Who will be the best running back in the AFC North in 2012?

The AFC North has to be one of the toughest divisions in the NFL today. During the 2011 season it was the only division in the NFL to have three teams make the playoffs. Not only that but all four teams in this smash-mouth division ended the season with top ten ranked defenses.

As the 2012 season approaches, we here at the AFC North Report will be examining all four teams in key positions. In this article we are looking at the running game. Which team has the best starting running back?

Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice

Ray Rice has become a premier running back in the NFL. He replaced a Baltimore legend in Jamal Lewis and has proven he can carry the load for the Ravens. During the 2011 season Rice rushed for over 1,300 yards with 12 TD’s and over 4,300 yards and 29 total touchdowns in just four seasons. He has earned Pro-Bowl honors twice already in his young career and has literally carried the Ravens through some tough games. All-in-all he has done well for a 2nd round selection out of Rutgers in the 2008 NFL Draft.

The 2012 offseason has been a point of contention between the Ravens and their All-Pro back. The Ravens and Rice were not able to come to terms on a new contract. The Ravens applied the franchise tag to Rice, but he still has yet to sign that tender. He has not attended the Ravens’ OTA’s and is expected to hold out until a deal is reached.

There is little doubt that by the start of the season Rice will be in the fold for Baltimore. The biggest fear for Ravens’ fans is that a delayed hold-out could affect his game like it did with the Titans main offensive threat running back Chris Johnson. Last season Johnson held out through most of the preseason until a deal was reached. Johnson then proceeded to have his worst year as a pro. It wasn’t until the end of 2011 that CJ2K resembled the premier back which he is known to be. However Rice has maintained he has stayed in shape and will be ready to go once an agreement is reached.

Cincinnati Bengals: BenJarvis Green-Ellis

Last season the Bengals featured Cedric Benson in the backfield and received a solid year from him. But the team decided to part ways with the aging running back in favor of signing former New England Patriot BenJarvis Green-Ellis. Out of the four teams in the AFC North the Bengals are more than likely to run a back-by-committee rushing attack. They are hoping that Green-Ellis is Benson’s successor but the stats do not back this up.

Green-Ellis played in a pass heavy Patriots offense which did not rely much on the running game. His best season statistically came in 2010 when he barely topped a 1,000 yards rushing. It is possible that a more balanced offense like the one run by Marvin Lewis could give Green-Ellis the opportunity to prove himself, however the bottom line is despite being a four year pro, he is an unknown element. The question for the Bengals will be if Green-Ellis is a feature back.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Isaac Redman

Out of the teams in the AFC North the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the most vulnerable position in terms of the running game. Pittsburgh has most likely lost their feature back Rashard Mendenhall due to an ACL tear which occurred at the end of last season. The Steelers were unable to pursue any veteran running back during free agency due to a bloated roster salary. They even have yet to resign WR Mike Wallace to a contract which remains the storyline for Pittsburgh’s offseason. So to that end, the likely running back that will step in for Mendenhall and the Steelers will be 3rd year back Isaac Redman. Redman has had very few opportunities in his two full seasons in the league to this point totaling just a little over 700 yards for his career.

But if there is a golden opportunity for him to take advantage of it will be this one. Not only will the Steelers look to rely on him to be the starter at running back, but he has the opportunity to do so behind a well-upgraded offensive line. With the Drafting of David DeCastro and Mike Adams to the offensive line the Steelers may have built an offensive line that could play together for a long time to come. Pittsburgh felt it was necessary to do so considering that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been beaten up in recent years, but the aging quarterback also holds onto the ball longer than any other quarterback in the league. Given this upgrade Redman could take advantage becoming one of the big surprises in 2012.

Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson

Cleveland’s running game fell short last season finishing near the bottom of the league statistically not even averaging over 100 yards a game. But with the selection of running back Trent Richardson 3rd overall in the 2012 Draft, many believe that problem has been solved.

Trent Richardson is being touted as a complete back. Many scouts have compared him to Adrian Peterson when he came into the league and that selection seems to have worked out for Minnesota.

Although not quite as fast as Peterson, Richardson shows a toughness and ball security which will make him a problem for opposing defenses. The Browns have also drafted a new quarterback in Brandon Weeden and added some upgrades to the offensive line as well. For the first time in a long time many believe that Cleveland finally has a legitimate offensive weapon in Richardson and he will be relied on heavily.

So who do you think will make the biggest impact for their team? We would love to hear what you think. Add your comments below.

Michael W. Youngman--Lead Analyst AFC North
Michael is the Lead Analyst for the AFC North Report and the Cleveland Browns Report. He has written many articles that have been featured by playerpress.com, cantonrep.com, FoxSports.com, and of course this site. Michael has also written a book titled “The Dayton Project” published in 2008 by PublishAmerica. He makes his home in the Hall of Fame City of Canton Ohio with his wife Lisa and his two children Joseph and Jennifer. To learn more, visit his Website