Ravens and Bengals primed to lead AFC North

March 11, 7:20 AMBaltimore Ravens ExaminerAnthony Paul

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With a little more than a month before the NFL Draft, it's hard to ignore the fact that the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals have made the most significant improvements to their respective rosters.

The Ravens, just days after trading for Arizona Cardinals star Anquan Boldin, have continued to address their issues at the wide receiver position.  The club re-signed Joe Flacco's favorite target, Derrick Mason in addition to retaining Mark Clayton and signing Donte' Stallworth to a one-year deal, thus giving him a chance to prove he can still play at the NFL level.  Baltimore's biggest handicap has suddenly turned into an area of strength.

The Bengals, not to be outdone by Baltimore's receiving upgrades, did some shopping of their own and landed free agent wideout Antonio Bryant who was let go by the Tampa Bay Bucs just a year removed from being named their franchise player.  Bryant, 29, was a smarter long-term move for an organization that flirted with the idea of adding Terrell Owens to a corps that already boasts the inflated ego of Chad Ochocinco. 

On the other hand the Cleveland Browns, under the new leadership of GM Mike Holmgren, have made several Brown-like moves.  First, signing linebacker Scott Fujita is a move that would have made some sense, except for the fact that Cleveland tied up $11 million in guaranteed money in order to sign Fujita.  Factor in the fact that the 30-year-old Fujita hasn't topped 100 tackles since 2003, and it's a move worth questioning. 

In addition to this questionable signing, Cleveland also inked offensive tackle Tony Pashos (former Raven) to a deal worth nearly $8 million guaranteed.  Pashos was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars last season due to the fact that he's no longer starting-material. 

Lastly, comes the Pittsburgh Steelers.  After missing the playoffs in 2009, the Steelers entered the off-season with major deficiencies on the offensive line and defensive backfield.  The club chose to retain safety Ryan Clark, a move probably worth making because he was cheap and knows the system; however, Pittsburgh added safery Will Allen, who is nothing more than a less-talented version than the severely average Clark.

On the offensive line, the Steelers added reserve tackle Jonathan Scott from the Buffalo Bills.  Scott is nothing more than a move for depth, as it's unlikely he'll compete for serious playing time.  Thus, the two biggest areas of concern for the Steelers have gone un-touched for the most part.  There are major holes on the interior line and the cornerrback position.

At this point--even though it's only March--it's clear that last year's AFC North playoff representatives, the Bengals and Ravens, have a leg-up on the Browns and Steelers.