Our 2024 NFL division preview takes us to the AFC North, which was the only division in the league to field 4 teams with winning records. Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh all advanced to the playoffs, while Cincinnati missed that mark, though it stands to reason that all of these teams could find themselves competing into January provided certain variables turn out in their favor. Will the Ravens conclude unfinished business? Will the Bengals remain healthy? Will the Browns and Steelers finally find stability at Quarterback? Time will tell…
Baltimore Ravens
Key Additions: Derrick Henry (RB), Eddie Jackson (S), Nate Wiggins (CB), Roger Rosengarten (OT)
Key Departures: Gus Edwards (RB), Odell Beckham Jr (WR), Geno Stone (S), Patrick Queen (LB), Jadeveon Clowney (DE), Kevin Zeitler (OG), Mike Macdonald (DC)
Season Outlook: After running roughshod over the league during the regular season, led by the exploits of (2023 MVP) Jackson, the Ravens met an untimely demise at home in the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs, a frustrating 10-17 defeat. With that in mind, this campaign is all about unfinished business for the blackbirds, who must overcome the attrition that is so commonly attributed to successful teams. In the offseason (Head Coach) John Harbaugh lost (Defensive Coordinator) McDonald along with key contributors from that side of the football, including Queen, Clowney, and Stone (led the NFL with 7 interceptions!), while the backfield saw the departures of (Tailbacks) Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. However, Harbaugh and DeCosta made a statement with the acquisition (2-time Rushing Champion) Derrick Henry, who appears to plenty of gas left in the tank despite turning 30-years-old in January. Henry cleared 1,000 yards for the fifth time in 6 years, while also leading the league in carries for the fourth time in five seasons. The potential problems that Jackson and Henry pose for opposing defenses is myriad, though it remains to be seen if (Offensive Coordinator) Todd Monken can continue to further develop the passing attack in his season calling plays. (Inside Linebackers Coach) Zach Orr was elevated to replace Macdonald, and given Baltimore’s track record on defense, they should continue to be among the NFL’s best in that regard. There is no doubt that this remains a championship caliber team, though they will need to continue refining the attack, particularly the downfield passing game, so that they can avoid laying another fatal egg in the postseason.
Cincinnati Bengals
Key Additions: Geno Stone (S), Zack Moss (RB), Mike Gesicki (TE), Trent Brown (OT), Von Bell (S), Amarius Mims (OT)
Key Departures: Joe Mixon (RB), Tyler Boyd (WR), D.J. Reader (DT), Jonah Williams (OT), Brian Callahan (OC)
Season Outlook: In a division in which each of its residents finished above .500, the Bengals earned the dubious distinction of being the only of its number to miss the playoffs, thanks in large part to the loss of (Pro-Bowl Quarterback) Joe Burrow. The young passer tore a ligament in his right wrist midway through a Week 11 battle with Baltimore, which ultimately spelled doom for Cincinnati, who went on to finish with a respectable 9-8 record. It was the second time during his 4 seasons in the NFL that the former number one overall pick saw his campaign prematurely ended due to injury, which is why he has gone to great lengths during his team’s offseason activities to get into shape early and avoid such calamitous maladies. Surrounding him, Cincy opted to tag (veteran Receiver) Tee Higgins, while replacing the likes of longtime stalwarts Mixon and Williams with Moss and Brown, while bolstering the Secondary with the aforementioned Stone and the return of Bell. Furthermore, (Head Coach) Zac Taylor and (Director of Player Personnel) Duke Tobin did a solid job of adding reinforcements via the Draft, adding (massive Offensive Tackle) Amarius Mims, (run-stuffing Nose Tackle) Kris Jenkins, and (athletic Receiver) Jermaine Burton. We’ve seen in the past that this team has proven a force to be reckoned with when healthy, participating in back-to-back AFC Championship Games, while being the only team in the conference that has managed to best the (reigning Super Bowl Champion) Chiefs over the past few seasons. If Burrow makes it through the campaign unscathed, then there is no reason to believe that the Bengals won’t be among the contenders within the AFC, though if he misses significant time yet again, then there could be some very difficult questions that need answers in the future.
Cleveland Browns
Key Arrivals: Jameis Winston (QB), D’Onta Foreman (RB), Jery Jeudy (WR), Devin Bush (LB),
Key Departures: Joe Flacco (QB), Alex Van Pelt (OC)
Season Outlook: It’s not often that a team manages to win 11 games despite shuffling through 5 different starting Quarterbacks, but that is precisely what the Browns did last Fall, thanks in large part to the league’s top-ranked Defense (270.2 yards per game). However, it should be noted that Cleveland caught fire down the stretch in large part to the surprising resurrection of Flacco, who led them to a 4-1 finish on the strength of a lethal vertical passing game that resulted in 13 touchdowns. However, the former Super Bowl MVP tossed plenty of interceptions during that run too (8), with caused that momentum to abruptly vanish in a 45-14 thrashing at Houston on Wild Card Weekend, leaving Cleveland wondering what could have been. With that being said, Flacco left the franchise in free agency, as (Head Coach) Kevin Stefanski and (General Manager) Andrew Berry anxiously awaits the healthy return of (veteran Quarterback) Deshaun Watson, who has yet to deliver on the promise upon his arrival via trade two years ago. Needless to say, it has been a turbulent 2 years in Northern Ohio for Watson, who missed the first 11 games of his first campaign due to suspension, before missing the 11 of the final 14 contests due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. With a massive amount of money owed to him over the next three season and his trade value all but non-existent, the Browns had little choice but to ride with the QB that they had moved mountains to acquire. Simply put, it has been 3 full years since this guy was a Pro-Bowler, which is the level that the Browns need him to return to in order to truly contend in the stacked AFC. Should Watson succumb to injury once more, the franchise added (veteran QB) Winston to serve as his deputy, while the supporting cast will see the healthy return of (4-time Pro-Bowl Tailback) Nick Chubb, along with the addition of (Veteran Wideout) Jerry Jeudy.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Additions: Russell Wilson (QB), Justin Fields (QB), Van Jefferson (WR), Troy Fautanu (OT), Patrick Queen (LB), Donte Jackson (CB), Cordarrelle Patterson (WR), Arthur Smith (OC)
Key Departures: Kenny Pickett (QB), Diontae Johnson (WR), Allen Robinson (WR), Patrick Peterson (CB), Keanu Neal (S)
Season Outlook: Despite logging their 17th non-losing campaign under the direction of (Head Coach) Mike Tomlin, even sneaking into the playoffs at 10-7, it would be difficult to describe last season as a success for the Steelers, particularly when you consider the ongoing issues on the offensive side of the football. Simply put, Pittsburgh was a trainwreck in this regard, shuffling through 3 different Quarterbacks and a number of Offensive Coordinators, resulting in a unit that finished 28th in total yards (17.9) and 25th in points allowed (319.4). In fact, they were outgained by the opposition through each of their first 10 games despite owning a 6-4 record, a ledger that was supplemented by a +11-turnover differential. Needless to say, that wasn’t realistically sustainable, which is why Tomlin and (General Manager) Omar Kahn got serious about fixing the attack, bringing in not one, but two different Quarterbacks, including Wilson and Fields. Of course, the former is a 9-time Pro-Bowler and a Super Bowl Champion, but at the age of 36 is coming off a pair of disappointing campaigns in Denver, while the latter was full of promise in Chicago, though failed to meet his potential due to a revolving door of coaches, a rash of injuries, and poor supporting cast. The hope is that at least one of them will rise to the occasion within a more stable environment, though the arrival of Smith as the Offensive Coordinator should go a long way towards fixing what has ailed them too. Granted, the lack of a QB is ultimately what forced him out of Atlanta, though purely from a playcalling perspective, Smith has proven quite capable of crafting an old-school, physical ground game (see his tenure in Tennessee), which is what Tomlin desires. So, will it be Wilson or Fields that emerges the victor of this QB competition? Pittsburgh’s success will rest heavily on the answer to that question.