AFC North News

A recent article from NFL.com launched me into nerd mode to come up with a formula of standards to go by when labeling an NFL quarterback as "franchise" or "elite" material.

May 29, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton stands with head coach Marvin Lewis during organized team activities at Paul Brown Stadium.

Were going to revive a format, Chris Pokorny did a year ago, that used to be titled "Around the AFC North".

December 23, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap tackles Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall during the second quarter at Heinz Field.

December 30, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu runs onto the field during player introductions against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Heinz Field.

Now that the Ravens have concluded the majority of their offseason business and minicamps, they are $6.049 million under the NFL salary cap limit of $123 million.

After missing the postseason a year ago, I have the Steelers returning to the playoffs on a 11-5 season.

West Virginia University received its first football commitment for 2015 this past weekend after offering a scholarship to Stone Wolfley.

January 25, 2013; Ko Olina, HI, USA; AFC center Chris Myers of the Houston Texans prepares to snap the ball at the line of scrimmage during practice at AFC media day for the 2013 Pro Bowl at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort.

In the past, if you asked any fan of the Baltimore Ravens who the team's biggest rival was, it would have an unanimous answer.

After a weekend of speculation , it's now official: The Bengals will be featured on HBO's 2013 version of Hard Knocks , the network announced on Monday morning.

For the Cleveland Browns , winning five games in a single year has been the peak of what they've been able to accomplish over the past five seasons.

When it comes to building an NFL roster, hierarchies vary from team to team. Some organizations are driven by general managers, others by owners, a few by head coaches -- and of course, many franchises divvy up checks and balances.

Jun 11, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green catches a pass during minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium.

In 2009, the Cincinnati Bengals were featured on HBO's Hard Knocks . They'll be featured again in 2013 , meaning Browns fans can watch one of their AFC North rivals as they go through training camp.

May 10, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals first round draft pick tight end Tyler Eifert catches a pass during the Bengals rookie minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium.

September 10, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin catches a touchdown pass over Cincinnati Bengals safety Taylor Mays and safety Reggie Nelson at M There are always a handful of games in a season that have a much larger impact than others, especially as the playoffs approach.

Good news about a few of the players coming out of this week's Ravens mini-camp from other sources around the web.

The Bengals will return to HBO's popular Hard Knocks: Training Camp for the second time in five seasons, according to multiple media reports Saturday.

The Cleveland Browns will miss Josh Gordon during his two-game suspension, even though the rest of the receiving corps appears to be an upgrade over last year.