Let’s slot the AFC North Teams

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CGI_Ram

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What do you see here in 2022?

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The Bengals made the Superbowl and seem to have upgraded one of their key weaknesses - the oline. At the same time, were the Bengals really the best AFC team last year?

The Steelers are in QB transition and unfamiliar water with that. This is an interesting situation to watch… Will Trubisky or Pickett be “that guy”? Is Kenny Pickett’s 8.6” hand size a problem? Name a successful QB with hand size under 9”… I can’t find one.

The Browns… who knows what happens here? A lot depends on the Watson suspension, but does anyone think that won’t be a major distraction the entire year?

The Ravens… I forgot they lost 6 in a row to end the season. Lamar Jackson was injured… so, do they bounce back with a healthy Jackson?
 

CGI_Ram

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Cincinnati Bengals

Biggest strength: Cincinnati's passing game blossomed after reuniting Joe Burrow with his former LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase. Vertical plays were Burrow's Achilles' heel as a rookie, as he completed just nine of 48 attempts thrown 20-plus yards downfield for just one touchdown. Throwing to Chase alone in 2021, Burrow completed 15 of 34 attempts thrown 20-plus yards downfield with eight touchdown passes. That connection torched NFL defenses in the same way it did SEC defenses in 2019.

Biggest weakness: The Bengals' primary focus this offseason was on improving the offensive line, bringing in Ted Karras, Alex Cappa and La'el Collins to start from center to right tackle. However, left guard remains a potential weak point. Jackson Carman is the favorite to step into that role after earning a 54.2 PFF grade in 501 offensive snaps as a rookie. The last time he saw the field, Carman allowed six quarterback pressures in 20 pass-blocking snaps against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Quality play at that position requires some projection entering 2022, whether it ends up being Carman or rookie Cordell Volson.

X factor for 2022: The Bengals made their way to the Super Bowl with Eli Apple as their No. 2 cornerback, but their investments in the secondary early in the 2022 NFL draft indicate that they're not necessarily looking to run that back this season. Their second-round pick out of Nebraska, Cam Taylor-Britt, could push Apple for his starting spot. Taylor-Britt allowed a sub-80.0 passer rating on throws into his coverage in each of the past three seasons. He could make an impact for Cincinnati as a rookie.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Biggest strength: It's hard to find many better duos along the defensive front than T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward. Over the past three seasons, both Watt and Heyward rank among the top three players at their respective positions in both quarterback pressures and run stops. Their ability to make impact plays regardless of the situation is at the center of Pittsburgh's defensive success over that three-year stretch.

Biggest weakness: The Steelers' offensive line has deteriorated from a unit that five-plus years ago was one of the best in the league under offensive line coach Mike Munchak. Now it profiles closer to the bottom of the league. This group was aided in pass protection by Ben Roethlisberger's 2.2-second average time to throw over the past two seasons (fastest in the NFL), making how it fares in what should be a different-looking 2022 offense something worth monitoring.

X factor for 2022: The two-year, $8 million contract Ahkello Witherspoon signed to remain in Pittsburgh this offseason doesn't scream No. 1 outside cornerback, but that's what the Steelers are counting on him to be when looking at the rest of their roster. From Week 13 through the end of the season, Witherspoon allowed a passer rating of just 20.2 on throws into his coverage. His play has been hot and cold throughout his five-year career, but the Steelers will be hoping he carries over that momentum into 2022.

Cleveland Browns

Biggest strength: Few teams have invested more in their offensive line than the Browns, and few teams have a better running back room than Cleveland. The result is one of the more devastating rushing attacks in the NFL. The Browns have averaged 4.8 yards per designed rushing attempt over the past two seasons under coach Kevin Stefanski, which is tied for highest in the league with the Baltimore Ravens. The right side of Cleveland's offensive line -- Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin -- is an excellent run-blocking tandem.

Biggest weakness: Jadeveon Clowney's return on another one-year deal helped solidify the defensive end spot. Defensive tackle is a different story. Jordan Elliott, Taven Bryan, Perrion Winfrey, Sheldon Day and Tommy Togiai will be battling it out for snaps in 2022, but none of them profile as the run-stuffing defensive tackle that the Browns need to produce in the light boxes that defensive coordinator Joe Woods wants to operate out of. Cleveland's defensive tackles cumulatively earned the fifth-lowest PFF grade of any interior defensive line group in the league last season.

X factor for 2022: A lot of the focus at wide receiver in Cleveland is going to be placed on the new faces: Amari Cooper and David Bell. Nonetheless, 2022 is also going to be a big season for third-year wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. The former five-star recruit averaged nearly 19 yards per reception across his first two NFL seasons, with some impressive highlight-reel plays that showcase his explosiveness and body control. The Browns will be counting on another jump from Peoples-Jones this season after he saw his targets increase from 20 as a rookie to 58 in 2021.

Baltimore Ravens

Biggest strength: The Ravens' secondary was hit hard by injuries last season, but all signs point toward it entering the 2022 season with a deep and flexible group after adding Marcus Williams, Kyle Hamilton, Kyle Fuller, Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion Williams this offseason. A safety trio of Williams, Hamilton and Chuck Clark -- assuming Clark remains on the team -- should be utilized in a variety of unique ways by new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Williams (91.7 PFF grade since 2017) has been one of the more underrated safeties in the NFL over the past five seasons.

Biggest weakness: The Marquise Brown trade thins what was already one of the league's worst wide receiver groups. Baltimore is going to operate out of a lot of heavier personnel groupings to feature fullback Patrick Ricard and tight ends Mark Andrews, Nick Boyle, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar. However, the Ravens could still use a proven veteran who can win one-on-ones on the outside. Rashod Bateman projects as the team's top option after averaging 1.3 yards per route run (83rd among 128 qualifying wide receivers) as a rookie last season.

X factor for 2022: Patrick Queen hasn't graded well in his first two seasons out of LSU, but he has shown the ability to change games with his range when things are clicking. Those moments came more consistently in 2021, as he earned an 80-plus PFF grade in four separate games. Queen taking another step forward and performing at a high level more consistently in 2022 would provide a real boost to Baltimore's defense.
 

den-the-coach

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  1. Cincinnati Bengals....I felt they were a paper tiger, but they proved me wrong and they have improved their offensive line too, so they are not going away.
  2. Baltimore Ravens...They always have 100 draft picks and we'll see how the Jackson contract plays out, but last year, they suffered many injuries, they should be healthier this year.
  3. Cleveland Browns....The Watson trade could define them, but there is talent on the offensive & defensive lines to carry them here until Watson comes back.
  4. Pittsburgh Steelers...This should be the year the Steelers should be cellar dwellers I expect Small Hands Pickett to be starting sooner rather than later.
 

CGI_Ram

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  1. Cincinnati Bengals....I felt they were a paper tiger, but they proved me wrong and they have improved their offensive line too, so they are not going away.
  2. Baltimore Ravens...They always have 100 draft picks and we'll see how the Jackson contract plays out, but last year, they suffered many injuries, they should be healthier this year.
  3. Cleveland Browns....The Watson trade could define them, but there is talent on the offensive & defensive lines to carry them here until Watson comes back.
  4. Pittsburgh Steelers...This should be the year the Steelers should be cellar dwellers I expect Small Hands Pickett to be starting sooner rather than later.
I think that's the order I would slot them. (y)
 

blackbart

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Seems to be the Bengals division to lose. I won’t believe in the Browns until they prove they are something more. Watson doesn’t elevate them even if he can play right away, how long has it been since he played a game in the NFL? Ravens can’t be as bad as they were last year, can they? Do they have any talent at WR? Pittsburg may be looking at a new QB, but I don’t think Trubisky is the answer. The rest of this team is ready to win.

I think this is a very close division and all 4 teams could win it.

Bengals
Ravens
Steelers
Browns
 

Reddog99

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The Ravens had some injuries to key players last year so I'm looking forward to seeing a healthy Baltimore defense vs that Bengal offense.

Bengals
Ravens
Browns
Steelers
 

DLux27

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Gonna go:

Ravens
Bengals
Browns
Steelers

This is assuming Lamar is healthy all year, just can’t trust the Bengals to protect Burrow. Even with the new additions I still see him running for his life.
 

Juice

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Ravens 12-5
Bengals 11-6
Steelers 9-8
Browns 7-10

Tomlin has never finished under 500.
Brown's QB situation is a mess.
 

Memento

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Bengals
Ravens
Steelers
Browns
 

Merlin

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Bengals > Ravens > Steelers > Browns. But I think there's a big gulf between the Bengals and Ravens. This is a one playoff team division IMO.
 

fanotodd

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Bengals
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Browns
I’ll second this one^^
Tomlinson will keep the steelers out of last place.

The browns, just when they were building a good roster, found their QB to be cancerous. Their solution? Spend THREE 1rst rounders on a guy who didn’t play last year and will possibly miss the 2022 season as well. Should that happen, I don’t expect to see watson ever playing at a top 5 level again.

The ravens appear to have a couple of passing game issues to face—WRs and a consistent QB. Jackson would be, by a mile, the best/most dangerous QB in the league if he ever develops completely. Then again, this might be exactly who he is and is ever gonna be.

Cincy is the conference champs. They have a good mix on their roster. Besides a young, now proven, QB on a rookie contract, there’s a good blend of young guys (more rookie deals) and acquired FAs. They’re doing it right.