The most physical division in the NFL. The AFC North is always competitive, and in recent years has consistently been one of the best divisions in the league. Since 2020, at least two teams from this division have made the playoffs. In 2023, all four teams had a winning record, with three making the playoffs. In 2024, three of the four teams had a winning record, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see something similar in 2025.
Two of the NFL’s four best quarterbacks reside in the AFC North in the form of Lamar Jackson on the Baltimore Ravens, and Joe Burrow on the Cincinnati Bengals. The only Super Bowl winning quarterback in the division is in Pittsburgh, though, as Aaron Rodgers looks to end his career on a high with the Steelers. In Cleveland, the quarterback situation is up in the air, but Shedeur Sanders has made a strong start to preseason as he looks to fight to make his way up the depth chart behind Joe Flacco.
But enough of the semantics, let’s get into my predictions for the 2025 AFC North.
4th Place – Cleveland Browns
This won’t come as a surprise to most people, however, even though I have the Browns last in the division, I hold them in a higher regard to most people in terms of overall league power ranking. So, let’s start with what’s good about this team.
First of all, the obvious offseason win for the Browns was signing Myles Garrett to a massive $40 million per year, four-year contract extension. Garrett’s resume speaks for itself, with a Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award in 2023, and four first-team All-Pros. The fact is, Cleveland has a generational pass rusher on their team, and will do until 2030, and that is always a win. Garrett is no longer the only star on the defensive line, either, after the Browns picked Mason Graham at number five overall in the 2025 NFL draft.
Cleveland may have traded away the number two pick, and a chance at Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, but Graham was the highest ranked interior defensive lineman coming into the draft and will help the defensive side of the ball in Cleveland greatly, especially against the run.
In the secondary, the Browns have one of the best cornerbacks in the league with Denzel Ward. Ward, a four-time Pro Bowler, has been a consistent cornerstone of Cleveland’s defense since he was drafted in 2018. With him in the team, they can rely on one side of the field being consistently well-defended.
Overall, the defense won’t be elite like it was in 2023, but I think it will certainly take a step up from last year, when Cleveland gave up the fifth-most points in the regular season.
On the offensive side of the ball, there are less positives. One certain bonus for the passing attack is that Jerry Jeudy seems to have finally established himself as a true number one receiver after he had a career high in yards and catches in 2024, his first year in Cleveland. Unfortunately for Jeudy, the quarterback situation is extremely unclear at the moment. Joe Flacco, at 40 years old, is currently the QB1, but fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders recently had a great preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers, which could put him into contention, especially as the season progresses. It still seems to be unclear as to why Sanders fell so far in the draft, but if Cleveland can get the first-round talent out of him that many graded the Colorado quarterback with, they could be in business.
Overall, though, the offense isn’t good enough for Cleveland to be a playoff contender. Jerome Ford at running back isn’t a bad player, and David Njoku may show flashes of high-level play, but Jeudy is the only top-level skill position player on the roster. The offensive line, once great with a guard duo of Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio, fell off massively in 2024, and it is hard to see the unit returning to a high standard. This will be a lacklustre offense, with a few big plays sprinkled in thanks to the talent of Jeudy.
Back to the positives. In terms of coaching, while many may question Kevin Stefanski, he is still a two-time coach of the year winner, and a disappointing 2024 season doesn’t mean he suddenly isn’t the right man to lead this team. The Browns organisation was a mess when Stefanski arrived, and while they aren’t exactly a contender right now, he turned them into a respectable team and is more than capable of getting them back on track.
This Browns team is not amongst the worst in the entire league, but in a division as competitive as this one, it is hard to see them finishing anywhere but last.
3rd Place – Pittsburgh Steelers
To call this an eventful offseason is an understatement for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A trade in March for D.K. Metcalf put the Steelers in a position where they looked to have one of the best wide receiver rooms in the league, with Metcalf and George Pickens together. But, less than a month later, Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Given that Pittsburgh is yet to make another significant move at wide receiver, they’re in a very similar spot to 2024, with Metcalf as the WR1 instead of Pickens.
The wide receiver core will need to see Roman Wilson, the Steelers’ third round pick in the 2024 draft, make a big step up, and the same goes for Calvin Austin III, who has had flashes of brilliance.
The quarterback situation has become a carousel of mediocrity in the Steel City. Aaron Rodgers will look to change that after the Steelers finally signed him in early June. The 41-year-old future hall of famer is coming off a disappointing two year spell with the Jets and isn’t exactly entering an elite offense. Rodgers will be behind an improved offensive line. Troy Fautanu at right tackle was a promising rookie before his injury in practice early in the season. Fautanu was Pittsburgh’s first round pick in 2024, and his return will allow Broderick Jones, their 2023 first round pick, to finally move to his more natural position of left tackle. On the interior, Zach Frazier was one of the best rookie offensive lineman in the league last year, so Pittsburgh has finally found Maurkice Pouncey’s replacement, after the five time All-Pro retired following the 2020 season. Fellow 2024 draft pick, Mason McCormick, also had a solid rookie season, and Isaac Seumalo has been a reliable guard throughout his career, with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2024.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith wants to dominate teams physically, and a trade for Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins is evidence of that. Smith will be lined up plenty with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington to create a physical edge for Pittsburgh, whether they are running or passing. In the run game, the carries will be shared but RB1 is most likely going to be Jaylen Warren, who always runs with a vengeance.
Pittsburgh’s offense won’t set the world alight this season, but with a veteran quarterback, a strong tight end group, a true wide receiver one, and an improved offensive line, fans can hope for a better performance than recent years.
The other side of the ball is where the Steelers have been strongest for the last six seasons. T.J. Watt recently became the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history and will have a point to prove given some of the narratives flying round that Pittsburgh should have traded him. Providing Cam Heyward’s awkward contract situation gets sorted out, the Steelers have an elite front seven, with Watt and Heyward being the main stars up front. 2025 first round pick Derrick Harmon will also look to dominate, and Keanu Benton tops off a strong interior defensive line. Alex Highsmith off the edge opposite Watt gives Pittsburgh one of the best edge rusher duos in the league, and at linebacker, Patrick Queen may not have had as big an impact in 2024 as fans would have liked, but there is no denying his talent. Payton Wilson is also coming off a strong rookie season and will be given a lot more snaps after Elandon Roberts’ departure.
Of course, there was the big news of Minkah Fitzpatrick being traded to the Miami Dolphins in late June, in exchange for Jalen Ramsey and Smith. While the Steelers lost a former All-Pro safety, they gain a former All-Pro corner who is probably playing at a higher level than Fitzpatrick as of the 2024 season. Darius Slay was also an addition to Pittsburgh at cornerback, although there may be a concern that he will be similar to Patrick Peterson in 2023, a once great cornerback being defeated by father time. Either way, with Ramsey, Slay and Joey Porter Jr., the Steelers have a strong cornerback group, although free safety is a concern after Fitzpatrick’s departure, even with the high level play of DeShon Elliott at strong safety, who was rewarded with a two-year extension this offseason.
The Steelers are always a well-coached team by Mike Tomlin, and they will likely finish above .500 again, but this team is not a contender. They lack firepower on offense, and although the defense looks great on paper, that hasn’t stopped them being outclassed when the real tests late in the year have come around in recent seasons. This is a potential playoff team, but not one that can make a deep run.
2nd Place – Cincinnati Bengals (Wildcard)
The 2024 Cincinnati Bengals provided a thrilling experience for neutral fans, and a crushing one for Bengals fans. Joe Burrow led the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Ja’Marr Chase led the league in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, winning the triple crown. However, the Bengals still missed the playoffs due to poor defensive play. So, what’s changed this year for the Bengals? To be completely honest, not much, but this team has a strong enough offense to win nine games on its own, and key moments will decide whether they add to that win total.
The argument against the Bengals is that this is the same team as last season when they missed the playoffs. Most of their offseason business has been re-signing, as they extended Chase and fellow wide receiver Tee Higgins. Star edge rusher, Trey Hendrickson, is still looking for a new deal which adds concerns for an already weak defense. However, the Bengals were just a few plays away from being not just a playoff team last year, but a division winner. Of course, once the chain of ifs buts and maybes starts in the NFL, it may never stop, but the 2024 Bengals are a unique case. Let’s just take two plays. If Evan McPherson makes an overtime kick against the Ravens in week 5, that’s another win. If the Bengals convert their two-point attempt to win in Baltimore in week 10, that’s a second result flipped. Flip those two plays, and the Bengals win the AFC North in 2024. Of course, those plays weren’t flipped, and Cincinnati missed the playoffs. But the logic that a 9-8 team cannot make the playoffs simply because they missed the playoffs last year and haven’t changed their personnel, is flawed.
We all know about Burrow and his elite wide receiver duo in Chase and Higgins, but what about the rest of the offense? The offensive line is a big worry. On the interior, the Bengals aren’t great. At the tackle positions, there is a lot of improvement to be made. Orlando Brown Jr. is no longer the great player he once was, and Amarius Mims is also a concern. At running back, Chase Brown is more than a solid option, and the Bengals possess fire power at tight end as well, with Mike Gesicki.
We know what the offense will be. A high-scoring, high-flying group, with the talent of Burrow and the skill positions outweighing the bad play of the offensive line. But now, the defense. This group had one strength last season, Trey Hendrickson. Right now, Hendrickson looks like he may not be on the team in 2025 due to contract disputes. First round pick Shemar Stewart may eventually be a successor but is unlikely to be right now. Logan Wilson still provides good play at linebacker, especially in the run game, but that is where the good news ends with the defense.
This will be a team carried by the talent of Burrow and his receiving targets, with some help from Chase Brown. The roster as a whole is not good enough to be a Super Bowl contender, although Burrow certainly is, and the quarterback is certainly talented enough to get this team back in the postseason for the first time since the 2022 season. The Bengals can’t afford to start slow like they usually do. If they get off to a strong start, they will make the postseason.
1st Place – Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have one of the best quarterbacks, and rosters, in the entire league. With an experienced coach who knows how to win, it is almost impossible to pick against them in this division, despite the brutal nature of the AFC North, and the fact that no team has won it for three straight seasons, something the Ravens are looking to change in 2025.
Lamar Jackson is coming off a first-team All-Pro season, his third of his career, but not his third career MVP. Either way, Jackson will once again be in the running for the league’s most prestigious play-based individual award. Jackson has never had an elite wide receiver core in his career, but this could be the year that changes. Rashod Bateman had the best season of his young career in 2024 and was rewarded with a contract extension. Zay Flowers steadily improved from his strong 2023 rookie season, and although DeAndre Hopkins might be past his best, a veteran presence will help the younger players massively and can only be seen as a good addition in Baltimore. Of course, the Ravens also possess one of the best tight end groups in the league with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, allowing a lot of flexibility with a quarterback who is one of the best in the league at passing, and the greatest runner at the position of all time.
On the offensive line, Baltimore is set up strong at centre with Tyler Linderbaum, one of the best in the league. Ronnie Stanley is also a solid protector at left tackle. Roger Rosengarten at right tackle will be expected to take a leap after he was Baltimore’s second round pick in 2024. Andrew Vorhees looks to be the left guard and, after an injury-ridden draft process back in 2023, he will be looking to prove himself, but for now could be seen as a weak point. Daniel Faalele at right guard is a solid young player who Baltimore can rely on.
Of course, that line won’t just be blocking for Jackson. They will have one of the best running backs all time behind them as well. Derrick Henry’s 2024 season seems to have been overlooked given Saquon Barkley’s heroics. Henry was just 79 yards away from becoming the first player ever to have two 2,000-yard rushing seasons. At 31-years-old, it is always a concern that a player might take a step back, but Henry is no ordinary player. Don’t be surprised if he has another All-Pro season.
On defense, Baltimore will expect their secondary to take a big leap. Malaki Starks, a star safety out of Georgia, was selected as the Ravens’ first round pick. Starks will join Kyle Hamilton at safety, and if the Georgia Bulldog can live up to his potential, Hamilton, the two-time All-Pro, will be given a much more versatile role. Baltimore tried to move Hamilton around last year, but it resulted in poor defensive performances. Once Hamilton moved back to his natural safety position, Baltimore improved on the defensive side. Starks will take time to settle, but if he does, a more freed up Hamilton in the second half of the season will cause problems for offensive coordinators.
At cornerback, Nate Wiggins had a solid rookie season in 2024 but will look to make the step up to a Pro Bowl-calibre player in 2025 as the former first-round pick enters his second season as a pro. Marlon Humphrey covers the other side of the field for Baltimore and the veteran continues to make big plays, with six interceptions and a first team All-Pro nod in 2024. Then there is Jaire Alexander, Baltimore’s big free agent signing. Once among the best cornerbacks in the league, Alexander is still just 28 years old and will be looking to prove himself after the Green Bay Packers let him go earlier this summer.
Baltimore’s front seven doesn’t necessarily provide as much fire power on paper as a team like the Steelers, but they still provide a considerable threat. Odafe Oweh had a breakout year in 2024 with 10 sacks. On the other side of the line of scrimmage, veteran Kyle Van Noy is coming off his best statistical season after 12.5 sacks last year. Of course, Roquan Smith is the standout player in the front seven for Baltimore. Smith has had five straight All-Pro seasons, with the last three being first team.
It is hard to find a weakness in this Ravens team. They will likely have the best rushing attack in the league, they have an MVP-calibre quarterback, they have All-Pros in their defense, and they have a Super Bowl winning coach in John Harbaugh. This team just needs to put it all together in the biggest moments. So far in the Lamar Jackson era they haven’t been able to, whether it’s due to turnovers, coaching errors, or an array of other factors. The Ravens will likely become the first team to win three straight AFC North titles and have a strong chance at winning it all.