Burning questions for the AFC North's four teams

3. Will the new owner shake things up if they struggle? The Browns are in the middle of an ownership change, with a Steelers fan named Jimmy Haslam buying the franchise. So what will that mean for team president Mike Holmgren, general manager Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur? There were rumblings that their jobs are already in jeopardy. Another 4-12 season isn't going to help convince Haslam to keep them around.

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4 in 2011)

1. Will Mike Wallace continue to be a distraction? The speedy wide receiver has signed his restricted tag and is back with the team after missing most of the offseason and preseason due to a contract stalemate. While he was gone, the Steelers gave a lucrative extension to fellow wide receiver Antonio Brown, and his signature may serve as the writing on the wall for Wallace, who will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

2. Can an aging defense hold the championship window open? According to ESPN, the Steelers will have the NFL’s oldest defense entering the season (if you’re wondering, the Ravens rank in the middle of the pack). Four starters, including James Harrison and Casey Hampton, are over 31 years old and safety Troy Polamalu is 31 on the dot. But let’s not forget that the Steelers ranked first in scoring defense and total defense in 2011.

3. Will the offensive line again be a liability? A lot of people, myself included, praised the Steelers when they took Stanford guard David DeCastro and Ohio State tackle Mike Adams in the first two rounds of the draft. But any enthusiasm should now be significantly curbed for now. DeCastro is out indefinitely with a knee injury and Adams struggled during the preseason, meaning Max Starks and Ramon Foster will be forced to start.