As of March 12, here’s an inventory of player movements in the AFC North.
All free agents are unrestricted unless otherwise noted. An explanation of what went into this inventory–and what’s to come in future updates–is presented at the end of this article.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
PLAYERS LOST: DE Kapron Lewis-Moore (Jacksonville), WR Kenny Bell (Denver), T Dieugot Joseph (Minnesota), LB Darnell Sankey (Indianapolis)
PLAYERS SIGNED: S Bennett Jackson (New York Giants)
RE-SIGNED: G-T James Hurst, DE Brent Urban, QB Josh Woodrum, FB Ricky Ortiz, CB Robertson Daniel, RB John Crockett, T Steven Moore, CB Robert Nelson
STATUS UNRESOLVED: WR Quincy Adeboyejo (exclusive-rights), CB Brandon Boykin, G Luke Bowanko, WR-RS Michael Campanaro, RB Alex Collins (exclusive-rights), TE Crockett Gillmore, CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste (exclusive-rights), G-C Ryan Jensen, LB Steven Johnson, QB Ryan Mallett, TE Vince Mayle (exclusive-rights), LB Patrick Onwuasor (exclusive-rights), G Maurquice Shakir (exclusive-rights), G Matt Skura (exclusive-rights), RB Terrance West, TE Benjamin Watson, WR Mike Wallace, S Lardarius Webb
SUSPENDED: TE Darren Waller (one year – substance abuse)
RETIRED: None
CINCINNATI BENGALS
PLAYERS LOST: DT DeShawn Williams (Denver)
PLAYERS SIGNED: DT Chris Baker (Tampa Bay), T Bobby Hart (New York Giants)
RE-SIGNED: LB Carl Bradford, K Jonathan Brown, LB Connor Harris, T Javarius Leamon, G Oni Omoile, TE Scott Orndorff, G Kent Perkins, CB Sojourn Shelton, S Robinson Therezie, WR Kermit Whitfield
STATUS UNRESOLVED: C Russell Bodine, TE Tyler Eifert, RB Jeremy Hill, P Kevin Huber, CB Adam Jones, QB AJ McCarron, LB Kevin Minter, RB Cedric Peerman, DT Pat Sims, T Andre Smith, DL Chris Smith, T Eric Winston
SUSPENDED: None
RETIRED: None
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
PLAYERS LOST: RB Terrell Watson (New York Giants)
PLAYERS SIGNED: DE Casey Sayles (Los Angeles Rams)
RE-SIGNED: FB Roosevelt Nix, CB Mike Hilton, TE Xavier Grimble, S Jordan Dangerfield, CB Dashaun Phillips, LS Kameron Canady, DT Lavon Hooks, LB Keith Kelsey, WR Justin Thomas, WR Marcus Tucker, P Jordan Berry, T Matt Feller, C BJ Finney
STATUS UNRESOLVED: RB Le’Veon Bell (franchise tag), K Chris Boswell (restricted), LB Anthony Chickillo (restricted), C Kyle Friend, G Chris Hubbard, WR Justin Hunter, C Mike Matthews (exclusive-rights), DL Daniel McCullers, LB Arthur Moats, RB Stevan Ridley, WR Eli Rogers (restricted), LB Sean Spence, S Damion Stafford, RB Fitzgerald Touissant
SUSPENDED: None
RETIRED: None
CLEVELAND BROWNS
PLAYERS LOST: DT Danny Shelton (New England, via trade), QB Deshone Kizer (Green Bay, via trade), NT Ty McGill (Kansas City), T Laurence Gibson (New York Giants)
PLAYERS SIGNED: CB Patrick Peterson (Arizona, via trade), QB Tyrod Taylor (Buffalo, via trade), WR Jarvis Landry (Miami, via trade), CB Damarious Randall (Green Bay, via trade), LB Max Bullough (Houston), WR Larry Pinkard (Jacksonville), WR CJ Board (Tennessee), CB BW Webb (Chicago), DL Collin Bevans (Arizona), RB Kelvin Taylor (Atlanta)
RE-SIGNED: WR Kasen Williams, WR Bug Howard, LB Austin Calitro, S Trevon Hartfield, OL Victor Salako, RB Josh Rounds
STATUS UNRESOLVED: G Chris Barker (exclusive-rights), LB Tank Carder, RB Isaiah Crowell, DL LaVar Edwards, WR Josh Gordon (restricted), DB Jacob Hagen, WR Matt Hazel (exclusive-rights), QB Kevin Hogan (exclusive-rights), LB Josh Keyes (restricted), TE Matt Lengel (exclusive-rights), C Marcus Martin, DT Jamie Meder (restricted), C Austin Reiter (exclusive-rights), RB Dan Vitale (exclusive-rights)
SUSPENDED: None
RETIRED: None
EXPLANATION
This AFC North Division player movement chart is derived from Rotoworld.com’s list of players whose contracts expire when the league signing period begins March 14. The teams’ lists of unrestricted and restricted free agents are thought to be complete, but other roster moves involving lesser-known exclusive-rights free agents may not be reflected here. As transactions involving such players become known, they will be included.
Also, players that are released and become street free agents — the so-called “salary-cap dumps” — will be added to the lists as needed under the “status unresolved” heading.
Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents will be listed as having “re-signed” after receiving tender offers from their clubs, even though those tenders may not have been signed. A tender offer usually means a team is intent on keeping that player on its roster, although it is sometimes used to gauge interest from other clubs.
Draft picks, on most occasions, are commensurate with where the free agent in question was originally selected, and what a team can expect in return if it loses a restricted free agent. Or a team can perform an NBA-style sign-and-trade transaction, putting the restricted free agent’s name on a new contract and sending him to another club.
All tendered restricted and exclusive-rights free agents will be indicated as such. If any of those players depart for another team, his name will be moved from the “re-signed” classification to the “free agents lost” category.
The deadline for offer sheets to be signed by restricted free agents on other teams is April 20. Once an offer sheet is signed, the player’s old club has seven days to match the offer or the offering club immediately assumes his rights.
Players will sometimes change teams because they were placed on waivers and signed by other teams. Those moves are also reflected here because any unattached player with NFL experience is, technically, a free agent. Several transactions of that type took place before the league year and free-agent signing period began.
Players lost or acquired via trades will also be noted as such.
