, Mattison should be able to ensure that the Ravens' 10-year streak of finishing in the top six among NFL defenses continues and runs to 11 following 2009.

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Cleveland Browns' Head Coach

Out: Romeo Crennel
In: Eric Mangini

What do you do when you bring a Bill Belichick disciple to town in order to turn your franchise around, only to see the plan fail miserably? Easy, you try it again.

At least, that's the strategy the Cleveland Browns are taking. After parting ways with Romeo Crennel, the Browns have brought Eric Mangini to town, hoping this Bill Belichick disciple can get the job done.

While one of the main obstacles Mangini will face when it comes to winning will be to turn around a defense that has not ranked higher than 26th in the league over any of the past three seasons, getting the Browns offense going, following their disappointing 2008 season in which they fell from the 8th best unit in 2007 to number 31 last season, is just as key.

However, don't look for Mangini to put the emphasis on the passing game, even if wide receiver, Braylon Edwards, is still around come opening day. If Mangini's reign as head coach of the New York Jets has shown us anything, it's that the coach likes to maintain a balanced offensive attack set up by a power running game.

In fact, in both 2007 and 2008, the Jets running game finished at least a solid six spots higher in the league than the team's passing game.

That's good news for running back, Jamal Lewis' fantasy value, who after a strong 1,304 yard and 11 total TD campaign in 2007, managed just 1,002 yards and 4 TDs in 2008. If the starting job remains Lewis', the back could make for an excellent value pick late in 2009 fantasy drafts.

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