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Sporting News, The, March 4, 2005

BALTIMORE RAVENS

MOVING ON: The Ravens will lose two starters on the offensive line: LG Bennie Anderson and C Casey Rabach. Rabach played well last season, and the Ravens will miss his versatility and blocking ability. With the team already investing heavily at linebacker in Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware and Terrell Suggs, ILB Ed Hartwell likely will be the odd man out. T.J. Slaughter will replace him. The team might bring back WR Travis Taylor, but given his tendency to drop passes, letting him go might be best. ACTION PLAN: The Ravens want to find a legitimate deep scoring threat and are in the trade sweepstakes for Vikings WR Randy Moss. But G.M. Ozzie Newsome doesn't want to part with first-round draft picks, so the team covets free-agent WR Plaxico Burress. Burress towers over most corners and has good speed. WRs Jerry Porter and T.J. Houshmandzadeh also are options. Other needs are right guard and tackle. Aaron Gibson (Bears), Rich Tylski (Panthers) and Tom Nutten (Rams) are guard candidates. The available tackles aren't great, but Victor Riley (Saints) and Kenyatta Jones (Redskins) are competitors. The team might sign one tackle, draft another and still keep RT Orlando Brown as a backup. On defense, the Ravens could use help in the secondary. If RCB Gary Baxter re-signs--keeping him is a priority--a physical safety such as Donovin Darius (Jaguars) will be needed. If Baxter leaves, the team will go after a cornerback, possibly Andre Dyson (Titans). The team also will try to keep RE Marques Douglas; backup Jarret Johnson is more of a stopgap than a starter.--Mike Preston

CINCINNATI BENGALS

MOVING ON: Losing DT Tony Williams won't hurt. Langston More blossomed after Williams was injured in October, and Matthias Askew, part of the tackle rotation, is expected to make an impact as well. LE Carl Powell, C Jerry Fontenot and P Kyle Richardson likely won't return. The combination of Duane Clemons and Robert Geathers makes Powell expendable. Fontenot was an emergency addition last season after starter Rich Braham was injured. Richardson is headed to the open market because Kyle Larson has secured the punting job. ACTION PLAN: The Bengals' goal is to re-sign their most important free agents, Braham and WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh. A lack of cap room will limit their ability to sign other teams' free agents. Cincinnati is trying to get cap relief by signing RB Rudi Johnson, its franchise player, to a long-term deal. Trading Johnson could be dangerous because injury-riddled backup Chris Perry hasn't proved durable enough to pound the ball between the tackles the way Johnson can. If Johnson somehow doesn't return, free-agent RB LaMont Jordan (Jets) would be an economical replacement. Jordan's speed and power would fit well in the Bengals' inside running game. Losing Houshmandzadeh could lead to a pursuit of free-agent receivers such as Travis Taylor (Ravens) and David Patten (Patriots). Restricted free agent David Givens (Patriots) also could interest the team. Any of those players would take heat off Pro Bowl WR Chad Johnson, who continues to excel against frequent double- and triple-teams. Braham is one of the smartest and toughest centers in the league, and his return would aid QB Carson Palmer's development.--Chick Ludwig

CLEVELAND BROWNS

MOVING ON: All eyes are on QB Kelly Holcomb. He could fit into new coach Romeo Crennel's vision for a run-oriented, quick-pass offense for the time being, but the team might draft a quarterback with the third overall pick, and Holcomb wants to be a long-term starter somewhere. Even though the stats don't show it, LCB Anthony Henry has improved since he had 10 interceptions as a rookie backup. A Florida native, Henry might prefer a change of scenery. Given the leaguewide demand for corners, he could become too expensive to keep. OLB Warrick Holdman could be shuffled out as the team attempts to rebuild its linebacking unit. ACTION PLAN: The team needs not only more linebackers but also linebackers who better fit Crennel's 3-4 scheme. They must be able to blitz and adapt to more demanding coverage schemes. The Browns could use the No. 3 overall pick on a linebacker such as Texas' Derrick Johnson, and free agents who bear watching include Kendrell Bell (Steelers) and Ed Hartwell (Ravens). The team also has been starved for guards. LG Joe Andruzzi has been a Patriots fixture, but New England is in a cap squeeze. Andruzzi is comfortable with line coach Jeff Davidson, who came to the Browns from the Patriots. The team also needs a veteran quarterback even if Holcomb stays because Holcomb has a history of injuries. Drew Bledsoe, who worked with both Crennel and new Browns offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon in New England, is a possibility. However, Bledsoe might be a better fit in Dallas.--Steve Doerschuk

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

MOVING ON: The biggest loss will be WR Plaxico Burress, unless the team keeps him with a franchise tag. Burress draws frequent double-teams, and his departure would allow opponents to focus more attention on WR Hines Ward. Slot WR Antwaan Randle El lacks the deep speed necessary to replace Burress on the outside. It also is unlikely the team will re-sign ILB Kendrell Bell, who played in only three games in 2004. Larry Foote started all 18 games, and the coaches think he is better in coverage than Bell. After starting last season, RG Keydrick Vincent probably won't want to return as a backup for Kendall Simmons, who missed 2004 with a knee injury. ACTION PLAN: The Steelers will not be as active as they were last season, when they signed RB Duce Staley, mainly because they don't have many holes. The team most wants to re-sign QB Charlie Batch and RT Oliver Ross, neither of whom will be starters in 2005. Batch is willing to stay as a No. 2 quarterback but doesn't want to be a No. 3. The Steelers might decide to keep him and release current No. 2 Tommy Maddox. Ross can play three positions, which would make him a valuable backup. If Burress leaves, the team could look to sign T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Bengals), who is coming off a career season and is a favorite of coach Bill Cowher. If Bell leaves, the Steelers have several in-house options for a backup, including moving OLB James Harrison inside. But they could wait until late in the free-agent period to sign a veteran backup. It's also possible the team could pursue a free agent to replace RE Kimo von Oelhoffen in 2006.--Gerry Dulac