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Free agency is still nearly two months away, but it's easy to see that the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers could be hit hard by defections.

Jimmy Clausen had a two-game stint as the Ravens' starting quarterback and he'll spend the final two games of the season as a healthy scratch.

Veteran pass rusher Jason Babin, who was signed to give the Ravens a pass rush boost after the loss of Terrell Suggs, is inactive for a second straight game.

Ravens running back Lorenzo Taliaferro said the foot injury that kept him out of practice for two straight days ahead of Sunday¿s home opener against the Cincinnati Bengals was the same foot as the one he sprained last year, but a different injury this time around.

The Cincinnati Bengals are the only AFC North team that has seemingly gotten better this offseason, but the rest of the division's coaches expect the competition to be as tough as ever.

Productive pass rushers such as Mario Williams of the Houston Texans usually don't become free agents while they are in the prime -- the most recent example was Julius Peppers, who signed with the Chicago Bears two offseasons ago.