AFC North: Steelers lose Shaun Suisham; Steve Smith to retire after 2015

With the NFL preseason now here, we take a look around the AFC North to find the division's biggest storylines.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers lose Shaun Suisham to ACL tear
Pittsburgh tried to keep their main players out of harm's why in their preseason opener by sitting guys like Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, and Martavis Bryant against Minnesota. They still managed to lose a key player when kicker Shaun Suisham tore his ACL while attempting to make a tackle on the kickoff that started the second half of the game.

Suisham will undergo surgery on his left knee this week and is likely to be placed on injured reserve, ending his season. He made 90.6 percent (29 of 32) of his field goal attempts last season, which was tied for fifth-best in the NFL. The 11-year veteran is an 84.1 percent kicker during the span of his career.

Steelers to workout three kickers
Because Suisham was the only kicker on the Steelers' 90-man roster before suffering his injury, they're working out several kickers this week in hopes of find a suitable replacement. They're currently looking at Jay Feely, Alex Henery, and Garrett Hartley as potential replacements.

Cleveland Browns

Browns appear to have avoided disaster with Joe Thomas
Joe Thomas has been the rock of the Browns' offensive line for almost a decade. That's why it was a scary sight when the eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle walked off the practice field Monday after having his leg rolled up on by rookie nose tackle Danny Shelton during an 11-on-11 drill. Trainers checked his knee and ankle before taking him in the locker room. Early reports are that it wasn't serious and Thomas should not be in jeopardy of missing regular-season games.

Josh Gordon's Twitter levity eases sting of false report
It wasn't a good way for Josh Gordon to start his Monday morning when a North Carolina TV station mistakenly retweeted a story about Gordon’s DUI from a year ago as if it had happened this week. Gordon is already suspended for the entire 2015 season, but this was an unfortunate thing to happen to him. Regardless, Gordon brushed it off like he should.

Baltimore Ravens

Ravens WR Steve Smith to retire after 2015 season
On Monday, Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. announced that he will retire at the end of the 2015 season, and he made it clear that he would do so by choosing family over football. "I feel like it's time," said Smith. "I'm going to retire after this, go home and be a dad and look back and enjoy things."

Entering the 2015 season, Smith ranks 18th in NFL history in receptions (915), 14th in receiving yards (13,262) and 33rd in touchdown catches (73). He's bound to climb the ranks in all of those categories with Baltimore needing him to be a No. 1 receiver once again this year. Even at 36-years-old, Smith showed in 2014 he still has enough left in the tank to put fear in the eyes of opposing defensive backs.

DL Brent Urban Out 12-14 Weeks With Torn Biceps
Ravens defensive end Brent Urban will be out 12-14 weeks after tearing his biceps this past Thursday. The Ravens announced Urban will have surgery, and the timetable leaves open the possibility of a late-season return if Baltimore doesn't place him on I.R.

Urban, a 2014 fourth-round pick from Virginia, tore his ACL in training camp last year and missed the entire season. With him out, guys like Kapron Lewis-Moore, Christo Bilukidi, Carl Davis, and Lawrence Guy could also see more action.