AFC

Sporting News, The, June 19, 2000

Baltimore

GOOD NEWS: The Ravens are relieved that MLB Ray Lewis' legal problems are behind him. Lewis has been the leader of the defense since joining the team in 1996, and his loss would have been devastating. Lewis' return also will give the club some salary-cap room. The Ravens plan to restructure his contract, and Lewis will be more than happy to take the cash up front to pay the $1.5 million debt he acquired in lawyers' fees and court costs.... Former Detroit CB Robert Bailey, who was expected to back up Duane Starks and Chris McAlister, has been impressive in minicamp and could push Starks for a starting job. Bailey has a lot of versatility and will play the slot receiver in passing situations.

WIDE RECEIVERS ANALYSIS: After a talent upgrade, the receiving corps may be second-best in the division behind Jacksonville's. The Ravens have speed on the outside with Patrick Johnson and Jermaine Lewis, a possession receiver in Qadry Ismail and a potential go-to guy in rookie Travis Taylor. Johnson came into his own in '99, and Lewis should be helped this year by the presence of TE Shannon Sharpe working the middle. With his size and speed, Ismail provides another target over the middle. Taylor caps off the unit with his ability to make the acrobatic catch and willingness to go over the middle. Both Taylor and Lewis also can play in the slot. --Mike Preston

Buffalo

SOLID SO FAR: Despite the loss of two starters (CB Thomas Smith and FS Kurt Schulz), coach Wade Phillips is encouraged by what he has seen from his secondary during two minicamps. The quarterbacks consistently were unable to find open receivers during no-contact passing drills. When they made the pass, a cornerback or safety was there to knock the ball away or come up with the pick.... CB Ken Irvin is moving to the right side in place of Smith, and Antoine Winfield will be the left corner. Winfield started the last three games there when Irvin suffered tom ligaments in his foot. Irvin, who sat out the first minicamp in April, looked good during the most recent workouts..

WIDE RECEIVERS ANALYSIS: Eric Moulds is a big, physical receiver who catches the ball in a crowd and is difficult to defend one-on-one because of his exceptional speed and strength. Peerless Price, whose solid rookie year made Andre Reed expendable, is a tremendous talent with good hands and game-breaking speed. Jeremy McDaniel, who spent his rookie season on the practice squad, is the leading candidate to be No. 3. The Bills like his size (6-0, 197), hands and improved route running. Rookie Kwame Cavil has been outstanding and appears to be McDaniel's sole challenger for the No. 3 job. Cavil catches everything and uses his 6-2, 203-pound body well. --Allen Wilson

Cincinnati

CLOSE ENCOUNTER: The team will find out where it stands with TB Corey Dillon when his agent comes to town for face-to-face negotiations this week. Dillon, who represents the final piece of the offensive puzzle, knows the team dished out $73 million to lock down first-round Peter Warrick ($42 million) and RT Willie Anderson ($31 million). Dillon, a restricted free agent, has his eyes on an extension in the $5 million-per-year range. ... Steve Bush, the fastest of the team's three tight ends, could emerge as Tony McGee's backup if he continues to block well. Marco Battaglia, who thought he was the heir apparent to McGee, hasn't measured up so far.

WIDE RECEIVERS ANALYSIS: The Bengals have assembled their fastest corps of wideouts in more than a decade, but the unit's inexperience will cause some growing pains. Darnay Scott and Warrick are the starters, and rookie Ron Dugans likely has the best shot at the third receiver job. Craig Yeast, Damon Griffin and James Hundon will challenge for the two remaining roster spots. Coach Bruce Coslet wants to use more three-wideout sets, so finding the right complement to Scott and Warrick is key. Yeast and Griffin are ideally suited for the slot because of their quickness, but Dugans, who is 6-1, could steal the show because of his size, sure hands and smooth moves. -Chick Ludwig

Cleveland

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Possibly the most impressive part of the team's recent minicamp was the play of rookie CBs Lewis Sanders, Anthony Malbrough and Lamar Chapman. Their speed and ability to get their hands on the ball was in stark contrast to the club's woeful cornerback play of a season ago. At least at the start of the season, they'll be used in nickel and dime situations. They'll get burned some early, but they'll catch on quickly.... Last season, QB Tim Couch rarely looked at the right ends. In the recent minicamp, however, TE Mark Campbell caught as many passes as he did in all of last year's practices combined. Rookies Aaron Shea and Kyle Allamon and veteran Randy Palmer all looked good as well.

WIDE RECEIVERS ANALYSIS: Perhaps no position has been upgraded more since the start of last season than this one. Veteran Leslie Shepherd was not re-signed, leaving Kevin Johnson and Darrin Chiaverini as the Browns' two starters. Johnson has good hands and decent speed, and Chiaverini is a sure-handed player who is not overly quick but has precise routes. Like last year, the Browns don't have an established No. 3 or No. 4 receiver, but there are two good-looking candidates in rookies Dennis Northcutt and JaJuan Dawson. Also in the mix is former Giant David Patten, a small but quick player with good speed. --Steve King