NFL: 2024 AFC North Preview

We move on to the North divisions this week, which both will be hotly contested.

AFC North Preview

Baltimore Ravens

• Coaching Staff: HC John Harbaugh has been in place for decades for good reason. I, personally, thought he would lose the team prior to last season, but the Ravens rolled to the 1 Seed in the AFC and probably should have beat KC. Still, stability is what makes the Ravens good every year. OC Todd Monken returns after a stellar year where QB Lamar Jackson won another MVP. The run game will still be a big part of the attack with enough passing to win games. On D, DC Zach Orr gets elevated from LB Coach to calling the D with the departure of Mike MacDonald (HC in SEA). I would assume the same type of scheme, as the personnel has been consistent.
• Key Departures: LB Patrick Queen (to PIT), LB Rock Ya-Sin (to SF), OG Kevin Zeitler (to DET), RBs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards (to LAC), WR Odell Beckham (to MIA), and OLB Jadeveon Clowney (to CAR).
• Key Additions: In the Draft, BAL always makes quality selections – CB Nate Wiggins (1st Rd, Clemson), OT Roger Rosengarten (2nd Rd, Washington), Devontez Walker (4th Rd, UNC) and two 7th Rounders – Nick Samac (Michigan State) and Sanoussi Kane (Purdue) who should contribute. In Free Agency, BAL picked up RB Derrick Henry (from TEN) who should be fun in this system and added S Eddie Jackson (from CHI).
• Team Outlook: The Ravens are the best team at managing their roster via the draft and developing talent, so they should still be super solid this year. Like most teams, success will depend on the QB – Jackson’s health, but Henry should lighten the load. I like this team again. I’m not sure they can beat KC or even CIN in the playoffs, but they will be in the mix.
• Prediction: 12-5 – AFC North Champs – the Bengals will have something to say about it, but if they can survive their loaded start to the season, then they will be fine.

Cincinnati Bengals

• Coaching Staff: HC Zac Taylor perhaps had his best coaching year in 2023 with Burrow’s injuries and still winning 9 games. OC Dan Pitcher got elevated from QB Coach with Brian Callahan going to TEN as HC. So, same system, but a lot of new faces to manage. At DC, somehow Lou Anarumo did not get a HC job. He is a great DC, and in my mind Top 3 in the league.
• Key Departures: A lot of veterans moved on – RB Joe Mixon (to HOU), OT Jonah Williams (to AZ), DE DJ Reader (to DET), OG Max Scharping (to PHI), DT Josh Tupou (to BAL). WR Tyler Boyd (to TEN), and CB Chidobe Awuzie (to TEN).
• Key Additions: The Draft gave quality depth – OT Amarius Mims (1st Rd, Georgia), DT Kris Jenkins Jr. (2nd Rd, Michigan), WR Jermaine Burton (3rd Rd, Alabama), and CB Josh Newton (5th Rd, TCU). Free Agency yielded some new talents: RB Zack Moss (from IND), S Geno Stone (from BAL), TE Mike Gesicki (from NE), DE Sheldon Rankins (from HOU), and OT Trent Brown (from NE).
• Team Outlook: The Bengals showed a lot of resilience with Burrow out last year. I think he returns with a vengeance. Now, they did get Tee Higgins on the Franchise Tag, so that may be interesting. I like the squad even without Mixon and Boyd. They will be right there for the division and I expect them to be in the AFC Title Game again.
• Prediction: 12-5 – Wildcard team – the Bengals with a healthy Burrow can beat KC, so they are Super Bowl contender in my mind.

Cleveland Browns

• Coaching Staff: HC Kevin Stefanski did a masterful job with Joe Flacco late in the year. He could have been Coach of the Year. Still, the team flopped in the playoffs, so there is plenty of room for improvement. Stefanski turns to OC Ken Dorsey this year who was fired in BUF mid-season last year with the departure of Alex Van Pelt to NE. I’m sure Stefanski will call most of the plays. DC Jim Schwartz returns, and despite some good success, that horrible performance at HOU in January lingers.
• Key Departures: QB Joe Flacco (to IND), LB Sione Takitaki (to NE), OT Geron Christian (to TEN), C Nick Harris (to SEA), DT Jordan Elliott (to SF), and RB Kareem Hunt (not signed yet).
• Key Additions: In the Draft, CLE did not have a lot of picks, but they had a few that matter – DT Mike Hall, Jr. (2nd Rd, Ohio State), OG Zak Zinter (3rd Rd, Michigan), and WR Jamari Thrash (5th Rd, Louisville). In Free Agency, CLE traded for WR Jerry Jeudy (from DEN), LB Jordan Hicks (from MIN), LB Devin Bush (from SEA), DE Quinton Jefferson (from NYJ), QB Jameis Winston (from NO), RB D’Onta Foreman (from CHI)
• Team Outlook: The Browns are a confounding team. Their D was bad on the road and in the playoffs. Still, they have talent. The real question: Can QB Deshaun Watson make this offense go? RB Nick Chubb will be coming off the injury and no Kareem Hunt. I do like the addition of Jeudy across from Amari Cooper, so they have what it takes. They should make the playoffs, but the division is loaded.
• Prediction: 11-6 – Wildcard team – they should make the playoffs again.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Coaching Staff: HC Mike Tomlin becomes the most tenured coach in the league now with the end of Bill Belichick’s departure. The Offense will change significantly this season with Arthur Smith, former HC from ATL. Smith runs the ball at all times – down 10 in the 2nd half. So, not sure that will help or not. DC Teryl Austin returns to run the heart of the team.
• Key Departures: WR Diontae Johnson (traded to CAR), QBs Kenny Pickett (to PHI) and Mitch Trubisky (to BUF), WR Allen Robinson (to NYG), S Keanu Neal (not signed) and LB Kwon Alexander (not signed).
• Key Additions: The Steelers had an active offseason. In the Draft, OT Troy Fautanu (1st Rd, Washington), C Zach Frazier (2nd Rd, West Virginia) WR Roman Wilson (3rd, Michigan), LB Payton Wilson (3rd Rd, NC State), OG Mason McCormick (4th Rd, South Dakota State), In Free Agency, QB Russell Wilson (from DEN), traded for QB Justin Fields (from Chicago) and CB Donte Jackson (from CAR), LB Patrick Queen (from BAL), S DeShon Elliott (from MIA), WR Van Jefferson (from ATL), RB Cordarrelle Patterson (from ATL)
• Team Outlook: Pittsburgh took a big gamble with Russell Wilson and backed it with Justin Fields. Wilson should take the job, but I suppose Fields is a good insurance policy. In the Smith Offense, they will run the ball a lot and try to set up play action. The WR corps is mostly new, and hope they like blocking. ON D, the addition of Patrick Queen should help Watt, but I think this team will struggle to keep up to the other teams in the AFC North.
• Prediction: 9-8 – mostly out of respect for Tomlin who has not had a losing season in his career, but this team will test that theory once again. No playoffs for PIT.

Next up NFC North.

Wegs