The top football league was not even at its best in 2023.
With more luck at the quarterback position, there could be an exciting race for the AFC North title this season.
Lamar Jackson stayed healthy last year and won his second MVP title, helping Baltimore to the league’s best single-season record. Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson were less fortunate, and Pittsburgh’s passing situation was so unsatisfactory that the Steelers made two significant additions at the quarterback position. Still, every team in the division finished above .500, and all have the potential to be successful in 2024 if they can keep their key players on the field.
The Baltimore Ravens were even better in the 2023 regular season than their 13-4 record suggested. They faced only three losing teams and never trailed by double digits until the fourth quarter of a meaningless game for them in Week 18.
Despite the stars aligning, the Ravens ultimately missed the Super Bowl, losing at home to Kansas City in the AFC Championship game. Coach John Harbaugh began this season’s training camp by saying that Jackson become the best quarterback in NFL history.
“I’m not the GOAT, Tom Brady is the GOAT. Tom Brady is the GOAT,” Jackson said. “Yeah, I think that’s motivation. I appreciate that. I’m still on the path.”
Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback Jackson couldn’t quite get past last season, and now he will Stop Burrowwho led Cincinnati to a Super Bowl and two AFC title games before wrist problems sidelined him last year. The Browns now have Watson back after having to use five quarterbacks in 2023. Cleveland overcame that and made a late run to the playoffs with Joe Flacco.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also just made it to the playoffs – and then, after another early exit in the postseason, blew up their quarterback room. They released Mitch Trubisky, let Mason Rudolph leave as a free agent and traded Kenny Pickett to Philadelphia after two mediocre seasons.
Pittsburgh taken over Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. All three are looking to change careers after producing forgettable performances at their previous positions.
Ravens try to reload
Baltimore signed running back Derrick Henry in the offseason, but the Ravens lost three starters on the offensive line as well as standout linebacker Patrick Queen and pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
They also have a new defensive coordinator after Mike Macdonald left to become head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. The Ravens promoted from within, hiring Zach Orr for the position.
Baltimore led the league in sacks, defensive points and turnovers last season.
A decisive season
The Browns went all out when they signed Watson, signing him to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract through 2022.
They’re waiting for it to pay off, and time is running out.
Watson has played in just 12 games in two seasons, and the Browns made the playoffs last year without him as the 38-year-old Flacco arrived on his couch from New Jersey and was 4-1 with 1,616 passing yards in five games.
Watson’s health is key to Cleveland’s season. But the Browns have a stronger backup plan after signing Jameis Winston (80 NFL starts) and Tyler Huntley to back up second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
The offense has been redesigned to better accommodate Watson’s unique skill set, but it remains to be seen if he will be as much of a running threat following shoulder surgery.
Led by Myles Garrett, Cleveland’s defense carried the Browns through the quagmire of injuries last season. Garrett was more dominant than ever, recording 14 sacks and earning AP Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Working class at the Steelers
Even though the faces are different, Pittsburgh’s path to the title remains the same as it has been for the past five years: control the clock with the running game and hope that the star-studded defense led by TJ Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick does the rest.
Joining Watt and Fitzpatrick this season is Queen. The former Raven has come to terms with being on the other side of one of the NFL’s biggest rivalries and could give Pittsburgh the playmaker it’s needed in the middle of the defense since Ryan Shazier’s career ended with a back injury in 2017.
The schedule is brutally late, meaning the Steelers’ best chance of returning to the top of the division could depend on a good start, which could require Wilson to get the offense up to speed quickly after being limited by a calf injury in the preseason.
Lots of help
Burrow will have two familiar targets in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who is under a franchise tag and likely won’t return to the Bengals next season. Zack Moss was acquired from the Indianapolis Colts to replace Joe Mixon at running back, and the Bengals gained reinforcements at tight end when they signed 6-foot-6, 255-pound Mike Gesicki, formerly of the Patriots.
Longtime offensive coordinator Brian Callahan left the team to become head coach of the Tennessee Titans, but Dan Pitcher, who was promoted to coordinator after four seasons as quarterbacks coach, will be remembered.
Cincinnati’s defense has tended to allow explosive plays in 2023. The Bengals hope that Cam Taylor-Britt will step in at cornerback after moving from safety. The signing of former Ravens defensive back Geno Stone and the return of Vonn Bell should stabilize the safety position.
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Expected order at the finish
Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Browns.
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NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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AP Sports Writers Will Graves, Mitch Stacy and Tom Withers contributed to this report.
