Baltimore Ravens rookies have officially reported to training camp. The offseason is starting its home stretch. The AFC North is ready for what should be an intense 2024-25 season. With the AFC East seemingly in a limbo area, the team to beat might just be in this division. How will each team do prior to the last week of the season?
All season standings screenshots are made via PlayoffPredictors.
Baltimore Ravens (2023-24: 13-4, lost AFC Championship Game vs. Kansas City)
Last year felt like “the year” for Baltimore. The Ravens won 13 games, tied for second-best in team history. Lamar Jackson shattered his career-high in passing yards and took home his second MVP trophy. The defense locked down most of its competition. Even still, it wasn’t enough as Baltimore stalled out at home in the playoffs again.
Baltimore will run it back with a similar core to last year’s, but with a huge difference at running back. Instead of the committee of J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill, there is a clearly defined top running back. Baltimore didn’t just get a good player. It landed a king.
Derrick Henry, who has haunted the Ravens in years past, now joins John Harbaugh’s ranks. Baltimore has the Mr. Reliable in the backfield it was looking for. Question marks still remain at wideout, though. Can Zay Flowers build on his solid rookie campaign and solidify himself as the wide receiver of the future the Ravens need?
The regular season will not be the point of emphasis for Baltimore. Its goals are to be achieved in February. This team is Super Bowl or bust, there is no in-between. The Ravens will roll through the regular season, but not without setbacks. Even still, the AFC North championship will be hotly contested in 2024, especially if this team’s stars stay healthy.
Cincinnati Bengals (2023-24: 9-8, missed playoffs)
The team with the strongest strength of schedule last year fought tooth and nail to try and make the playoffs, but fell one win short. Jake Browning did what he could in lieu of Joe Burrow, but back-to-back losses in Pittsburgh and Kansas City eliminated any hope for a Cinderella run. The 2023 AFC champions appear to be back with a vengeance.
Joe Burrow is returning from the second season-ending injury of his rookie contract. Can he stay on the field? If he does, he’ll need to rekindle his rapport with Tee Higgins. Higgins missed most of November due to injury, but even with that injury he averaged 54.7 receiving yards per game. He also had five games in which he failed to hit 25 receiving yards as opposed to only two games in which he had more than 100 receiving yards.
Joe Mixon left the Bengals to head south for another promising team on the rise in Houston. In his place is former Indianapolis Colt Zack Moss. Moss did well while Jonathan Taylor was out of action and the Bengals hope to tap into that potential. With Mike Gesicki as the new top tight end in the land of chili, this team looks to be a force, barring injuries.
A full year of Joe Burrow will elevate this team to the playoffs, but expect some inconsistency along the way. The Bengals will knock off teams like Baltimore, Dallas, and Cleveland, but lose to teams like the Chargers and Tennessee. Going into Week 18 this team will be in good position to make the playoffs, but they have a tough task in playing Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium. At least they’d be in first place in the AFC East.
Cleveland Browns (2023-24: 11-6, lost Wild Card at Houston)
The Browns evolved from the eternally bad team to a team that is good, but not good enough. Deshaun Watson is into the third year of his five-year contract and he has only played two-thirds of a season. He has averaged 184.75 passing yards per game in his tenure in Cleveland. The Deshaun Watson contract may be the single worst contract in the NFL.
In what will be a tough AFC North in 2024, everyone in the division needs to be locked in. Currently, Amari Cooper is missing in action. As he awaits a new contract, the Browns offense finds itself in an uncertain spot. Nick Chubb is recovering from knee surgeries, so Jerome Ford is entrusted with backfield responsibilities. Ford averaged 4.0 yards per carry but averaged 2.8 yards per carry in his last five games of the year.
Defense has never been an issue, though. Kevin Stefanski has built up one of the best defensive units in the league. If Cleveland is to make the playoffs, it’s thanks in part to stars like Myles Garrett, Greg Newsome, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Denzel Ward.
Without Nick Chubb, the Browns offense will be in an awkward phase. The start of the season is deceptively tough, as Dallas and Jacksonville are credible threats while Antonio Pierce’s Raiders function well as a team. While Cleveland will be able to bounce back, they’ll still be slightly above average heading into Week 18. They face Baltimore on the road in a high-stakes showdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2023-24: 10-7, lost Wild Card at Buffalo)
Three things are certain in life: death, taxes, and Mike Tomlin leading the Steelers to a .500 record or better. One way or another, playoffs or not, the Steelers will not have a losing season. In 2024, it looks like the norm will be maintained as they fight for ground in the AFC North.
The quarterback room got a complete overhaul. Out went Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph; in are new starter Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen. Wilson is looking to bounce back from his time in Denver and has a young core of wide receivers with upside to work with. George Pickens is a deep threat in the making, Van Jefferson wants to prove his worth in a starting role, and national champion Roman Wilson will try to establish himself as a key contributor.
On defense, reigning sack leader T.J. Watt has a new friend: former Baltimore Raven Patrick Queen. The Pittsburgh front seven will be menacing to even the best offensive lines and cause game-changing fumbles. Joey Porter Jr. made a strong impression in the secondary last year and looks to anchor the Steelers’ defensive back core.
One way or another, Pittsburgh will finish at or above .500. No matter how the road to get there is traveled, the Steelers arrive there. They host Cincinnati in Week 18 in a game that has playoff implications. If this team isn’t good, this Steelers team is at least funny.
Next week: the AFC South is finally good again!
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Rest in peace, Jacoby Jones.