Since then, it's been non-stop NFL coverage and a lot of fun for the last 10 months. With that being said, it's time to bid farewell. I've had a blast working at baltimoresun.com during the last two-plus years but am moving on for another opportunity later this month.

You, the readers, have been great. A blog like this only works when fans actively participate, and that was no problem here. So thank you to everyone who's ever clicked on a link or made a comment. You've made Moving the Chains a success. Here are some highlights from the 10-month run:

Live-blogging during Ravens games - Many of you chimed in as I updated the blog during games. The criticism of Brian Billick and the team's quarterbacks came early and often. And the argument about whether Kyle Boller will ever be a successful NFL quarterback will rage on in this city long after I'm gone, with defenders discussing the lack of talent/coaching around him and critics pointing to the results.

Weekly power rankings - I would rank the team's top 16 teams each week in an effort to make some sense of a wacky season, and you would voice your opinions like this random comment from Week 8:

"I'm still having trouble buying the Lions"...are you joking me?? Have you not been watching them this season. They are 5-2 and are undefeated against their entire division (I do realize that they haven't played the Packers yet). They've beaten the Bears twice (breaking a record by scoring 34 points in the 4th against their defense). I'm not a Lions fan at all, but Kitna is having a great season and this team deserves a lot more credit than they are given.

Ravens-Patriots, Dec. 3 - Of the eight regular-season games I covered at M&T Bank Stadium, this was the most memorable. The Ravens at 4-7 were out of the playoff hunt but came oh so close to knocking off the then-11-0 Patriots. A chaotic ending that included Jabar Gaffney's game-winning touchdown catch had fans talking all week. On the blog, we set a personal record with 74 comments after this game.

Weekly picks - I miraculously finished the season with an above-.500 record of 125-121-10, making weekly picks with the spread. However, I was dead wrong about the Giants all year and was stunned like most everyone else when they reached the Super Bowl and eventually beat the Patriots.

Draft coverage - Coverage of the NFL draft is completely out of control, and we did our part here to make sure it stays that way. The most popular month in terms of readership came in April when Ravens fans were presumably ready to turn the page on the '07 season and look ahead.

Those are just some of the things that stood out for me. I tried to post something new almost every day and had a great time learning from writers around the country and of course, you, the readers.

No one will be taking over this particular blog on baltimoresun.com, but rest assured that the talented people here will find new ways to provide the area's best Ravens and NFL coverage as training camp approaches in a couple of months.

Once again, thanks for reading. It's been a great run.

There are several different ways to measure this, including one interesting method from the people over at pro-footballreference.com. Chase Stuart has examined drafts from 1996-2005 to see who the best and worst picks and the best and worst teams have been. His system, as I understand it, assigns a value to each pick in the draft. That way, a player is evaluated based on where he is chosen. For instance, getting Tom Brady with the 199th pick is far more impressive than getting Peyton Manning with the No. 1 pick.

So how did the Ravens fare? According to Stuart's evaluation, they were the third-best drafting team during the period examined, behind the Colts and the Packers. Stuart also examines the success rate in the first round, where the Ravens came in second behind only the Colts. And in rounds four through seven, the Ravens ranked third behind the Titans and Packers.

Stuart goes even further and lists the 35 best and worst draft picks. The Ravens' selection of Ray Lewis at No. 26 in the 1996 draft was the sixth-best overall pick during the 10-year period, according to Stuart. Their pick of Adalius Thomas in the sixth round (186th overall) of the 2000 draft was 24th-best.

Finally, Stuart names the three best and worst picks for each team. Along with Lewis and Thomas, he lists the Ravens' selection of Ed Reed with the No. 24 pick overall in 2002.

And the Ravens' three worst picks: Dan Cody (2005, 53rd overall); Jay Graham (1997; 64th overall); Patrick Johnson (1998; 42nd overall).

ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas takes a look at who calls the shots for each NFL team:

If general manager Ozzie Newsome doesn't take every personnel shot, he's a strong point guard who doesn't do much passing and takes the ball to the basket. His power should only increase with the departure of coach Brian Billick and the arrival of John Harbaugh.

SI.com's Don Banks answers 10 intriguing offseason questions, including what will be the feel-good story of the preseason:

Put me down for the doubleheader of Potomac-area positive vibes being generated by the league's two most energetic and enthusiastic new head coaches in Baltimore's John Harbaugh and Washington's Jim Zorn. Neither has ever even been a coordinator in the NFL, let alone a head coach, but we'll have to find out if that's a plus or minus on their behalf. Harbaugh has the tougher task, taking over a veteran-laden Ravens team that's pretty set in its ways, and trying to whip it into a more disciplined and cohesive bunch. It's almost hard at this point to remember when Baltimore wasn't Brian Billick's team, but I don't think it'll take long for Harbaugh to put his own imprint on the Ravens or work through his learning curve. He's a strong motivator, a good judge of people, and he'll quickly figure out which players have been hesitant to buy into his program and move on. All the work won't be done in 2008, but Baltimore is on its way back.

CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco has the Ravens 25th in his preseason power rankings:

Can Joe Flacco step in as a rookie and turn the passing game around? Or is that too soon, which means it's more of Kyle Boller again?

Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News says he can't wait to see John Harbaugh light a fire under the Ravens:

Ever since Brian Billick guided Baltimore to victory in Super Bowl 35, the team just kind of tried to hold status quo in an attempt to duplicate that championship formula. The offense never improved despite Billick’s expertise in that area, and in 2000 the defense had set an impossibly high standard, something switches between 4-3 and 3-4 schemes never could match. The Ravens needed a jolt, and they were smart to go get it for the sidelines. Here come the true Hard Knocks as Harbaugh’s hardnosed, old-school style is perfect for a team in transition.

Former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis tells The Repository (Canton) that he's confident he can have a big year because of the other weapons the Browns have on offense:

Lewis rushed for 2,066 yards for the Ravens in 2003, but didn't come close to that over the next three years. In his final year with Baltimore, he rushed for 1,132 yards at 3.6 per carry. "It's a myth when people say I was injured, I was this, I was that," Lewis said. "It was just the position I was in, and where I was at. Now I'm with a better team, I'm around better players, and I have help. In the place I was in before, I had no help, so ... it's a much better situation."

Lewis adds: "I think 1,400 or 1,500 yards is an understatement. I'd like to get more than that. I think I can get more than that. Missing two games ... I could have gotten more than that last year."

Former Ravens special teamer B.J. Sams is looking forward to rescuing the Chiefs' return game. Here's what he told The Kansas City Star:

“This is my opportunity again,” Sams said. “People might look at me and say ‘Yeah, back in the day he was good. But what’s he got now?’ You can get forgotten fast. Well, I want to show I still got a lot left.”

SI.com's Dr. Z takes a look at Hall of Fame candidates with retired Packers general manager Ron Wolf. Here's what Wolf says about tight end Shannon Sharpe, who spent two seasons with the Ravens:

"Well, he made the tight end position more of a receiving position," Wolf said. "Performed well in big games. For what he accomplished, I guess you'd have to say he was a game-changer. I think he belongs."

Lori Dann of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram answered that question in an article last week. The Cowboys used two of their top four picks on running backs -- Arkansas' Felix Jones and Georgia Tech's Tashard Choice.

"Anytime you sign as a free agent you've got to come in with a chip on your shoulder because your window for error is going to be a little less than the guys who got drafted," Lattimore said in the article. "But the biggest thing I learned from Ray is to never let anyone outwork me."

As for Lewis, the article says he cried upon hearing Lattimore signed on with Dallas:

"When he called me and said, 'Bro, I'm a Cowboy,' the tears came easy," Lewis said in the article. "I love him like a brother, but I've always looked at him like my child, too. When your child accomplishes something like that and you know you had a major part in it, it's an amazing feeling. The emotions I felt that day were overwhelming."

Meanwhile, Lewis talks to ESPN.com's James Walker about the upcoming season and his plans for after football. Walker writes about Lewis' offseason training regimen:

Despite nine Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl MVP on his résumé, Lewis says he is training harder than ever. Increasing his workout regimen with age is a trick he learned from former teammates Rod Woodson and Shannon Sharpe, who played 17 and 14 years, respectively. Lewis, who turns 33 Thursday, is in his 13th season and believes his intense training will help him play "another three or four years, easily.'' He arrived at minicamp in midseason form last weekend, weighing 255 pounds with 6 percent body fat and biceps large enough to make running backs cringe.

And finally, if you think athletes should be left alone when they're out in public and were disgusted by the photos of Matt Leinart that surfaced last month, then stop reading. If you thought they were funny, then these photos of a shirtless Vince Young partying (courtesy of Deadspin and The Big Lead) might be worth a click.

And finally, a programming note. I'll be on vacation for a week starting tomorrow and will have limited Internet access so I won't be able to blog. We'll get caught up when I return.

"The reason I came back this year was because I knew that Cleveland was doing some special things. They were bringing in a lot of guys to help and make a big push to be competitive and win. I told Romeo [Crennel] I would come back for him and do one more year."

McGinest is 36-years-old.

Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer says the Browns are taking Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow's absence from organized team activities as a statement about his contract situation. According to this article, Winslow is scheduled to make $4 million in 2008, $4.5 million in 2009 and $4.75 million in 2010.

"There's something that happens every year with somebody," Browns coach Romeo Crennel told The Plain Dealer. "We've just got to get this team ready."

Meanwhile, in Cincinnati, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told The Enquirer that the team is installing a new defense, but he didn't really elaborate. The Bengals' defense ranked 27th in the league last year, allowing 348.8 yards per game. Cinicinnati used its first-round draft pick on USC linebacker Keith Rivers.

While the Bengals met with running back Shaun Alexander last week, the team is excited to have a healthy Rudi Johnson and Chris Perry back, according to The Enquirer.

Absent from Bengals workouts were wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Johnson's offseason activities have been well documented. Houshmandzadeh, meanwhile, prefers to work out in California, according to The Enquirer.

SI.com's Peter King wrote about Steelers coach Mike Tomlin delivering two commencement addresses at St. Vincent College and his alma mater William & Mary last Saturday. Part of what Tomlin wanted to relay to the graduates, according to King:

"Ever notice when we're kids, we dream wildly? And then when we grow up, we start dreaming realistically? Why is that? The way I've lived my life since I left William & Mary is to be that big-time dreamer. It's how I got where I am today.''

NFL.com's Vic Carucci writes about Joe Flacco's first day at Ravens minicamp:

Ray Lewis had some advice for the rookie teammate who would command the greatest amount of attention during the first practice of the Baltimore Ravens' mandatory minicamp.

"Don't be scared to be the second Ben Roethlisberger," Lewis told Joe Flacco before the Ravens took the field on a rainy Friday. The message was clear: As a rookie quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004, Roethlisberger enjoyed considerable success, largely because he made himself a complement to a strong defense rather than taking it upon himself to carry the team on his young shoulders.

ESPN.com compiled its power rankings by taking the average of eight different voters. The Ravens ended up slotted at No. 22:

Are the 2008 Ravens more like the 13-3 team in 2006, or the 5-11 unit last season? This is certain: QB play is key.

ESPN.com's Mike Sando notes that the Ravens produced more disparity among voters than any other team:

One voter ranked the Ravens 13th. Another ranked them 28th. I had them 23rd without knowing quite what to do with them. Have they solved their quarterback situation? No one knows.

Contract negotiations between first-round pick Flacco and the Ravens are under way, according to ESPN.com's Hashmarks:

[Agent Joe] Linta arrived in Baltimore Sunday night and spent Monday with the team setting up parameters of what is expected to be a five-year deal. The intent from both sides is to ensure Flacco arrives in training camp on time this summer, so he could compete with quarterbacks Kyle Boller and Troy Smith for the Ravens' starting job.

FoxSports.com's Peter Schrager hands out his offseason awards:

The Larry Brown Award: For the Recycled Coach Hiring Kinda Sorta Intrigues me, too:

Winner: Cam Cameron, Offensive Coordinator, Baltimore

Cameron had great success with the 14-2 AFC West Champion Chargers offense in '06, but struggled as head coach of the 1-15 Dolphins in '07. That said, the Dolphins offense was downright ravaged by injuries last season, with Trent Green and Ronnie Brown both going down early in the year. Cameron's top receiver — Chris Chambers — was then traded away mid-season, as well. You hate to make excuses for any guy who's career coaching record is 1-15, but what exactly was Cameron working with on O in Miami? Whether it's Kyle Boller, Troy Smith or rookie Joe Flacco under center for the Ravens come opening day, Cameron should play a major role in their performance. Four of his last five starting QBs earned Pro Bowl or All-American recognition: Philip Rivers and Drew Brees in San Diego; Antwaan Randle El at Indiana; and Gus Frerotte, who he coached with the Redskins. Cameron's time in Miami was brief and forgettable. Can he upgrade Baltimore's long anemic offense? I'm curious to see.

The Ravens are involved in another one of Schrager's awards:

The Kyle Boller Award: For the tall, big-armed college quarterback that Ozzie Newsome took with the 18th overall pick of the draft.

Winner: Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware

Despite both Chad Henne and Brian Brohm still being available, the Ravens made the golden-armed Flacco the second quarterback taken in April's draft. Baltimore brass saw the Delaware kid as their man, grabbing him at 18th overall. Trading back to 26, then trading up to 18, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was ecstatic to get the kid from Philly. With just two years of extensive college experience -- at Delaware, no less -- Flacco's a bit of a wild card.

SI.com's Peter King attributes one of his quotes of the week to Ravens veteran Trevor Pryce:

"Go ahead, wrestle each other, pull each other's facemasks, yeah, great, wonderful, have fun. If we can get all this out of the way now, scrapping and being undisciplined and 80 men jumping in a pile together, fine. So now we've proved I'm tough, you're tough, hooray, we're all tough. Are we a good football team? What's more important, proving you're tough or proving we're a good football team? That's how I look at it."

Pryce was seemingly disgusted by an 85-man scrum at Ravens minicamp Saturday. No one was hurt, but there was lots of pushing, shoving, cursing and punching.

Mike Florio of the Sporting News and Pro Football Talk runs down the 10 worst moves and non-moves of the offseason. He says Steve McNair waited too long to retire:

It came as a surprise to many when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair announced his retirement in the days leading up to the draft. And presuming the announcement also came as news to the Ravens, it would have been much nicer if McNair had made his intentions known weeks earlier. That would have allowed the Ravens to explore options on the free-agent market, such as Todd Collins, the Redskins’ backup who played well down the stretch and who could have been a potential bridge at the position while a draft pick got ready to play.  As it played out, the Ravens were forced to target a quarterback in Round 1. They reportedly wanted to trade up for a crack at Matt Ryan; instead they traded down and then up (taking a bath on the points chart in the process) to get Delaware’s Joe Flacco. In the end, all will be forgotten if Flacco flourishes in his first season or two. But if Flacco flounders initially, Ravens fans can thank McNair for not retiring early enough.

USA Today's Sean Leahy writes about the Ravens' first day of mandatory minicamp:

Lewis, who slipped away from the final minutes of the afternoon practice for some quality time with the quarterbacks, has a vested interest in the success of whoever lines up under center this season, be it Flacco, second-year player Troy Smith or veteran Kyle Boller. One of them will be charged with mounting an offense to support the Ravens defense that has ranked no worse than sixth in the NFL in the past five seasons.

A list of Cleveland's draft picks:

UNLV LB Beau Bell (Fourth round, 104th overall)

Missouri TE Martin Rucker (Fourth round, 111th overall)

Iowa State DT Ahtyba Rubin (Sixth round, 190th overall)

Wisconsin WR Paul Hubbard (Sixth round, 191st overall)

St. Augustine DE Alex Hall (Seventh round, 231st overall)

Obviously, that's not the whole story. Cleveland traded its first-round pick to the Cowboys for the 22nd pick in the '07 draft, which the Browns used to take quarterback Brady Quinn. Cleveland also took steps to strengthen its defense, which ranked 30th in the NFL last season, allowing 359.6 yards per game. The Browns traded their second-round pick (56th overall) to the Packers for defensive lineman Corey Williams. Williams, 27, has had 14 sacks over the past two seasons.

One defensive lineman was not enough for Phil Savage and company, however. The Browns also sent cornerback Leigh Bodden and their third-round pick to the Lions for 6-foot-4, 340-pound defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.

While Quinn might not see the field this season if Derek Anderson plays well, Williams and Rogers are expected to contribute immediately.

As for the players they drafted, Bell is expected to play middle linebacker, according to The Plain Dealer (Cleveland). The article says Bell has a learning disability and ran a 4.9 40-yard dash, possibly due to a bruised knee.

Meanwhile Rucker stands at 6 feet 5, 251 pounds and is the little brother of recently retired defensive lineman Mike Rucker.

Here's a roundup of how the national media assessed the Browns' draft:

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. gives Cleveland a B+.

Here's what SI.com's Dr. Z says about the Browns' draft:

The first of five choices starts at round four with LB Bo Bell. They say he's mean. I know why. He's lonely. Earlier deals for DT Shawn Rogers (Lions) and DE Corey Williams (Packers) took their toll, which wouldn't be so bad, except that Cleveland had to throw in a gifted corner, Leigh Bodden, and I don't think that was such a good idea.

CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco gives the Browns a B+:

Trading away their top three picks before the draft started. I like the moves, but some will question them. If Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams don't work out at defensive tackle, they will be ripped for trading the picks.

Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports gives the Browns a C:

Rucker is a good backup to have for TE Kellen Winslow. This is a really difficult draft to analyze because the Browns traded away their first day of the draft. The first-round pick was dealt last year for Brady Quinn. Then they dealt the other picks for the likes of DTs Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams. The Quinn deal has yet to pan out but it could be great. Rogers and Williams were both huge needs, a sign that the Browns are playing for today. This is the type of draft where they could have problems down the road if the roster gets old in a hurry. Bell is a decent interior LB prospect, but he has been hurt.

John Czarnecki of FoxSports.com gives the Browns a D:

The Browns' big draft was last season and GM Phil Savage took Saturday off. UNLV linebacker Beau Bell was a solid pick in the fourth round, and he should help on special teams. Bell had 323 tackles in college. Missouri TE Martin Rucker is the younger brother of recently retired Mike Rucker, and he caught eight touchdowns last season. Rucker is not the deep threat Kellen Winslow is, but he can definitely sit down in a zone.

Click here for the Bengals draft analysis. And here for the Steelers draft analysis.

SI.com's Peter King has the Ravens 22nd in his power rankings:

Joe Flacco's got a big arm, the biggest in the draft this year. He may make it as a rookie starter, but not many kids from Delaware step in as rookie starters in the NFL -- never mind rookie starting quarterbacks. What worries me about the kid is this: He doesn't have the most self-confident air about him, and what happens if he starts slowly and feels the hot breath of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed on his neck? It'll be up to one of the most positive coaches ever to walk an NFL sideline, John Harbaugh, to make sure the spotlight isn't too big for Flacco. The Ravens are in a tough spot. They need to bring Flacco along slowly to build his confidence, but with a defense built to win now, they can't take it too slow with him. It'll be an interesting chemistry experiment in Baltimore this year.

ESPN The Magazine's Seth Wickersham compares the Bears and Ravens, saying both teams are in similar situations, yet Baltimore chose to go after a quarterback in the first round, and Chicago chose to ignore its need:

If both teams were single guys at a bar, the Ravens would have been wheeling from girl to girl, refusing to go home alone, while the Bears would have been hunkered down over a drink, rising only for the men's room.

SI.com's Don Banks says the Ravens are set to move up in the AFC North:

The Ravens were neither as good as their 13-3 record in '06 or as dreadful as their 5-11 mark last year. They'll come back to the middle this season, and while that won't be good enough to make the playoffs, they're going to get a nice little bounce from energetic first-time head coach John Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. This figures to be a transition year for Baltimore's beleaguered quarterback position, but with Steve McNair retired and first-round pick Joe Flacco now on hand, the Ravens at least have a plan that extends longer than year by year.

FoxSports.com's Gene Marvez looks at every team's most pressing need and offers solutions. Here's what he has for the Ravens:

Pressing need: Determining whether quarterback Joe Flacco is ready to compete for a starting spot. Baltimore's first-round pick, Flacco didn't face top-tier college competition at Delaware. He will soon enough when facing Baltimore's vaunted defense in practice.

Possible solution: Taking extra precautions to insure Flacco's confidence isn't damaged by playing him prematurely. While Miami's head coach last year, new Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron erred by throwing John Beck to the wolves in Week 11.

USA Today has the Ravens 27th in its power rankings:

Ray Lewis might be in a nursing home before Joe Flacco's ready.

Clifton Brown of the Sporting News says the Ravens made a bold but smart move drafting Joe Flacco:

Simply put, Flacco has the physical tools to be successful. So why not take the chance? The way offenses have evolved, it is becoming harder to win championships without an elite quarterback. The Ravens did it in 2000 with Trent Dilfer, and the Bears made it to Super Bowl 41 with an erratic Rex Grossman. But the only way to contend season after season in today's NFL is to have a good quarterback. If the Ravens didn't get Flacco this year, there was no guarantee they would get a better quarterback next year. That's another reason why I liked the move.

As I mentioned yesterday, we're taking a look at how the Steelers, Bengals and Browns fared in the draft. Here's a breakdown of Pittsburgh's picks in case you missed it. Now on to Cincinnati. Here's a list of the Bengals' picks:

USC LB Keith Rivers (First round, ninth overall)

Coastal Carolina WR Jerome Simpson (Second round, 46th overall)

Auburn DT Pat Sims (Third round, 77nd overall)

Florida WR Andre Caldwell (Third round, 97th overall)

Kansas OT Anthony Collins (Fourth round, 112th overall)

Fresno State DT Jason Shirley (Fifth round, 145th overall)

Appalachian State S Corey Lynch (Sixth round, 177nd overall)

Villanova TE Matt Sherry (Sixth round, 207th overall)

Cincinnati DE Angelo Craig (Seventh round, 244th overall)

Louisville WR Mario Urrutia (Seventh round, 246th overall)

Cincinnati's defense ranked 27th in the league last season, allowing 348.8 yards per game, so using a first-round pick on a linebacker made sense. Rivers, 6 feet 2, 241 pounds, is by all accounts a great character guy. Here's what coach Marvin Lewis told The Enquirer (Cincinnati) about Rivers:

"He's played at a very high level, has great leadership abilities and is really someone who can start and you can mold a group around him. ... He's someone who we can look forward to and count on for a long time."

Meanwhile, the Bengals addressed receiver by taking Simpson in the second round and Caldwell in the third, along with a seventh-round pick on Urrutia. Remember, Cincinnati finally released Chris Henry, and the Chad Johnson offseason saga takes a different turn everyday. With Cal's DeSean Jackson, Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly and Texas' Limas Sweed still on the board, some considered Simpson a stretch with the No. 46 pick. The Bengals undoubtedly would like for him to choose a different mentor. Here's what Simpson told The Enquirer:

"I'm blessed. I always kind of looked up to Chad (Johnson) you know, how he played, because I liked his game. He's a great player."

On the second day, the Bengals picked up defensive tackles Sims and Shirley. Sims, 6 feet 2, 310 pounds quit football in '05 at Auburn to cope with the death of his sister. Shirley, meanwhile, played just three games last season because of off-field incidents and suspensions. Said Lewis to The Enquirer:

“It’s a little bit of a risk, yes. There’s a lot of guys who have gone over the last two days with more substantial things hanging over their heads.”

Here's a roundup of how the national media assessed the Bengals' draft:

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Bengals a C+.

SI.com's Dr. Z liked what the Bengals did in the draft:

Once again they give us a draft without many holes in it. At No.1, Keith Rivers is a dedicated and technically correct LB. At No. 2, Jerome Simpson is a highly dedicated receiver, whose 4.42 clocking put his school, Coastal Carolina, on the map. What map? The map of the coast, of course. Patrick Sims (third round) brings 310 pounds of run stopping to address a glaring weakness.

CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco gave the Bengals a C:

After Rivers, their draft has a lot of questions. Taking Coastal Carolina receiver Jerome Simpson in the second round is a risky pick.

Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports gave the Bengals a D-:

Rivers and Sims are immediate starters, but that’s almost by default. The Bengals wanted to get USC DT Sedrick Ellis in the first round, but got jumped by the Saints, who telegraphed their move for four days. The Bengals should have done something to counter New Orleans, but as is typical with Cincy, the Bengals let someone else determine their fate. Calling Simpson a “negative” is a little strong, but he’s just a reminder of how bad the situation is there between the dismissal of Chris Henry and the mouthing off by Chad Johnson. Where the grade really takes a hit is with Shirley, a guy who was in and out of trouble last season. The Bengals never learn.

FoxSports.com's John Czarnecki gave the Bengals a B :

The Bengals didn't trade unhappy Chad Johnson but filled a linebacker need with USC's Keith Rivers in the first round. Rivers played as a true freshman and started 36 games for the Trojans. With Johnson mad and wanting a trade and Chris Henry gone, the Bengals addressed Carson Palmer's favorite position with Coastal Carolina's Jerome Simpson and Florida's Andre Caldwell, who is the younger brother of Reche. Caldwell caught 185 passes in college, while Simpson has long arms for a guy that is 6-foot-2. He set school records, including 41 touchdown catches. Kansas OT Anthony Collins projects to be a guard.

So we're going to do that this week.

In three different installments, I'll take a look at what the Steelers, Browns and Bengals did to improve their squads. We'll start with Pittsburgh today.

First, a list of all their picks:

Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall (First round, 23rd overall)

Texas WR Limas Sweed (Second round, 53rd overall)

UCLA LB Bruce Davis (Third round, 88th overall)

Texas OT Tony Hills (Fourth round, 130th overall)

Oregon QB Dennis Dixon (Fifth round, 156th overall)

Iowa LB Mike Humpal (Sixth round, 188th overall)

West Virginia S Ryan Mundy (Sixth round, 194th overall)

The Steelers were expected to address the offensive line with their early-round picks after allowing 47 sacks in 2007. However, Mendenhall was considered by many to be the second-best running back in the draft, and the Steelers couldn't pass him up with the 23rd pick. Running back Willie Parker had 321 carries before breaking his right fibula in Week 15 last season. Look for Mendenhall to have an immediate impact this year, easing Parker's workload. In his only full season as a starter, Mendenhall carried for 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns. He injured his hamstring during the Steelers' minicamp, but it's not expected to be serious.

Meanwhile, Ben Roethlisberger made headlines in the offseason when he said he could use a taller wide receiver. Sweed, 6 feet 4, 219 pounds, could fill that need.

The most intriguing of the second-day picks is Dixon. The Oregon QB was probably the best college player in the country before tearing his ACL towards the end of last season. According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the Steelers are not expected to use Dixon in a "slash" role.

"He has great physical talent," Tomlin said in the article. "He can run, he has a strong arm and he is coming to a great situation where he can grow behind two people like Ben and Charlie [Batch]. It is going to be a great situation for him."

Here's a quick roundup of how the national media assessed the Steelers' draft:

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Steelers a B.

SI.com's Dr. Z said he liked what the Steelers did in the draft:

I want to see Big Ben playing skyball with the second-round pick, 6-4, 217-pound Limas Sweed, the wideout. I'm interested to see what they do with Dennis Dixon, the very classy and athletic Oregon QB who was headed for first-round glory before he tore the ACL in his knee and ended up a fifth rounder. I bet they have some Kordell Stewart numbers cooked up for him. Rashard Mendenhall, to take some pressure off Fast Willie in the running game, was a good choice, too.

CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco gives the Steelers a B.

Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports gives the Steelers an A:

This is a truly great draft, although it’s unlikely Dixon will get a chance to develop as a passer with Ben Roethlisberger entrenched. A month ago, there was a debate about who the second-best back in the draft was after Darren McFadden and many people thought it was Mendenhall. Then he fell behind Jonathan Stewart and Felix Jones. The Steelers nabbed a falling value, a great move in drafting. Sweed has awesome talent and Davis will convert to an OLB and has the quickness to be another great pass rusher in the Steelers’ 3-4 system. The injured Dixon was a great value in the fifth round.

FoxSports.com's John Czarnecki gives the Steelers a B:

Next to offensive linemen, running back was the deepest position early in this draft. Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall can catch and also run out of a spread formation. Mendenhall slipped because he was only a two-year player, but he did score 17 TDs on 262 career carries. There is a chance that Texas WR Limas Sweed (6-foot-4, 212) can turn into Plaxico Burress — the big target that Ben Roethlisberger has been screaming for. Bruce Davis of UCLA was one of my favorite college players and he should develop into a fine linebacker after playing defensive end. Davis is smart and strong. Texas OT Tony Hills started 24 games in college, but he needs to get tougher if he's going to make it in the NFL.

This Plain Dealer (Cleveland) story talks about Savage's rocky start in Cleveland:

"I'm hopeful that we're through the difficult part," Savage said. "People don't realize what a reclamation project it was and I think in some ways I may have underestimated what state the Browns were really in. I feel we have certainly deconstructed the house and now we're reconstructing it and making it into the image we want it to be."

In other news...

The Bengals have shown interest in former league MVP Shaun Alexander. The ex-Seahawks running back will visit Cincinnati Sunday and Monday, according to The Enquirer (Cincinnati). Alexander didn't miss a game from 2000-05, but he's been out of the lineup nine times over the past two seasons. He managed just 716 yards and 3.5 yards per attempt last season. Alexander will turn 31 in August.

Keeping you up to date with the NFL Network's open position for a play-by-play guy, Newsday's Neil Best says Al Michaels is a possibility. Tom Hammond had been considered the frontrunner to replace Bryant Gumbel, but Best says Hammond is no sure thing to land the job.

Maryland defensive tackle Dre Moore was the only Terp selected in the draft, going to the Tampa Bay Bucs in the fourth round. Six other Maryland players signed on as undrafted free agents. Here's a blog post from The Dallas Morning News about Ray Lewis' brother Keon Lattimore joining the Cowboys:

Lattimore is here with an outside shot at making the Cowboys roster. He doesn't think he'd even have that without Lewis' help. "Probably not," Lattimore said. "He taught me my work ethic, once you get that work in and you got that fire and desire, it's contagious. We work hard. I work hard when no one's around, when no one's looking."

Meanwhile, as you've undoubtedly heard by now, Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison is under investigation for his alleged involvement in a shooting in North Philadelphia earlier this week, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.

For part one, click here.

CBSSports.com's Clark Judge offers his take on the Ravens' selection of Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco:

This is what bothers me about Baltimore's pick of Joe Flacco: The Ravens are putting him in the same position as another big-armed quarterback, Kyle Boller, when he was a rookie. Boller didn't have an experienced quarterback to school him, and neither will Flacco. You tell me who's going to mentor the guy: Boller or Troy Smith? Oh, and one other thing: When you saw that video of Flacco heaving the ball a mile, did it remind you of those pre-draft stories of Boller bombing 50-yarders from his knees? Yeah, me, too.

Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports gives the Ravens a C:

There’s a lot of excitement about Flacco, who has a cannon arm. But look at the history of the league: QBs who are taller than 6-5 generally aren’t very good. They can’t move fast enough to avoid hits. Flacco lumbers when he moves and he’s making a big jump from Delaware. Good luck. Rice is a very good backup to Willis McGahee, and Gooden is a much better player than he showed at Miami.

Too early for a 2009 mock draft? ESPN.com's Todd McShay doesn't think so. He has the Ravens picking 14th and taking Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis:

The Ravens need an upgrade at corner and a young playmaker like Davis, who possesses rare athleticism for his size, would be an ideal fit.

SI.com's Andrew Perloff has the Ravens picking ninth and taking Oklahoma offensive tackle Phil Loadholt in next year's draft:

At 6-foot-8 and at least 350 pounds, Loadholt could draw some comparisons to Jonathan Ogden. He's not that good, but certainly grades as a first-rounder.

ESPN.com's Gregg Easterbrook praises Ozzie Newsome for his moves in the first round:

Net of Ravens' first-day trades: The Nevermores gave up the eighth choice overall and a sixth-round pick for the 18th choice overall (used to grab Joe Flacco, whom they might have chosen had they stayed put), a third-round pick and two fourth-round picks. At a time when trading down is hard, credit Ozzie Newsome for pulling three midround choices out of the air.

John Czarnecki of FoxSports.com gives the Ravens an A- for the draft:

With Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan gone, the Ravens did the wise thing and traded down with Jacksonville, knowing they would be able to take Delaware's Joe Flacco later in the first round. Flacco was a definite need with Steve McNair retired and Kyle Boller never holding onto the job. Flacco is 6-foot-6 and has a solid arm. Rutgers RB Ray Rice was a steal with the 55th pick, and he'll give Willis McGahee a chance to rest. Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski is a former boxer and tough guy. David Hale of Weber State played well in the East-West Shrine Game and could develop into an offensive tackle, although he lacks athleticism.

CBSSports.com's Judge names the Ravens drafting of Flacco one of the five biggest gambles of the draft:

The Ravens moved up to take him with the 18th pick when they probably could've gotten him by sitting tight in the second round. That means they had a conviction about Flacco, and that's good. Here's hoping they have better luck with this move than the last time they traded up to take a quarterback.

ESPN.com's Floyd Reese praises the Ravens for their trades on Day One of the draft:

Even though many claim it was impossible for the Ravens to trade and improve their selection, they scalped Jacksonville and moved down to No. 26. Again, either due to intelligence or fear, they jumped up to No. 18 and were still able to draft their man. This is an outstanding example of the Ravens' working the board to ensure they get their choice and value for the pick. This maneuvering set the tempo for the entire weekend and a solid draft for Baltimore.

CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco hands out grades and gives the Ravens a C:

Best pick: Third-round pick Tavares Gooden was the best defender on a Miami defense that included two players picked higher than him. Ray Lewis has a fellow from The U. he can take under his wing.

Questionable move: Trading up to get quarterback Joe Flacco. They probably could have stayed at 26 and still landed him. Plus, Brian Brohm and Chad Henne were better options.

Second-day gem: Safety Tom Zbikowski, a third-round pick, is one of those players who will find his way onto the field. He will be a special-teams star -- bare minimum.

Overall grade: C. They reached for Flacco and I didn't really like the pick of Ray Rice in the second round.

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports names the Ravens one of his winners from the '08 draft:

Plan B was Joe Flacco of Delaware. He wasn’t worth drafting at No. 8, and there was no threat someone else would grab him – plus, why get stuck paying more money? So the Falcons dropped to 28th, then sprung back up to 18th and at the end of the day got the guy they wanted, for less money, and wound up with extra third- and fourth-round selections to boot. (They lost a sixth-rounder, but whatever). That’s fine draft maneuvering. The caveat here is how good is Flacco? Is he just the reincarnation of Kyle Boller? A number of player personnel directors who didn’t need a quarterback think Michigan’s Chad Henne was the best non-Matt Ryan option out there. But Baltimore made its decision and made it work in every imaginable way.

Wetzel says Flacco's draft party is one of his losers:

Through the years, one of the best parts of the draft is watching the video from the family parties. The legendary bash that LenDale White appeared to be throwing when Tennessee took him remains the stuff of legend. That was a crowd that was enjoying itself. Flacco needs to step up his game from I-AA to NFL starter. Even his family and friends wore silly “Let’s Go Joe” t-shirts. Marlo Stanfield will not allow him to represent Baltimore like that.

Clifton Brown of the Sporting News gives the Ravens a C+:

Getting Joe Flacco was important, but they took a major risk trading out of the No. 8 spot. Ray Rice is a small back, but he should form a nice combo with Willis McGahee.

Matt Hayes of the Sporting News looks at the Flacco pick from different perspectives:

Turning Leaf: OK, let's review: Flacco plays for Pittsburgh. Flacco can't beat out Tyler Palko for the starting job, despite the new coaching staff and a clean slate. Flacco transfers to I-AA Delaware and puts up huge numbers against inferior competition. The words "red flag" come to mind.

Hello, West Texas A&M: Prototype NFL size, rocket arm, no mobility. The exact description of a guy named Leaf. This has Arena League written all over it.

Bill Polian's perfect world: Let's see: Brian Brohm, John David Booty, Erik Ainge -- take your pick. Frankly, I want a guy who's not afraid to compete. Is that too much to ask?

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com and the Sporting News says the Ravens disregarded the trade chart when trading down with Jacksonville:

The picks Jacksonville gave up (a first-rounder, two third-rounders and a fourth-rounder) totaled 1,127 points under the chart. The pick the Jaguars received from the Ravens was worth 1,400 points. That's a 273-point difference. Ravens officials didn't care because they're not handcuffed to the concept of getting a certain number of points. They wanted to do the deal because they wanted to draft their quarterback of the future at a spot lower than No. 8. So they accepted the offer, landed three more picks and ultimately got their guy, Joe Flacco, at a much lower salary slot. The move gives other teams ammunition to criticize the Ravens, but none of it will matter if Flacco can play.

USA Today's Larry Weisman gives the Ravens a C:

Wanted a QB. They suspected Matt Ryan would not fall to them in the eighth spot and could not trade up. So they dropped down and grabbed a recent riser in Joe Flacco. Big arm, but how his skills translate from a smaller college program (Delaware) to the NFL is anyone's guess. Filling this position has been an intractable problem for years. Did not get an OT to replace Jonathan Ogden. Grade is higher if you like trade for CB Fabian Washington, a former No. 1 of Oakland's acquired for a fourth-round pick.

Vic Carucci of NFL.com characterizes the Ravens' draft as "solid":

If the Ravens finally found their franchise quarterback in first-rounder Joe Flacco, then this draft was a huge success. The strong-armed Flacco was a star at tiny Delaware, raising questions about whether he is up to the transition to the NFL. But the Ravens had enough of a conviction in him to deal down from No. 8, when it was clear they would not be able to get Ryan, and then back up to to land Flacco with the No. 18 pick. Although the Ravens already have a franchise running back in Willis McGahee, they made a key move to help their depth at the position by grabbing Rutgers' Ray Rice in the third round. The Ravens got some solid help at safety, by selecting Notre Dame's Tom Zbikowski in the third round, and at cornerback by sending a fourth-round choice to Oakland for Fabian Washington.

Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News gives the Ravens a C:

The Ravens needed a quarterback and probably overextended for Flacco. New head coach John Harbaugh didn't forget his special teams roots when he drafted safeties Zbikowski and Nakamura and WR Smith.

Mark Maske of The Washington Post says he didn't like the Ravens' draft:

Joe Flacco might end up being the answer at quarterback. He might end up being well worth the 18th pick in the draft. But at the moment the Ravens drafted him, they didn't need to use the 18th pick to get a quarterback of Flacco's draft-day value. They could have stayed put at 26th after trading down and, if Flacco was gone, taken Brian Brohm.

Tony Moss of The Sports Network gives the Ravens a C+:

Flacco was a bit of a reach and doesn't look to be game-ready, but Baltimore obviously rated him above of the likes of Brian Brohm and Chad Henne. Rice was drafted in order to take pressure off of Willis McGahee, and will have to prove he can withstand an NFL pounding. Gooden and Zbikowski are not immediate defensive starters, but will contribute on special teams and get a chance to learn from the best. Cousins and Hale offer much-needed o-line depth. In all, the team drafted five skill players in an effort to create some competition for the flagging offense, and also added ex-Raiders first-round corner Fabian Washington via a trade, but the pass rush went begging.

Also, in case you missed them, I put together shorter media roundups for several of the Ravens' draft picks. Click here for those.

Now, on to the links:

ESPN.com's James Walker says the Ravens had to work hard to land Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco, but they made all the right moves:

It's hard to pick a bone with what the Ravens did today. They didn't overreact to try to get Ryan, and didn't panic when he was taken off the board. Instead, they were smart, swift and organized. Much of the team's success could rest on the shoulders of Flacco next season. The Ravens are a veteran-laden team, but based on the production of previous signal-callers, Flacco has as good a chance as any rookie to win a starting quarterback job in 2008. 

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. gives the Ravens a B+ for the '08 draft:

The Ravens wanted Matt Ryan, but Joe Flacco was the next-best quarterback in this draft. The Ravens made a great deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars that got them three additional picks. They also traded down and still were able to get running back Ray Rice in the second round. The Ravens need to start bringing in young linebackers and Miami's Tavares Gooden had a very good 2007 season. Tom Zbikowski is a good third-round choice, but only if his play resembles what he did in 2006 as opposed to 2007. Oniel Cousins is a versatile offensive lineman and WR Marcus Smith will help on special teams in kick coverage and as a returner. Safety Haruki Nakamura and RB Allen Patrick might have to make this roster by performing on special teams.

SI.com's Peter King says the Ravens offered their first-, second- and fourth-round picks for '08 and a third-rounder in '09 to the Rams for the No. 2 pick, but St. Louis declined. The Ravens would have been making the trade to select Boston College's Matt Ryan. King says the Ravens could have got the deal done had they sweetened the pot, but it didn't happen for two reasons:

One: New offensive coordinator Cam Cameron loves Ryan, but he also likes Flacco and [Chad] Henne, and he thinks Flacco might have the traits and the arm to be special. Two: New coach John Harbaugh wanted picks. He wanted an influx of talent for this first-year coaching staff to coach, and if they had to spend a mint to get Ryan, three or four of those bright prospects -- like second-round back Ray Rice -- would never have been Ravens today.

Last week, King wrote that the Ravens were targeting Chad Henne. He explains what he thinks might have happened:

I think the Ravens' draft, obviously, will ultimately be judged on whether Joe Flacco can play or not. And if you've been reading this site, you know I thought the Ravens' guy was Chad Henne, not Flacco. Someday, maybe I'll get the truth on that one, but I think it came down to the Ravens having an internal debate on whether to pick Henne or Flacco, and the offensive coordinator thought Flacco's upside was significantly better. I think he might struggle. The edge Henne had was that he played quarterback for four years as a starter at a big program, Michigan, and Baltimore is a team that needs a quarterback to play now. How will Flacco be more pro-ready than Henne? He won't be. It'll be an interesting experiment.

ESPN.com's Walker breaks down the draft for AFC North teams and says the Ravens had the most surprising move in the division by trading twice in the first round:

It was a good yet surprising series of moves by the Ravens, who were organized enough to pull it all off. "We had a game plan,'' Ravens director of college scouting Eric DeCosta told reporters in Baltimore. "We thought about this scenario for a long time. Joe was a player that we've had a chance to spend a lot of time around.''

ESPN.com's John Clayton names the Ravens one of his winners:

If you believe in Joe Flacco, the Ravens are winners. If you don't, well, they go in a different category. Steve McNair's retirement blindsided the Ravens, so they had to get a quarterback in the first two rounds. They feverishly tried to trade up for Matt Ryan, but he went to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 3. To get Flacco, the Ravens traded back with Jacksonville from No. 8 and then traded up with Houston to No. 18. Most people thought Henne was the Ravens' No. 2 quarterback option because general manager Ozzie Newsome doesn't draft small-college players (Flacco is only the second small-college player taken by Newsome in the first day of a draft). Flacco has a great arm, and the Ravens are a solid organization. They won't rush him onto the field.

SI.com's Dr. Z offers his take on the Ravens' draft:

They wanted Ryan. Falcons got him. So we'll take our ball and go home, said Ozzie Newsome, and he packed up and pulled out of the pick. And there he was heading for the second round, when hello there, Joe Flacco, the big guy with the laser arm, was still aboard. So at 18 he became a Raven. I don't think Kyle Boller's in trouble -- yet. The kid is still too raw, and wild. And at the draft room in New York a great cheer went up when the Ravens, with their second-round pick, selected Rutgers star halfback Ray Rice, the greatest player to wear the scarlet since the great Paul Robeson.

ESPN.com's Walker says Fabian Washington, who the Ravens acquired via trade from the Oakland Raiders, could improve in Baltimore:

Washington was an athletic former first-round pick in 2005 with blazing speed and will add depth to an aging secondary that includes Chris McAlister (30) and Samari Rolle (31). Washington, 24, struggled in Oakland and has some off-the-field problems he's dealing with as well. A change of scenery could help.

SI.com's Don Banks examines how likely each rookie quarterback is to play in 2008. Here's what he says about Flacco:

The Ravens will play Kyle Boller and/or Troy Smith early because they've said all along this spring that Flacco might need some time to acclimate to the NFL game. But a lot will depend on how comfortable Flacco looks in training camp. If he's solid and smooth in his execution, he's going to get a shot at some point in his rookie season.

Banks says the Ravens have had their eyes on Flacco for quite some time:

Though I bought some of the buzz surrounding Michigan quarterback Chad Henne and the Ravens in recent weeks, I knew that Baltimore has been high on Flacco since late last fall, when the Blue Hen quarterback started elevating himself into first-round consideration. Ravens scouts who saw Flacco play against nearby Towson State and Navy gushed about the kid's potential. New Baltimore offensive coordinator Cam Cameron "loves'' Flacco, a league source said Saturday, and thinks he has a chance to be special in the NFL. With a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback in Baltimore, the Ravens have the kind of fresh start that's going to generate some positive vibes the remainder of this offseason.

Banks says Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski will be a perfect fit in Baltimore:

Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski is a tough, hard-hitting player with a name that sounds just as tough and hard-hitting. So it's perfect that he wound up going to Baltimore in the third round, 86th overall. The Ravens defense is as physical as any in the league, and that swagger that they're known for is a big part of their persona. Zbikowski, who is also a boxer in his spare time, is going to fit right in with the mindset in Baltimore.

ESPN.com's Matt Mosley says Flacco has been compared to another AFC North quarterback:

As I've said before, Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and college scouting director Eric DeCosta see Flacco as a more athletic and accurate version of Derek Anderson. The organization drafted Anderson in the sixth round in 2005, but released him to make room for the great Kordell Stewart.

SI.com's King questions one part of Brian Billick's role during NFL Network's draft coverage:

I did see where the Network had Brian Billick talk about the "art of evaluating quarterbacks.'' Uh, isn't that the reason Billick is not the coach of the Ravens anymore? Because he didn't do a very good job of evaluating quarterbacks?

Michael Lombardi said Flacco is lucky to end up in Baltimore in an SI.com article:

Flacco is one lucky guy. He joins a team dominated by defense and gets an offensive coordinator in Cam Cameron who has a history of developing quarterbacks. Cameron will try and speed up Flacco's game, getting him to make quicker decisions and get the ball out of his hands. The Ravens are already used to winning games with a running game and their defense, so Flacco won't be rushed along.

That's it for this post, but there are plenty more opinions out there. Check back for the rest in the next 24 hours.