AFC North: Season Opener Stuff and Things

Hey All;

The preseason’s over!  It’s finally time to hunker down and complete your fantasy drafts, squint at new names on rosters and lament the missing ones, and stock up on fatty foods and alcohol.

Half-grown prospects and other middling entities have been chopped in an effort to get down to the required 53 roster members, with no shortage of sleight-of-hand maneuvering for lightly-injured fellows on the cusp of returning to the field.

With the advent of the regular season, of course, there’s no shortage of opinions and predictions regarding the fate of each AFC North team.

So here’s some.  Enjoy.

Cleveland Browns

• Here’s the final 53-man roster.
• Whither Dillon Gabriel?  Seldom-used third rounder is retained.

Cincinnati Bengals

• Here’s the final 53-man roster.
• The Bengals are confident these injuries won’t linger.

Baltimore Ravens

• Here’s the final 53-man roster.
• This seldom-used formation could make a difference early in games.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Here’s the final 53-man roster.
• The Steelers quietly traded disappointing RB Kaleb Johnson to the Packers.
• CB Joey Porter Jr. speaks to his contract impasse and status for the opener.