The Sports Xchange

If a survey of the football staff at The Sports Xchange is any indication, watch for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens to wage a tough, tight fight for the AFC North championship this year.

The Steelers edge the Ravens in this poll with the Cincinnati Bengals finishing third and even getting a first-place vote. The Cleveland Browns were a unanimous pick to finish last.

Here is a closer look at the AFC North division for 2015, listed in order of projected finish by The Sports Xchange.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

2015 TSX DIVISIONAL PICK: 1st

2014 RECORD: 11-6

DIVISIONAL RECORD: 4-2

COACH: Mike Tomlin

9th season as Steelers/NFL head coach

87-50 overall; 5-4 postseason

Strength of schedule:

Overall .578; Division .573; Non-Division .581

–TEAM STRENGTH: Receiver. Despite the impending four-game suspension to Martavis Bryant, the Steelers believe their three receivers can match up with anyone, while adding a fourth threat with tight end Heath Miller. Antonio Brown is an All-Pro who led the league in receiving. Bryant is a deadly deep threat, as he proved some more in the preseason, especially in the fourth game when he caught three passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. Marcus Wheaton broke out last year and should have an even better season.

–BIGGEST CONCERN: Cornerback. The Steelers are afraid they do not have enough on the corner, even after they acquired veteran Brandon Boykin from the Eagles in a trade this summer. Starter William Gay should be playing in the slot. Cortez Allen, who received a five-year, $26-million contract from the Steelers a year ago, has been a failure and appears he will continue to be. Second-round pick Senquez Golson came to camp with a shoulder injury that prompted surgery and will keep him out all season.

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Ben Roethlisberger. Backups — Mike Vick, Landry Jones.

Roethlisberger, coming off his best season at 34, is in his prime with a full complement of weapons around him. Vick replaced Bruce Gradkowski, who went on injured reserve because of hand and shoulder injuries. Jones had the best of his three preseasons but remains No. 3.

RUNNING BACKS: Starters — DeAngelo Williams, FB Will Johnson). Backups — Dri Archer, FB Roosevelt Nix, Jordan Todman. Others: Le’Veon Bell (starter, suspended 2 games).

Bell, an All-Pro and AFC leading rusher in his second season, has been suspended the first two games. He is an every-down back who caught a Steelers-record 83 passes in 2014. Veteran Williams signed as a free agent to back him up and start in his absence, and looked good in the preseason. Archer did little as a rookie. Johnson also can play tight end. Todman signed late and he or Nix will go to make room for Bell.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter — Heath Miller. Backups — Matt Spaeth, Jesse James.

Miller, 32, is still a good two-way player who had 66 receptions last season. Spaeth remains No. 2. James had a so-so rookie preseason with several drops.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton. Backups — Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Tyler Murphy. Others: Martavis Bryant (backup, suspended 4 games).

All-Pro Brown has become one of the best receivers in the league and keeps getting better. Wheaton will move into the slot when the Steelers use three wide receivers, with Heyward-Bey moving to the outside until Bryant returns. Coates had a disappointing preseason and camp, and won’t play much. Murphy, a quarterback at Boston College last year, quickly showed he could be a natural as a receiver.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Kelvin Beachum, LG Ramon Foster, C Cody Wallace, RG David DeCastro, RT Marcus Gilbert. Backups — G/C Chris Hubbard, T Alejandro Villanueva, G/C Doug Legursky. Others: C Maurkice Pouncey (starter, IR/designated for return), T Mike Adams (backup, PUP).

This was to be one of the Steelers’ best offensive lines in years before Pouncey went to the designated for return injured reserve list because of a broken fibula. Wallace is a capable replacement but cannot do what Pouncey does, which will limit them somewhat. DeCastro should be the Steelers’ next Pro Bowler. The undersized Beachum is underrated. Gilbert got the big contract last year. Foster is a road-grader. Legursky, who broke in with the Steelers, was re-signed as Wallace’s backup.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — RE Cam Heyward, LE Stephon Tuitt, NT Steve McLendon. Backups — NT Daniel McCullers, DE/NT Cam Thomas, DE L.T. Walton, DE Caushaud Lyons.

Heyward and Tuitt give the Steelers an excellent 1-2 punch at end, but their depth at that position is so woeful that they signed Lyons after the Bucs released the undrafted rookie. McLendon, a two-year starter, did not get the competition they were expecting to see from second-year pro McCullers.

LINEBACKERS: Starters — LOLB Arthur Moats, ILB Ryan Shazier, ILB Lawrence Timmons, ROLB Jarvis Jones. Backups — OLB James Harrison, OLB Bud Dupree, ILB Sean Spence, ILB Vince Williams, ILB Terence Garvin.

Timmons made the Pro Bowl and is the veteran leader of the pack. The development of Shazier and Jones, both No. 1 picks, will tell how well this group performs. Shazier had an excellent preseason, but Jones remains an unknown as he enters his third season. Moats will start, but Dupree will work in on the left side with him. Harrison still can get it done at 37 but they want to limit his snaps. Spence and Williams are top-notch backups who played a whole lot in 2014. Garvin is mostly special teams.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB Antwon Blake, RCB William Gay, FS Mike Mitchell, SS Will Allen. Backups — CB Brandon Boykin, CB Cortez Allen, S Shamarko Thomas, S Ross Ventrone, S Robert Golden, CB Ross Cockrell.

The secondary is one big mess, so much so that the man they drafted to ultimately replace Troy Polamalu at strong safety, Thomas, will not start the season there nor play as the No. 3 safety. Old vet Will Allen was deemed more dependable. Cortez Allen also has been benched at cornerback, much earlier than last season — after signing a big contract last September and losing his job by October. He too did not have a good preseason and might not start for long and they are going with the unheralded Blake. Mitchell played through injuries last season and did not play much in the preseason. Gay has been their strongest corner for a couple of years. Blake came on strong in the second half of 2014 and might be their No. 3 corner ahead of Boykin, who was acquired in a trade with the Eagles this summer.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Josh Scobee, P Jordan Berry, LS Greg Warren, KOR Dri Archer, PR Antonio Brown.

The dependable vet Scobee was acquired from Jacksonville for a sixth-round pick after Shaun Suisham (ACL) and Garrett Hartley (hamstring) went on injured reserve with preseason injuries. Berry beat out fellow Australian Brad Wing, who was traded to the Giants for a seventh-round pick. Warren enters his 11th season with the Steelers as the perfect long snapper. Archer will get another chance to return kicks, at which he failed miserably as a rookie. Brown has been a Pro-Bowl punt returner, but the Steelers would like to us Archer there on occasion.

PRACTICE SQUAD: RB Dominique Brown, WR Isaiah Burse, LB Anthony Chickillo, S Jordan Dangerfield, T Matt Feiler, LB L.J. Fort, CB Doran Grant, TE Xavier Grimble, C/G Barrett Jones, WR Shakim Phillips, RB Fitzgerald Toussiant.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

2015 TSX DIVISIONAL PICK: 2nd

2014 RECORD: 11-7

DIVISIONAL RECORD: 3-3

COACH: John Harbaugh

8th season as Ravens/NFL head coach

82-45 overall; 10-5 postseason

Strength of schedule:

Baltimore: Overall .539; Division; .594; Non-Division .506.

–TEAM STRENGTH: Entering training camp, the Ravens’ offensive line was supposed to be the strength of the team. However, that unit has battled injuries most of camp. The Ravens linebackers, however, remain one of the fiercest units in the NFL.

Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs is the leader of the unit and is entering his 13th season. Suggs has made the Pro Bowl six times and was the NFL’s 2011 Defensive Player of the Year. He took some criticism for appearing to be a bit overweight in the June OTAs, but has been solid throughout training camp and will be a force again.

Inside linebacker C.J. Mosley, a first round draft pick last season, started 16 games and made the Pro Bowl. He finished with 133 tackles, eight pass deflections, three sacks, two pass interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. The other inside linebacker, Daryl Smith, provides a veteran presence and had 128 tackles, eight pass deflections, one sack, one interception, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery last season. Za’Darius Smith, a fourth round pick out of Kentucky, has been solid and will push for playing time.

“We definitely have some high expectations of making it back to the playoffs, but not just that,” Suggs said. “We’ve got some other things in mind, but I won’t share it with you, because that definitely makes us some targets. We always want to keep ascending. You always want to do better than you did in your previous year, and hopefully, we can get some home playoff games this year.”

–BIGGEST CONCERN: The Ravens wanted to give quarterback Joe Flacco more weapons this season. However, it is still not clear whether they have accomplished that goal.

First round draft pick Breshad Perriman is supposed to be the team’s primary downfield threat. However, he was injured the first day of training camp and has not played since. Steve Smith is a proven commodity, but he appeared to wear down near the end of last season. At age 36, there are fears that could happen again. Kamar Aiken appears to have earned the starting spot opposite Smith. He appeared in 16 games last season and had 24 receptions for 267 yards with three touchdowns. Marlon Brown also had a solid camp, but he has never been a featured receiver. Brown came to Baltimore as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and caught seven touchdowns that season — tying a franchise record for rookies. Darren Waller, a rookie out of Georgia Tech, has impressed coaches with his ability to make plays, but he is unproven. Second-year player Jeremy Butler also is battling for playing time. Michael Campanaro has struggled to stay healthy. Outside of Smith, none of these receivers will initially strike fear into opposing cornerbacks.

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Joe Flacco. Backup — Matt Schaub.

Baltimore will open its sixth straight season with just two quarterbacks. Flacco has yet to miss a start his entire career, and the front office is sold on Schaub being a viable backup. Flacco, however, is playing for his fourth offensive coordinator in four years.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter — Justin Forsett. Backups — Lorenzo Taliaferro, Javorius “Buck” Allen, Terrence Magee, FB Kyle Juszczyk.

Forsett is coming off a year in which he had career highs in carries (235), rushing yards (1,266) and touchdowns (8). He also caught 44 passes for 263 yards and made the Pro Bowl. The Ravens will need to lean on Forsett because Taliaferro is likely to miss the season opener with a knee sprain and Allen, a fourth-round pick out of USC, had an uneven training camp.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter — Crockett Gillmore. Backups — Maxx Williams, Nick Boyle.

Gillmore, a second-year player out of Colorado State, was initially used as a blocker last year, but caught more passes when Dennis Pitta went down with a season-ending hip injury. Gillmore, who is 6-feet-6, 270 pounds, has played an even bigger role this preseason as a pass-catcher. Williams, a second-round pick out of Minnesota, had an injury-riddled training camp. Boyle has limited experience.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Steve Smith Jr., Kamar Aiken. Backups — Marlon Brown, Michael Campanaro, Breshad Perriman, Darren Waller.

The Ravens were counting on Perriman to provide a downfield threat but he injured his knee the first day of training camp and never returned. Smith is Flacco’s go-to guy, but he is 36 years old and appeared to wear down at the end of last season. Aiken will look to take advantage of his opportunity as the starter.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Eugene Monroe, LG Kelechi Osemele, C Jeremy Zuttah, RG Marshal Yanda, RT Rick Wagner. Backups – T James Hurst, G/C John Urschel, C Ryan Jensen.

This group is supposed to be the strength of the team by returning every starter from last season. However, they dealt with numerous nagging injuries throughout training camp.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — DLE Chris Canty, DT Timmy Jernigan, NT Brandon Williams. Backups – DE Lawrence Guy, DT Carl Davis, DT Christo Bilukidi, DE Kapron Lewis-Moore. Others: DE Brent Urban (backup, IR/designated for return).

The Ravens have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 20 consecutive games — best in the NFL. This unit is looking to maintain that tradition and should be solid in all phases of the game.

LINEBACKERS: Starters — WLB Daryl Smith, MLB C.J. Mosley, SLB Terrell Suggs, SLB Courtney Upshaw. Backups – ILB Zachary Orr, ILB Albert McClellan, OLB Elvis Dumervil, OLB Za’Darius Smith.

Suggs leads a talented unit that includes Mosley, who made the Pro Bowl last season as a rookie. Smith provides a veteran presence and Dumervil is still one of the elite pass rushers in the league.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB Lardarius Webb, RCB Jimmy Smith, FS Kendrick Lewis, SS Will Hill. Backups – CB Kyle Arrington, CB Rashaan Melvin, S Terrence Brooks, S Anthony Levine.

The Ravens were forced to revamp the secondary after the group was decimated by injuries last season. Lewis was signed from Houston for a veteran presence and Arrington was signed just days after being released from New England to provide even more solid depth. He can play corner or safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Justin Tucker, P Sam Koch, LS Morgan Cox, KOR Lardarius Webb, PR Michael Campanaro.

Tucker has established himself as one of the premier kickers in the league. Koch is an established veteran. Webb has the potential to return kicks, but the Ravens will likely search the waiver wire for other options. Campanaro is effective when he can stay healthy.

PRACTICE SQUAD: LB Brennen Beyer, WR Daniel Brown, WR Jeremy Butler, CB Charles James, G Kaleb Johnson, TE Dominique Jones, S Nick Perry, QB Bryn Renner, WR Jeremy Ross, G/T De’Ondre Wesley.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

2015 TSX DIVISIONAL PICK: 3rd

2014 RECORD: 10-6-1

DIVISIONAL RECORD: 3-3

COACH: Marvin Lewis

13th season as Bengals/NFL head coach

100-96-2 overall; 0-6 postseason

Strength of schedule

Overall .563; Division, .583 Non-Division .550.

TEAM STRENGTH: The Bengals are loaded with options on the defensive line, so depth there isn’t a question. The return of Michael Johnson and Pat Sims gave the unit a nice jolt this offseason, and Geno Atkins, who spent last year playing his way back from major knee surgery, seems to have returned to form. Some solid players probably will be crowded out of this group.

BIGGEST CONCERN: Fans want to know if quarterback Andy Dalton can carry this team to its first playoff victory since 1990, but he’s at least done enough to get the Bengals there the last four years. The fact that he was booed during a celebrity softball game — for charity — doesn’t exude a lot of confidence in him, but the bigger question in the immediate future is how strong the Bengals will be in their coverage on kick returns. One key player lost in that area was Taylor Mays, who now is with Oakland.

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Andy Dalton. Backup — AJ McCarron.

Dalton has been good enough to get the Bengals to the playoffs, but so far nothing more. In four postseason appearances, he has thrown one touchdown and six interceptions. McCarron had a strong preseason but still needs to work on his decision-making and likely won’t replace Dalton any time soon considering the money the Bengals are now paying him.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter — Jeremy Hill. Backups — Giovani Bernard, Cedric Peerman, Rex Burkhead.

This unit will be as good as the coaches allow it to be. Hill is ready to take the reins, while Bernard switches to more of a change of pace/third-down role he’s better suited for, but having both gives the Bengals a good one-two punch for the running game Hue Jackson loves.

TIGHT ENDS: Starters — Tyler Eifert, Ryan Hewitt. Backups — C.J. Uzomah, Tyler Kroft.

The Bengals sure missed Eifert last year after he went down for the season in the opener. He looked every bit as good as he showed potential for in his rookie 2013 season and should be Dalton’s No. 2 passing option – a nice target up the middle.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu. Backups — Brandon Tate, Marvin Jones, Greg Little, Mario Alford.

The “Big Three” of Green, Sanu and Jones are solid, but Tate and Little still have much to prove to win over fans. Alford, though not a big target, has tons of speed but has much to learn in an offense much more elaborate than what he was accustomed to at West Virginia.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Andrew Whitworth, LG Clint Boling, C Russell Bodine, RG Kevin Keitler, RT Andre Smith. Backups — LT Jake Fisher, C T.J. Johnson, RT Eric Winston. Others: T Cedric Ogbuehi (backup, NFI).

The unit, though Ogbuehi is yet to join it, has more depth than last year, but Bodine continues to be the biggest question. He struggled in the preseason and doesn’t seem to have improved in his ability to efficiently snap the ball. Smith needs to improve in pass protection but is a solid run blocker.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LDE Carlos Dunlap, NT Domata Peko, DT Geno Atkins, RDE Michael Johnson. Backups — LDE Margus Hunt, NT Pat Sims, DT Brandon Thompson, DT Marcus Hardison, RDE Wallace Gilberry, RDE Will Clarke.

This is where the Bengals saw the most competition in camp, and it’s a deep group. It’s even better if Atkins is “back” like the Bengals believe he is.

LINEBACKERS: Starters — SLB A.J. Hawk, MLB Rey Maualuga, WLB Vincent Rey. Backups — SLB Emmanuel Lamur, SLB Chris Carter, WLB P.J. Dawson. Others: WLB Vontaze Burfict (starter, PUP), WLB Sean Porter (backup, PUP).

A unit depleted by injury, it’s the biggest weakness of the defense. Hawk brings some veteran experience but needs to prove he can still be the guy that was such a big part of the Packers’ defense not so long ago. The Bengals anxiously await the return of 2013 Pro Bowler Burfict, who missed all the preseason while still coming back from his 2014 knee injury.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB Dre Kirkpatrick, RCB Adam Jones, SS George Iloka, FS Reggie Nelson. Backups — LCB Darqueze Dennard, LCB Josh Shaw, RCB Leon Hall, RCB Chris Lewis-Harris, SS Derron Smith, FS Shawn Williams.

There is a lot of buzz surrounding the Bengals secondary, as it has the potential to be one of the best in the league. Solid top to bottom, Cincinnati’s pass defense ranked 13th last year but was fourth in the preseason – if that means anything — after allowing just 154.0 yards per game.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Mike Nugent, P Kevin Huber, LS Clark Harris, KOR Brandon Tate, KOR Adam Jones, KOR Mario Alford, PR Adam Jones, PR Brandon Tate, PR Giovani Bernard, PR Mario Alford.

With Bernard’s carries expected to drop some with the emergence of Hill, he could be used more in the return game. The Bengals are comfortable with Tate and Jones but Alford’s speed could make him an interesting option as well. Nugent closed his 2014 season on a career-best kick and looks to build on that in 2015.

PRACTICE SQUAD: G Dan France, CB Troy Hill, G Trey Hopkins, WR Jame Kumerow, TE Matt Lengel, LB Trevor Roach, RB Terrell Watson, QB Keith Wenning, RB James Wilder, Jr., DT DeShawn Williams.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

2015 TSX DIVISIONAL PICK: 4th

2014 RECORD: 7-9

DIVISIONAL RECORD: 2-4

COACH: Mike Pettine

2nd season as Browns/NFL head coach

7-9 overall

Strength of schedule:

Overall .543; Division .656; Non-Division .475

–TEAM STRENGTH: The offensive line is the best unit on either side of the ball, as it should be considering the investment made there. Left tackle Joe Thomas and center Alex Mack were first-round draft picks. Left guard Joel Bitonio and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz were high second-round picks. The Browns last season learned a valuable lesson about depth on the offensive line when Mack missed the last 11 games because of a broken leg. Even if rookie Cameron Erving, another first-round pick, does not start at right guard, as it appears he won’t, he is valuable because he can play left tackle, right guard or center.

–BIGGEST CONCERN: Will quarterback Josh McCown play as well in the regular season as he has for most of the preseason and training camp? It would be one of the greatest stories of the season if a quarterback with a 17-32 lifetime record as a starter turns out to be a late bloomer at age 36. He has had one winning season in his career, and that was 3-2 with the Bears in 2013.

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACKS: Starter – Josh McCown. Backups – Johnny Manziel, Austin Davis.

McCown’s longest pass completion from the three games in which he played was 16 yards. He will not be asked to throw deep often in the scheme of offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, but he does have the arm to throw long. He is a “fresh” 36 with only 39 career starts and can escape the pass rush. Manziel missed the last two preseason games with an elbow injury but threw the ball in practice Monday and is confident he will be ready for the opener on Sept. 13 vs. the Jets. Davis is insurance in case Manziel’s elbow flares up and starter McCown is injured.

RUNNING BACKS: Starters — Isaiah Crowell, FB Malcolm Johnson. Backup — Duke Johnson. Others: RB Glenn Winston (backup, NFI).

The Browns traded second-year running back Terrance West to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, leaving Crowell as the only healthy running back on the 53-man roster. Crowell is more consistent, powerful and decisive running between the tackles. Duke Johnson is in the NFL concussion protocol system after being injured on Aug. 29 against Tampa Bay. Malcolm Johnson is a solid blocker and can catch swing passes and turn upfield.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter — Gary Barnidge. Backups — Jim Dray, Rob Housler, E.J. Bibbs. Others: TE Randall Telfer (backup, NFI).

Head coach Mike Pettine says Barnidge is underrated as an NFL starter. Barnidge was primarily a blocker when he was signed by the Browns two years ago. He has evolved into a reliable receiver with a talent for getting open. Dray will be the blocking tight end, but can also catch the ball. He will not be type-cast as a blocker only. Bibbs is a developmental player. Housler might not be on the team long if the Browns decide to add another running back. Housler had too many drops in the preseason to be considered reliable.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Andrew Hawkins, Brian Hartline. Backups — Taylor Gabriel, Dwayne Bowe, Travis Benjamin, Marlon Moore, Terrelle Pryor.

Scoring touchdowns through the air will be a challenge again. Last season, the Browns had an NFL-worst 12 touchdown receptions. Hawkins is faster than Hartline, but Hartline has deceptive speed and he does not drop the ball. He had only two touchdown catches with the Dolphins last year, which is two more than Bowe had with the Chiefs. Bowe, hampered by a hamstring injury, was rusty in the final two preseason games. Gabriel and Benjamin can both stretch the field. Pryor and Moore are projects and won’t see much playing time as wide receivers.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Joe Thomas, LG Joel Bitonio, C Alex Mack, RG John Greco, RT Mitchell Schwartz. Backups — C/G/T Cameron Erving, G/T Austin Pasztor.

The left side with Thomas and Bitonio is especially strong and Schwartz is underrated as a pass blocker. If Mack isn’t the best center in the league, he’s close to it. He is healthy again after missing the last 11 games of 2014 with a broken leg. Greco is a grinder. He gets a good push to start runs to the right side. Erving, a first-round rookie, is slotted as the backup right guard. He can also play left tackle and center. Pasztor started 20 games at right tackle for the Jaguars. He has also started three games at left guard.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LDE Desmond Bryant, NT Danny Shelton, RDE Randy Starks; Backups — LDE Xavier Cooper, NT Jamie Meder, RDE Armonty Bryant, DT John Hughes, DE Billy Winn.

This is by far the most improved unit on the Browns. Shelton takes on two blockers on running plays and can crush the pocket when the opponent passes. Starks has been strong against the run in preseason and Desmond Bryant will put on a strong rush from the left side. Cooper has to get better against the run, but his first step is quick. He will play on passing downs. Hughes is versatile enough to play inside when the Browns use a four-man line. He can also line up at end. Armonty Bryant will be used as a linebacker in some situations. Wynn was on the bubble. He drew two penalties in the final preseason game and has to play under more control.

LINEBACKERS: Starters — SLB Paul Kruger, MLB Karlos Dansby, ILB Craig Robertson, WLB Scott Solomon. Backups — OLB Barkevious Mingo, OLB Nate Orchard, ILB Christian Kirksey, ILB Tank Carder.

Kruger led the Browns with 11 sacks last season, rushing from the weak side most of the time. He will be used on both sides this year. Solomon started on the weak side in the preseason and so far has held off Orchard. Orchard’s best chance of playing time is on passing downs after making 18.5 sacks as a senior at Utah last year. Mingo is working his way back from knee surgery. Dansby, Robertson and Kirksey were second, third and fourth on the team in tackles last season. The hope is they will be even more active this year, with Shelton clearing traffic in front of them. Carder is primarily a special teams ace but he will be used in some blitz packages.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters – LCB Joe Haden, RCB Tramon Williams, FS Tashaun Gipson, SS Donte Whitner. Backups – RCB Justin Gilbert, LCB Pierre Desir, DB K’Waun Williams, S Jordan Poyer, S Ibraheim Campbell. Others: CB Charles Gaines (backup, IR/designated for return; CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (backup, NFI).

Haden is a confident corner who wants to be the best but still has trouble covering the Steelers’ Antonio Brown. Tramon Williams easily beat out Gilbert to start at right cornerback and K’Waun Williams, healthy after missing most of the preseason with an oblique strain, will play nickel back. In some formations he will go to left corner and Haden will move inside. Gipson plays center field well, as his six picks from last season reflect. Whitner still hits hard and can make receivers take a detour on their routes to avoid being hit. Poyer and Campbell will see most of their action on special teams if they aren’t on the inactive list.

SPECIALISTS: K Travis Coons, P Andy Lee, LS Charley Hughlett, KOR Marlon Moore, PR Travis Benjamin.

Coons beat out Carey Spear in a battle of first-year kickers because he has a stronger leg. He made his only field-goal attempt of the preseason — a 41-yarder against the Bills. Lee, a four-time Pro Bowl player has not lost any distance. No one has noticed Hughlett because he hasn’t made any mistakes. Moore is listed as the kick returner, but the Browns want Duke Johnson to take that role once Johnson recovers from a concussion. Justin Gilbert can also return kicks. Benjamin returned a punt 53 yards against Tampa Bay on Aug. 29. He is finally all the way back from a 2013 knee injury.

PRACTICE SQUAD: RB Shaun Draughn, C Garth Gerhart, CB Kendall James, WR Darius Jennings, T Erle Ladson, T Andrew McDonald, T Darrian Miller, LB Hayes Pullard III, DB De’Ante Saunders, DE Dylan Wynn.

–Correspondents covering each team for The Sports Xchange contributed material for this report.