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AFC + NORTH
BALTIMORE RAVENS 8--8
PRIMARY NEED: WIDE RECEIVER
THE RAVENS will try to talk 37-year-old Steve Smith out of retiring. Maybe he comes back late in camp. Either way, GM Ozzie Newsome should find a playmaking receiver. Mike Wallace improved his route running in Baltimore but is still confined mostly to Go patterns and shallow crosses. At best, he's a No. 2. Breshad Perriman, a 2015 first-rounder, might—might—be capable of headlining a group, but after a rookie season lost to a right-knee injury, he rose to only fourth on the depth chart. The Ravens' choices won't be limited. Joe Flacco is in his element as a deep thrower, but he can play with any style of wideout.
CINCINNATI BENGALS 6-9-1
PRIMARY NEED: EDGE RUSHER
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Paul Guenther can be creative with some of his third-down pass-rushing packages. (For example: Whenever tackle Geno Atkins lines head-up on the center, be alert for a zone blitz.) More often, Guenther prefers to sit back in straight two-high zones and trust his men to execute, but that only works if the quarterback is forced to release the ball quickly. The Bengals, with their hit or miss four-man rush, don't generate enough pressure. The problem in 2016 was a lack of production on the edges. Left end Carlos Dunlap is talented but wildly inconsistent. Long and limber right end Michael Johnson looks the part but doesn't actually do anything. Watching film, you often forget he's even out there.
CLEVELAND BROWNS 1--15
PRIMARY NEED: PASS RUSHER
LIKE 99% of the teams that have ever drafted No. 1, quarterback is a need. Also like 99% of the teams who've drafted No. 1, other needs exist. In the Browns' case, there's an especially dire one along the defensive line. They have no natural pass rushers. That, not unstable quarterbacking, was the biggest reason Cleveland, which was well-schemed and played hard throughout 2016, won just a single game. In the NFL, speed and burst off the edge are critical, but flexibility to bend around the corner is also a must. The Browns drafted Emmanuel Ogbah in Round 2 and Carl Nassib in Round 3 last year, but neither is a true edge-bender. It's imperative that Cleveland, with two first-round picks in April, invest heavily in a bona fide playmaker up front.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS 11--5
PRIMARY NEED: OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
AT 38, outside linebacker James Harrison played 91% of the meaningful snaps after Week 12 and performed at a high level, largely because the Steelers had wisely limited his workload over the first dozen weeks. If Harrison re-signs as expected, they'll have to do that again. The question is, Who rotates in ahead of him? Outside 'backer is a crucial position in Pittsburgh's scheme. Jarvis Jones, a 2013 first-rounder, has yet to develop any moves and isn't worth bringing back. Arthur Moats and Anthony Chickillo both got chances to shine and didn't. Bud Dupree is a rising young player who thrives on second-effort moves. The Steelers need another Dupree to spell (and one day fully supplant) Harrison.
