The AFC North is synonymous with what NFL fans crave the most: blue-collar, physical, violent football with intense division rivalries. During the dead of winter, the animosity between the combatants in this congregation of gridiron gladiators is exacerbated greatly, and so is Stadium Rant’s sensational NFL coverage.
Unlike the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed incredible stability and sustained success. Granted, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor guided “Who Dey” to the most recent Super Bowl appearance of any team from this group in 2021. In the grand scheme of things, though, steady stewardship reigns supreme in the Steel City and Crab Cake Capital of the World.
One of the five greatest quarterbacks of all time joined forces with the Steelers. The Ravens are looking to finally get over the hump and get to the Super Bowl with two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. After back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2021-2022, Joe Burrow and the Bengals are desperate to get back to the playoffs. The Browns are… well, the Browns.
Here’s a glimpse into how the AFC North will look this season.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is 15th all-time in wins among all NFL head coaches. Lamar Jackson has won two MVPs, he’s been named a First-Team All-Pro three times, and he’s the all-time leader in quarterback rushing yards – and he’s only 28.
In 2024, Jackson registered the fourth-highest passer rating in a season in NFL history. He and John Harbaugh have produced admirable success together; yet, the ultimate goal has proven to be elusive for the esteemed duo: the Super Bowl.
Championship windows close faster in the NFL than in any other league, and that’s especially true for the two-time defending AFC North champions. With the Bills and Chiefs at the peak of their powers and a Bengals team with a chip on their shoulder, the time has come for the Ravens to put up or shut up.
Jackson has all the weapons he needs at his disposal: Zay Flowers, the Ageless Wonder Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, and Rashod Bateman. General manager Eric DeCosta bolstered a Baltimore defense that ranked 31st against the pass last year by drafting Malaki Starks, Mike Green, and Teddye Buchanan.
In free agency, Baltimore hauled in veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins and re-signed left tackle Ronnie Stanley, one of the premier left tackles in the sport.
It’s now or never for Baltimore. An AFC North title is not enough. The team has won four playoff games since winning Super Bowl XLVII, and the era of Lamar Jackson as the full-time signal caller (2019-present) has produced underwhelming results. Look for 11-14 wins for the Purple Birds and a division crown.
Joe Burrow played the best football of his career in 2024. He led the NFL in passing yards (4,918) and touchdown passes (43), and posted the third-highest passer rating (108.5). Joey Franchise also had eight consecutive games with at least 250 passing yards and three touchdowns, the longest streak in NFL history.
Burrow became the third quarterback to have at least 4,500 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns, and fewer than 10 interceptions in a season. He won his second Comeback Player of the Year Award for his heroics; yet, his otherworldly production was not enough to propel his squad to the playoffs.
A healthy Bengals team that avoids an infamous slow start can challenge the Ravens for the AFC North title, and Burrow’s two favorite targets won’t be losing their stripes any time soon. That certainly helps that cause out, doesn’t it?
Also returning to The Jungle are tight end Mike Gesicki, defensive tackle B.J. Hill, and even juggernaut defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who reportedly plans to report to training camp on July 30th and end his holdout. Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks and pressures last year.
First-round pick Shemar Stewart, an edge rusher from Texas A&M, is another Bengal who ended a lengthy contract impasse, even despite the peculiar choice of words from team owner Mike Brown. Cincinnati clearly allocated draft picks towards their front in the draft, as they also picked Demetrius Knight Jr and Barrett Carter.
Sideline boss Zac Taylor and his players have no more excuses. The team needs to avoid another 2-3, 0-2, or 4-8 start. If that happens, then forget about challenging for the AFC North; there could be monumental changes if the team misses the playoffs for the third straight year. Cincy should expect 9-11 wins and a return to the Big Dance.
Shedeur Sanders’ ignominious draft slide, which cost the Colorado legend quite a few bucks, will likely be the least amount of drama for the Browns this season.
2023 Comeback Player of the Year winner and Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco is the team’s field general once more. He’ll yet again provide veteran leadership and venerable tutelage to Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett, and the aforementioned Sanders.
Flacco may be the best component of Cleveland’s offense right now, and that’s only because there are no strengths anywhere on that unit. Never mind trying to avoid the AFC North cellar; the Browns’ scoring unit is comprised of Cedric Tillman, Jerry Jeudy, Diontae Johnson, Jerome Ford, and David Njoku. Not exactly names that will make opposing defensive coordinators lose any sleep.
The defense is a different story. Everyone knows about Myles Garrett, and there’s also four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward, in addition to Grant Delpit and Greg Newsome II. Jim Schwartz will be calling the plays again, and he’s been one of the best defensive coordinators for a long time.
Cleveland’s draft results don’t inspire much confidence in folks, as they took Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Quinshon Judkins, and Harold Fannin Jr. The remainder of their draft story is finished by the two quarterbacks and Dylan Sampson.
It’s going to be another dreadful season for The Dawg Pound, with 3-6 wins as a generous total. The one positive result is that Browns fans can expect their team to be in the running for Arch Manning or Caleb Downs next year!
Right after another first-round exit for the Steelers, the top of their depth chart looked like this:
Sea changes have been made since, with the most notable one being future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers joining forces with head coach Mike Tomlin. The duo hopes to capture the team’s first AFC North title since 2020. D.K. Metcalf will be catching passes from Rodgers, too.
Pittsburgh shook the NFL with two massive trades, too. First was George Pickens, who was traded away for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Minkah Fitzpatrick was then sent back to Miami in exchange for Jalen Ramsey.
Pittsburgh wasn’t done there, either. They also made T.J. Watt the highest-paid defensive player in football.
It was quite the off-season for the Black and Gold. But does it really move the needle for them? It seems very unlikely.
In 2024, Aaron Rodgers ranked 24th in DVOA and 19th in EPA/play, respectively. Russell Wilson ranked 21st in both categories. The receivers atop the depth chart now are Metcalf, Robert Woods, and Austin III. Warren and Freiermuth both return, and third-round pick Kaleb Johnson figures to get third-down snaps at running back.
Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr, and Darius Slay form a fine triumvirate at cornerback. Watt is a future Hall of Famer, Cameron Heyward remains an elite tackle, and Patrick Queen is still one of the fastest inside linebackers in football.
All in all, Pittsburgh substituted productive transactions for flashy headlines and big names. This team hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016, and it’s looking like it could remain that way this season.
The battle for the AFC North has really become a matter of which team is the most durable and least-injured in recent seasons. Healthy Ravens and Bengals squads represent two of the best teams in the AFC, especially if Cincinnati avoids its annual slow start.
Pittsburgh finds itself in a state of limbo yet again. Yes, Mike Tomlin will get this team to nine or 10 wins and a wild card spot, but it’s rinse and repeat for the Steel City. Meaningful progress seems distant for one of the NFL’s most storied teams.
As always, it remains to be seen. That’s why they play 17 games. The season will decide who takes this grueling division.
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