AFC North Training Camp Breakdown: One STAR and one CUT for each team | CBS Sports

The AFC North ended up being a division that featured each team with a winning record. Bengals were the only one who didn't make the playoffs at nine and eight this year. Pittsburgh and Cleveland have the lowest win totals in the division, each coming in at eight and a half apiece. Time now for a segment we're calling Star and Cut, and we have our NFL analyst Ryan Wilson joining us here. So if we start with the Ravens Ryan give me a star and cut for Baltimore. Hey Tom good to see you. Happy Friday. Let's start with their first round pick Nate Wiggins out of Clemson. He's slight of frame in the one 70s when he came out of school. But he ran in the four twos. And he ran in the four twos Tommy well after pulling his groin. That gives you an idea how fast he is. That translated directly to the field in week one of the preseason and he balled out. He is one of the most physical corners in this draft class. And we saw that in that week one performance against the Eagles. The issue is he got banged up making a tackle coming downhill. And that was one of the concerns coming out because of that slight frame. But man the ball skills, the physicality, the way he moves. You see him opening up here that receivers outweighs him by 2,030 pounds. You wouldn't know it to watch that play. So when he's healthy he feels like exactly what the Ravens look for in their defensive backs. Historically, if you told me he played with the Ray Lewis Ravens, that would make sense. So he's been a ton of fun to watch in terms of a guy who's he's not going to get cut. Tommy. But I just wish we'd seen more from him in terms of staying healthy. And that's DeVante Walker, Tez Walker out of USC. He was Drake Mays big play threat when he was eligible last year. He is long. He is fast. He's more of a straight line speed guy. But the concern is he's battled injuries and he's buried on the depth chart. He'll probably make the roster. In fact, I'm almost certain he will. Is a fourth round pick. Hopefully he gets healthy. Hopefully he gets a little more in terms of reps in the coming weeks and can contribute at some point. We just haven't seen it yet. Quite interesting, sort of his draft process journey to which you know very well, people were so high on him, low on him. And now what we're seeing right now, it's interesting that you bring him up here in terms of training camp and the preseason ahead of week one. All right. So that's done with the Ravens. How about the Bengals. All right. Let's go to Cincinnati. And let's start with a star out of the Ivy League. Out of the Ivy League Tommy. Because honestly, the Ivy League doesn't get enough rep when it comes to NFL football. Andre yeshivas, out of, he was a day three pick last year. I believe. Had a really good Senior Bowl, fits and starts as a rookie. But that's okay when you're behind Jamaar Chase and Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, he's going to have more of an opportunity now, in part because Jamaar hasn't played a lot. So more reps for everyone else, but also because we're seeing the athleticism. He was heptathlon coming out of high school and in college, and you see that athleticism on the field here. You saw it at the Senior Bowl. Obviously you saw it against FCS competition and he's flashed some during training camp in the preseason. And he has an opportunity to be a legit number three for Joe Burrow. Once Joe Burrow is finally allowed to play some football, which we'll see here in a couple of weeks. In terms of a guy who's in danger of getting cut. And this is one of my favorite tight ends in the draft class last year, Tommy Tanner McLaughlin out of Arizona. The issue is he's battled injuries as well. And the other issue is they drafted another tight end ahead of him out of Iowa, Eric Hall. And they have four tight ends ahead of him on the depth chart. Now I don't think there's a scenario where they keep five. He is a sixth round pick that I mentioned. Maybe they tried to stash him on the practice squad, but I think there are going to be a lot of teams interested in him because of his athleticism, because of his playmaking ability in the middle of the field, which he flashed all throughout last year. So that's a name to keep an eye on. Tommy as we get down the stretch here. As the Bengals try to sort out their final 53, no doubt that's a tight end. I would say a tight end, crowded tight end group say that three times fast. They're headlined by Mike Gesicki all right two down two to go. Let's go with the Cleveland Browns next. All right. This is you know Hope isn't a plan I'm hoping this works out because I love me some Jerry Judy coming out of Alabama. Clearly it did not work out for whatever reason in Denver. He's been a little banged up since OTAs. He admitted as much the other day in an interview, so he may get a chance to see him in the final preseason games here. That would be a nice start. More importantly, let's see him during the regular season and see him bring back some of the things we saw at Tuscaloosa, where he was dominant on on a team that involved Jaylen Waddle. Of course, and my guy Mac Jones. I think Jerry Jeudy has a chance to reinvent himself here in Cleveland. The quarterback situation has to sort itself out. But you have Amari Cooper, you have Elijah Moore. You have David Njoku. This offense could secretly be really good with the skill position players. The offensive line also has some things health wise they need to get fixed. But if Deshaun Watson looks like he did any form at Houston, I think Jerry Judy can have a big year in terms of cuts. It may be a better word is trade. Tommy, let's talk about Dorian Thompson-robinson, the former day three draft pick out of UCLA had a great preseason last year as a rookie. Had to start some games with all the injuries at the quarterback position. There's been conversations that he could be dealt before the start of the regular season. He's played well again. D.t.r has during the preseason. He's battling Tyler Huntley for the QB three job behind Jameis, and I think if they're not able to trade him, maybe he sneaks in ahead of Tyler. I think he's had a better preseason, but don't be surprised if D.t.r gets traded before the regular season starts. You're right about D.t.r. He flashed last year in preseason, thought to be the guy that could help out when Deshaun Watson was hurt. When it was all said and done, we know Joe Flacco came to the rescue for Cleveland. Then lastly, your beloved Steelers Pittsburgh. What do you got. We're taking a deep cut here Tommy. I haven't done all the times I've talked about star or cut. I've never once mentioned the center. I have to mention the center here for the Steelers, their second round pick, the rookie Zach Frazier out of West Virginia. They're in a bad way. Nate Herbig is hurt. Who was the center one. He was battling to keep that job. Zach Frazier was going to eventually win it at some point. The matter was win. Well, now is the time. So he's going to have to play day one and center can either decide a season or torpedo one. Marquis Pouncey started as a center, and he was instrumental to what those Steelers teams did back in the day. And they've had some bumps and bruises in the post. Marquis Pouncey world. So Zach Frazier is going to have to get started right away. And you see a right tackle. Another rookie. Their first round pick Troy Felton who's going to start. So a lot of questions need to be answered early. A question in terms of struggling to make the roster as a cut could be wide receiver Quez Watkins, Watkins, excuse me. And we've heard the conversations coming to Pittsburgh. Whether he is or isn't right now, he's still stuck in Northern California. We'll see how that works out. We know they have in George Pickens. They drafted Roman Wilson out of Michigan in the third round. And the battle for the wide receiver for job was wide open. Quez wasn't able to take advantage of it. He fumbled a snap in preseason week one. He's had some drops issues throughout his career. I think he could be on the outside looking in. Tommy by the time it's all said and done. That is your look at the AFC North with the training camp star and cut with Ryan Wilson. Certainly appreciate it. As we take a look at the odds to win the division. I had told you that both Cleveland and Pittsburgh had eight and a half win totals. Ravens and Bengals each have ten and a half, and right now Baltimore is the