NFL Free Agency is set to start on March 11th, and after a roller coaster season, I expect a whirlwind of an offseason. I’m going through every team’s biggest free agency need, broken down by division. Let’s take a look at the AFC North.
The Steelers went into “win-now” mode in 2025. They added Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and DK Metcalf to the roster in what was ultimately head coach Mike Tomlin’s final season. Rodgers’ future is still in question despite Pittsburgh hiring his former coach, Mike McCarthy.
Pittsburgh acquired Metcalf but traded away George Pickens last year. It was clear all season that they were missing someone to pair with Metcalf, and they need to address that in 2026.
It may be McCarthy’s first year with the Steelers, but the roster is still full of veterans hoping to make a playoff push. It could be cost-effective to pursue players like Mike Evans and DeAndre Hopkins. They could also make a bigger move and target Jauan Jennings.
The Bengals are almost guaranteed to lose star defensive end Trey Hendrickson this offseason. He went so far as to request a trade last year, only for Cincinnati to restructure his deal temporarily. Now, he can walk free, and most likely will.
It won’t be easy for Cincinnati to replace Hendrickson, but they have a few options on the defensive edge. Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, and Dre’Mont Jones are all viable targets they could pursue.
The Bengals’ defense needs work everywhere, not just at defensive end. They’ve put a lot of time and money into the offense, and the defense hasn’t been elevated enough. They might make moves in free agency, but the Draft is where they’ll go to work.
Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo, and Dre’Mont Jones are all set to become free agents in 2026, leaving the Ravens’ defense in need of some help. With new head coach Jesse Minter being a defensive mind, don’t be shocked when he loads up on that side of the ball.
The Ravens will likely see a slight overhaul in the Draft, but they have a little bit of cap space to play with. They won’t go for big splash signings and might even try to retain the three names I mentioned above.
It also wouldn’t be surprising if Minter pursues Khalil Mack in the offseason. The two worked together on the Los Angeles Chargers and could bring that relationship to Baltimore. It’s unclear if Mack leaves LA, but the Ravens could be a huge suitor for him.
The Ravens’ former offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, is now the head coach of the Browns. It was revealed during the season that the Ravens wanted to draft Shedeur Sanders, but the Colorado QB didn’t want to back up Lamar Jackson. This was seemingly confirmed by Monken in a video of himself and Sanders.
If the Browns are truly keeping Sanders under center, he needs weapons to throw to. Their defense is full of talent, and they have promising young talent on offense in Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. Their wide receiver room is led by Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, and Isaiah Bond.
Cleveland needs to find a true number one receiver. It’s possible they draft Jordyn Tyson or Carnell Tate with the sixth overall pick, but neither of those is guaranteed. Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, and Jauan Jennings are all potential options for Monken’s new team. He could also go with a familiar face and bring in DeAndre Hopkins to bolster the offense.
The AFC North was unpredictable in 2025, and not necessarily in a good way. The Ravens underperformed all year, the Bengals lost Joe Burrow for over two months, and the Steelers came out on top of the division. Check out my articles on the other NFL divisions ahead of free agency here!
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