The State of the AFC North
One of the biggest reasons to be excited is thanks to how the rest of the division looks. Much of the AFC North is getting a later start at rebuilding and in turn, is taking a hit because of it. And the Cleveland Browns, who have been rebuilding non-stop since they got their team back in 1999.
The Cincinnati Bengals are eyeing up a quarterback with their No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft but there are no guarantees he’ll be the answer until he proves it on the field. With few offensive weapons and one of the worst defenses in the league last year, the Bengals have a lot of rebuilding to do even if they land a Hall of Fame quarterback this offseason.
The Browns are a disaster that is once again hoping their newest coaching hire is the one that will finally bring them from the basement of the division to just their second playoff appearance in 22 years. But as has been the case far too often for Cleveland, another disappointing season could see the entire roster get gutted to retry again.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a huge question mark. They lost their two best players last offseason and clearly couldn’t find suitable replacements for them. Add in the injury to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has to be at the end of his career at this point, and you have a team that is trending down instead of up.
If the Ravens don’t win the AFC North next season, it’ll be because they choked it away. But if they do win it, they’re guaranteed a playoff spot which means another shot at the Super Bowl.