NFL: AFC North Preview

We keep rolling through the NFL to the North divisions.

AFC North Preview

Baltimore Ravens (11.5 Wins, -121 AFC North, +500 AFC, +1000 SB)

• Coaching – The John Harbaugh era came to an end at the end of the 2025 season. The Ravens, as a franchise, have only had 3 coaches in 30 years, which means stability. Jesse Minter, the former DC in LA with the Chargers and with Harbaugh’s brother – Jim – at Michigan worked for the Ravens under Harbaugh at one point is the 4th in Ravens’ history. So, this is a “family” hire in a way. He is young at 43, and should be able to bring new energy to a team that has underperformed to expectations over the past 5 years. He brings in DC Anthony Weaver who was the DC in Miami, but Weaver is also a former Ravens’ coach. The OC is Declan Doyle, a one year OC under Ben Johnson in CHI, and a very young guy at 30 years old. That raises an eyebrow with an offense that can’t seem to maintain an identity even with Lamar Jackson at QB (and Derrick Henry at RB). This reset seems more like a soft reset with younger guys – which could work or blow up.
• Key Departures – FB Patrick Ricard (to NYG), OG Daniel Faalele (to NYG), C Tyler Linderbaum (to LVR), OT Joe Noteboom (unsigned), LB Kyle Van Noy (unsigned), TE Isaiah Likely (to NYG), DT Taven Bryan (unsigned), WR DeAndre Hopkins (unsigned), QB Cooper Rush (unsigned)
• Additions
  • Free Agents/Trades – DE Trey Hendrickson (from CIN), C Danny Pinter (from IND), OG John Simpson (from NYJ), S Jaylinn Hawkins (from NE), C Jovaughn Gwyn (from ATL), TE Durham Smythe (from CHI), QB Skylar Thompson (from PIT), DE Calais Campbell (from AZ)
  • Draft – OG Olaivavega Ioane (1st – Oregon), OLB Zion Young (2nd – Missouri), WR Ja’Kobi Lane (3rd – USC), WR Elijah Sarratt (4th – Indiana), CB Chandler Rivers (5th – Duke), OG Evan Beerntsten (7th – Northwestern)
• Outlook – The calamity of signing Maxx Crosby from the Raiders, then flunking the physical, then signing Trey Hendrickson may be a sign of things to come. This team has been a contender for what seems like decades, but the losses seem significant on the O-line and the young WRs will need to produce in the passing game as Likely was a playmaker. Sure a healthy Lamar Jackson will cover up a lot of problems, but the D needs to play better. A year ago, this team was a Super Bowl favorite, and their downfall was a shock, especially how they blew games early in the season. I know they are talented, but they are not a contender for me. They should win this division which has weakened a lot from a year ago. So, the jury is out for me with the new coaches and the personnel changes, yet someone will win this division and they have an easy schedule.
• Prediction – 12-5 – AFC North Winner – I’ll likely downgrade the wins in my final analysis.

Cincinnati Bengals (10.5 Wins, +190 AFC North, +1000 AFC, +2200 SB)

• Coaching – The Bengals somehow have stuck with Zac Taylor despite missing the playoffs for 3 consecutive seasons (last berth was the 2022-2023 season). Under Taylor, this team is almost incapable of fast starts, and the health of Joe Burrow seems to dictate their success. OC Dan Pitcher remains, and I suppose the Offense is not the issue. However, keeping Burrow healthy should mean running the ball more than they do. On D, Al Golden is back, which again, the D has been terrible. Last year may have been slightly better than 2024, but the D has been just awful. It’s hard to believe a 6-11 team could return all their coaches.
• Key Departures – DE Trey Hendrickson (to BAL), DE Joseph Ossai (to NYJ), CB Cameron Taylor-Britt (to IND), QB Jake Browning (to TB)
• Additions
  • Free Agents/Trades – DT Jonathan Allen (from MIN), DT Dexter Lawrence (via trade NYG), DE Boye Mafe (from SEA), S Bryan Cook (from KC), S Kyle Dugger (from PIT), QB Josh Johnson (from WAS)
  • Draft – DE Cashius Howell (2nd – Texas A&M), CB Tacario Davis (3rd – Washington), C Connor Lew (4th – Auburn), Colbie Young (4th – Georgia), OG Brian Parker (6th – Duke)
• Outlook – I have been burned so many times by this team. The Offense really is the same as the past 2 years – if Burrow stays healthy, then they can thrive. The D has been the issue, and they lose Hendrickson, but pick up 2 run stop guys, which may help. However, I’m not sure they have the coverage people to hold up in the league. So, effectively, the Bengals are running it back with the same coaching staff, same Offense, a slightly different Defense and hoping on a healthy Burrow to contend. I think they will be right on the cusp with that formula, but not a contender. They are not tough enough to beat a Houston, New England, Denver or even the Chargers, not to mention the Chiefs or Bills. So, even if they surprise me to make the playoffs or take advantage of the inexperienced Ravens’ staff, they will not get to the AFC Title Game. I would not be surprised if Taylor gets fired if they start slow again at say 2-4. He will be fired at the end of this season either way, unless they get to the Super Bowl again.
• Prediction – 9-8 – Miss Playoffs, but in contention

Pittsburgh Steelers (8.5 Wins, +350 AFC North, +3000 AFC, +7000 SB)

• Coaching – Like the Ravens, the Steelers moved away from the longest tenured coach in the NFL, as Mike Tomlin stepped down in Pittsburgh. Enter Mike McCarthy, now the 4th coach in franchise history on his 3rd stop with stints in GB (beating the Steelers in a SB) and in DAL where he got them to a point but not to the NFC Championship Game. I’m not a fan of the hire, but he is a professional coach, and the move perhaps assisted in retaining QB Aaron Rodgers one more season – who McCarthy coached in GB way back when. McCarthy will likely call plays, but he has OC Brian Angelichio who was with McCarthy in GB, most recently in Minnesota as the TE Coach. On D, Patrick Graham, who was up for some other jobs, steps in as the former DC in Las Vegas – he too was on the McCarthy staff in 2018. Perhaps a fresh look will help this veteran team.
• Key Departures – RB Kenneth Gainwell (to TB), S Kyle Dugger (to CIN), WR Calvin Austin (to NYG), QB Skylar Thompson (to BAL), WR Marques Valdes-Scantling (to DAL), OG Max Scharping (unsigned), S Jabrill Peppers (unsigned), TE Jonnu Smith (unsigned), TE Donald Parham (unsigned)
• Additions
  • Free Agents/Trades – WR Michael Pittman (via trade IND), RB Rico Dowdle (from CAR), S Jaquan Brisker (from CHI), CB Jamel Dean (from TB), CB Darnell Savage (from BUF), DT Sebastian Joseph-Day (from TEN), OG Brock Hoffman (from DAL)
  • Draft – OT Max Iheanachor (1st – AZ State), WR Germie Bernard (2nd – Alabama), OG Dunker Gennings (3rd – Iowa – great mullet), CB Daylen Everette (3rd – Georgia), WR Kaden Wetjen (4th – Iowa), HB Riley Nowakowski (5th – Indiana), S Robert Spears-Jennings (7th – Oklahoma)
• Outlook – The Steelers won the division in 2025. So, I’m not going to look past that, but their Defense is still too old for me. They have an OG at QB in Rodgers, and it seems like they missed an opportunity to do a full reset with McCarthy – new QB and a new look on D. They are the Steelers so they will be in the mix, and likely will be better than the Bengals, since they are the Bengals. However, at some point, the Steelers have to start over. Their drafts have been ok, but picking in the early 20s will always get you just ok. I think even if they can capitalize on a Ravens’ team that doesn’t have a real identity and a Bengals team that can’t stop a nose bleed, they will lose in the Wild Card round again, regardless.
• Prediction – 8-9 – Miss Playoffs

Cleveland Browns (5.5 Wins, +2000 AFC North, +8000 AFC, +20000 SB)

• Coaching – The Browns moved on from Kevin Stefanski, and they tap former BAL OC Todd Monken as the HC – he was the OC in CLE in 2019. It’s a bit of a curious hire in my view, as the strength of this team has been its Defense. Still, Monken will have his work cut out for him with a lackluster attack. For OC, he brings Travis Switzer who follows Monken from BAL. The DC will now be Mike Rutenberg who has bounced around most recently in ATL. I’m not 100% certain of his style of Defense, as he has never coordinated, but he has a good talent base to work with.
• Key Departures – DE Myles Garrett (trade to LAR), TE David Njoku (to LAC), OG Wyatt Teller (to HOU), LB Devin Bush (to CHI), OT Cam Robinson (unsigned), OG Jack Conklin (unsigned)
• Additions
  • Free Agents/Trades – DE Jared Verse (trade via LAR), OG Zion Johnson (from LAC), C Elgton Jenkins (from GB), OT Tytus Howard (trade via HOU), LB Quincy Williams (from NYJ), FB Michael Burton (from DEN), WR Tylan Wallace (from BAL), DT Kalia Davis (from SF), S Daniel Thomas (from DET), CB Myles Bryant (from HOU)
  • Draft – OT Spencer Fano (1st – Utah), WR KC Concepcion (1st – Texas A&M), WR Denzel Boston (2nd – Washington), S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (2nd – Toledo), OT Austin Barber (3rd – Florida), C Parker Brailsford (5th – Alabama), LB Justin Jefferson (5th – Alabama)
• Outlook – The Browns are the Browns. I think the Myles Garrett trade was actually a good one for CLE. Yes, you lose the sack leader, but Verse is a good player and more draft picks plus salary relief make sense. When I look at the moves other than that, you are shipping out veterans for young guys. Always a good thing, but with an inexperienced coaching staff and the QB situation being uncertain – Sanders vs. Gabriel vs. Watson – that means it is going to be a rough year. Their win total is 5.5, and that seems generous. I like them under that, but the AFC North is not as strong as it has been in recent years. I just don’t think they have the horses to be competitive game in and game out as they have been with Garrett and the other vets on the team.
• Prediction – 3-14 – My 2nd worst record on the year

Next up the NFC North.

Wegs