Taking stock of the AFC North -- a Myles Garrett-l...

Ben Baby

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Ben Baby

ESPN Staff Writer

Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).

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Jamison Hensley

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Jamison Hensley

ESPN Staff Writer

Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.

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Daniel Oyefusi

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Daniel Oyefusi

ESPN

Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.

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Brooke Pryor

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Brooke Pryor

ESPN Staff Writer

Brooke Pryor is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2019. She previously covered the Kansas City Chiefs for the Kansas City Star and the University of Oklahoma for The Oklahoman.

Jun 29, 2026, 06:00 AM ET

At the end of the Baltimore Ravens' minicamp, quarterback Lamar Jackson couldn't hide his excitement when asked about his reaction to Myles Garrett no longer being in the AFC North.

Jackson pumped both fists and exclaimed: "I was like, 'Yes! I don't have to see him!'"

This has been an offseason of change in the usually stable AFC North, from the Cleveland Browns sending Garrett, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster trade to the departure of two of the longest-tenured head coaches (Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh). The one team that's returning its head coach -- the Cincinnati Bengals -- has revamped its defense.

"It's a transition year for the division, I would say," Ravens coach Jesse Minter said. "It's going to be a grind."

AFC North reporters Jamison Hensley (Baltimore), Ben Baby (Cincinnati), Daniel Oyefusi (Cleveland) and Brooke Pryor (Pittsburgh) address the most significant moves, the biggest questions about the quarterbacks, the greatest areas of improvement and what it will take for each team to win the division.

Cincinnati Bengals

Move that will have the biggest impact on next season

Trading for DT Dexter Lawrence II. The Bengals made the defensive line, particularly the middle of the defense, a true position of strength by adding Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowl player, alongside veteran Jonathan Allen. Their additions should help a defense that was next to last in yards allowed per rush. But the off-field impact is tangible, too.

"We've become reenergized, I think, in some ways," offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said. "And when you feel that way, it's like, 'Well, s---, let's go do it now. We're not waiting."

Biggest question with QB

Can Joe Burrow stay healthy? That will obviously be the big question because he has suffered three injuries that have required stints on injured reserve. Only one of Burrow's six NFL seasons has been largely injury-free -- the 2024 campaign that was the best of his career and made him an MVP finalist. Some of Burrow's injuries have been out of his control. But he has also gained a greater understanding of when to push and when to dial things back. "You live, and you learn," Burrow said at the end of mandatory minicamp.

Greatest area of improvement

With the defensive line already covered, let's look at the secondary. The Bengals added safety Bryan Cook to start alongside Jordan Battle and also added safety Kyle Dugger to that group. But perhaps the bigger benefit is a solidified strategy on the boundary heading into the season. Dax Hill and DJ Turner II, who played very well toward the end of last season, enter the season as the starting outside cornerbacks. As long as Cincinnati doesn't tinker with Hill's role, that stability will be an underrated part of improving the defense.

Bengals can win the division if ...

They take care of business. Cincinnati should be in a realistic position to have the best season in coach Zac Taylor's tenure. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Bengals are favored to win 14 of their 17 games. That's the byproduct of finishing with the second-worst record in the AFC North. But that doesn't mean a playoff berth is automatic.

Last season, the Bengals lost four games to teams that didn't make the playoffs, including a home loss to the Jets (3-14 overall record). Cincinnati is confident that won't be the case in 2026. Said Burrow: "We're expecting to win every game we set foot on the field." -- Baby

Cleveland Browns

Move that will have the biggest impact on next season

Coach Todd Monken's vision. The Browns hired Monken, the former Ravens offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, in part to lift an offense that has been the league's lowest scoring since 2024. Monken has been lauded for his ability to tailor an offense to the skill set of his personnel, and Browns players have welcomed his hands-on approach in practice that demands accountability. With one of the NFL's youngest rosters, uncertainty at quarterback and the departure of Myles Garrett, Monken will face a considerable challenge in his first season as a head coach.

Biggest question with QB

Will Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders start? The two quarterbacks split first-team reps throughout the offseason workout program, but Monken isn't ready to decide so the Browns will take the competition into training camp. Monken has been pleased with both passers but wants to see how they look when the pads come on and the pass rush ramps up in joint practices and preseason games. Watson is finally healthy, and Monken has praised his athleticism after a pair of Achilles surgeries. Monken has also been complimentary of Sanders' improved footwork and progression.

Greatest area of improvement

Wide receiver. After building a receiver room that posted the fewest receiving yards and touchdown catches in 2025, the Browns added to it in the 2026 draft. Cleveland selected KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston in the first and second round, respectively. Concepcion brings elite separation skills and YAC ability, and Boston gives the room a big, contested catch option. Both rookie wideouts were standouts in OTAs and should carve out roles in Monken's offense this fall.

Browns can win the division if ...

They get above-average quarterback play. That would be a huge leap in production for a team that had the lowest QBR in 2025. There are fair questions about Cleveland's defense, too, after trading Garrett and the resignation of Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator (the team hired former Falcons assistant Mike Rutenberg, who is a first-time DC). The defense, though, still has elite talent on all three levels and is replacing Garrett with two-time Pro Bowler Jared Verse. The impact of serviceable QB play with a retooled supporting cast in Cleveland can't be understated. -- Oyefusi

Baltimore Ravens

Move that will have the biggest impact on next season

After an 18-year run with Harbaugh, Baltimore ended an exhaustive search by selecting Minter, whom general manager Eric DeCosta described as "a problem solver" at Minter's introductory news conference. The biggest problem with the Ravens lately has been their struggles in the fourth quarter and the playoffs.

Baltimore has allowed the third-most points in the fourth quarter over the past six seasons and has recorded a 3-6 mark in the postseason in Jackson's eight seasons. The theme for Minter's first season has been "Be your best when your best is needed," which the Ravens hope will get them over the hump in close games and in the playoffs.

Biggest question with QB

Jackson's contract situation. This is the biggest question hovering over the franchise because the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player has two years left on his deal. It wouldn't be surprising if Jackson waited until next offseason to see the landscape of quarterback contracts. The Bears' Caleb Williams, Commanders' Jayden Daniels, Patriots' Drake Maye and Broncos' Bo Nix become extension-eligible immediately after the 2026 regular season.

Jackson showed he was in no rush in March, when the Ravens pushed for a new deal and failed to get one. It's unknown where talks stand because the Ravens and Jackson, who represents himself, never comment on negotiations. One recent development that could affect talks between Jackson and Baltimore is Patrick Mahomes' new deal, which reset the quarterback market at $63 million per season.

Greatest area of improvement

The pass rush. The Ravens prioritized pressuring the quarterback after Baltimore finished with 30 sacks, tied for the second fewest in team history, last season. Baltimore's biggest free agent signing was Trey Hendrickson, who became the team's most decorated edge rusher since Terrell Suggs. Over the past three seasons, Hendrickson has 39 sacks, the third most in the NFL, despite being limited to four games last season.

Baltimore then used its second-round pick on Zion Young, who is more of a complete outside linebacker, but he recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks last season. Baltimore would get even more of a boost if Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike returns after missing the last 15 games of the 2025 season because of a neck injury. Madubuike is one of the best interior pass rushers, recording 22.5 sacks in his past 37 games.

Ravens can win the division if ...

They finish the season strong. Baltimore ends the regular season with four straight games against divisional opponents: at Pittsburgh, home against Cleveland, at Cincinnati and home against the Steelers. This marks the first time in the Ravens' 31-year history that they will close a season with four consecutive games against division opponents. If the Ravens and Bengals live up to expectations as the best teams in the AFC North, the division will likely come down to the New Year's Eve game in Cincinnati. This primetime showdown could also determine the No. 1 seed in the AFC. -- Hensley

Pittsburgh Steelers

Move that will have the biggest impact on next season

Hiring coach Mike McCarthy. Not only is McCarthy tasked with reinvigorating the Steelers with his West Coast-style offense, but his defensive hires, led by DC Patrick Graham, have to bring the Steelers and their highest-paid defense back to their signature Steel Curtain form. McCarthy's hire will not just shape the 2026 season, but he'll have a big hand in shaping the future of the organization as it works out its quarterback plan beyond Aaron Rodgers. McCarthy was hired, in large part, for his track record of developing quarterbacks, and he has two young ones to mold in Drew Allar and Will Howard.

Biggest question with QB

Can Rodgers raise the Steelers' ceiling -- and its floor? Though Rodgers averaged a career-low 5.8 air yards per attempt last season and threw just 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns, he still improved the Steelers' offense from its most recent seasons. The Steelers finished 17th in scoring offense in 2025, its highest finish since 2020.

Though Rodgers has been less willing to stretch the field later in his career, he could channel the deep ball more often in McCarthy's system -- especially with the help of wide receiver additions Germie Bernard and Michael Pittman Jr. To do that, though, Rodgers will have to limit sacks behind an evolving offensive line to be most effective.

Greatest area of improvement

Speaking of Bernard and Pittman, wide receiver is perhaps the Steelers' most improved area. Pittsburgh's lack of depth at the position was a significant issue late in 2025, when DK Metcalf was suspended two games for an altercation with a fan in Detroit. The team largely turned to running back Kenny Gainwell, who was used in the receiving game, and he finished with a team-high 73 receptions. This offseason, though, the Steelers prioritized the position by trading for Pittman on the first day of the negotiating window and selecting Bernard from Alabama in Round 2.

Steelers can win the division if ...

The defense gets consistent stops from the start. The NFL's highest-paid defense struggled to get stops in the first half of the season, allowing opponents to score an average of 24.4 points per game, while also allowing a league-worst 278.3 passing yards per game. Those numbers improved a bit by the end of the season as the Steelers finished 17th in scoring defense (23.2 points per game) and 29th in passing yards per game (244.9). The Steelers worked to overhaul their secondary in the offseason, adding cornerback Jamel Dean, safety Jaquan Brisker and rookie cornerback Daylen Everette. They should also get a boost from the return of safety DeShon Elliott. With those additions, the Steelers can better utilize Jalen Ramsey, who struggled when he was shifted to safety amid numerous late-season injuries. -- Pryor