As we continue to count down the days to the 2015 NFL Draft, which begins at the end of this month, we will continue to provide a daily roundup of news and discussion about the goings on around the AFC North, both for the Pittsburgh Steelers and for their three chief rivals.
Yesterday, the Baltimore Ravens provided some interesting reading pieces on their website in relation to team own Steve Bisciotti and what he revealed recently during a conference call with PSL holders last week.
During the press conference, Bisciotti described his role as an intermediary between his head coach and his general manager, but said that he has never had to serve as a tie-breaker, so to speak, between them in their seven years of a working relationship. It may take a day, or a week, he said, but the two have always managed to work out their philosophical or practical differences.
Bisciotti talked about his love of the offseason and of roster building, of weighing the financial stakes of each move, and how he loves the draft process and the ambiguity it entails, waiting to see if it all pans out.
In another article on the team’s website, Bisciotti talked about his fondness for the defensive side of the ball, which is certainly a perspective that Steelers fans can relate to. For the owner, it is the defense that keeps the energy level up in the stadium on game days. The defensive impact is what creates the true home field advantage.
In other Ravens news, the team has reportedly scheduled a visit for draft prospect cornerback Tray Walker. He was not invited to the Combine, but has several visits lined up in spite of that, drawing attention leading up to the draft.
I recently wrote about the Cincinnati Bengals bringing in former Raiders wide receiver Denarius Moore for a visit, and yesterday the team agreed to terms with the free agent. Moore is reunited with Hue Jackson, who was the Raiders’ head coach recently with the receiver there. Jackson is now the Bengals’ offensive coordinator.
Moore will not be expected to make a dramatic impact, of course, as the Bengals are not hurting at wide receiver, even though he caught over 140 passes in his four seasons in Oakland. Moore is a depth signing, and perhaps solid depth.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns have been forced to face many questions regarding their recent first-round draft picks. Up yesterday was cornerback Justin Gilbert. On the second-year player, his defensive coordinator, Jim O’Neil, said that he is optimistic after getting a year under his belt, adding that he believes expectations for first-year corners are a lot higher than they should be. Nevertheless, the Browns added a starter in free agency at the position.
On the Steelers, Jerome Bettis recently talked about the impact that the song “Renegade” has had on the team since they began using it to fire up the audience and players. An article about that will be up in a bit.
