Bengals a Lock? Or is the AFC North Crown Up for Grabs?

Each year is a dogfight in the NFL’s toughest division, the AFC North. So, which will end up on top in 2023? Here’s what I predict.

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Cincinnati Bengals

After an agonizing 23-20 loss in the highly anticipated rematch vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cincinnati Bengals fell just one game short of a second straight Super Bowl appearance. But, with Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes tied against one another in the playoffs, the future is now in the AFC.

The Bengals got better during the 2023 off-season and looked scarier than ever. Cincinnati made quite a splash in the early stages of free agency, signing four-time pro-bowler Orlando Brown to a $64.09 million contract. Beefing up the offensive line to protect Burrow was Cincinnati’s biggest off-season need, which could propel this offensive to even greater heights in 2023.

Although the Bengals lost their very productive starting tight end in Hayden Hurst, they signed a young, unproven, talented tight end in Irv Smith Jr. The 24-year-old has had injury issues throughout his short career but has shown flashes of star potential when healthy. If Smith Jr. can keep himself on the field, Cincinnati has yet another solid weapon offensive coordinator Brian Callahan can utilize.

Cincinnati’s secondary took a gashing blow as superstar safety Jesse Bates and fellow star safety Von Bell parted ways from the team in this year’s free agency. In response, the Bengals quickly signed safety Nick Scott to a three-year, $12 million contract and later added safety Jordan Battle in the 3rd round of this year’s draft. However, many question marks will loom over the new secondary duo until they can prove their worth during the 2023 season.

Cincinnati had a quiet yet solid draft. Drafting defensive end Myles Murphey out of Clemson in the first round will help round out their defensive line. The second-round defensive back DJ Turner from Michigan will provide immense speed and athleticism to the Bengal’s defense. His 4.26 40-yard dash time was the time to beat in this year’s combine, which will significantly help Cincinnati’s rebuilding secondary.

Rumors have circulated that Cincinnati is considering moving on from pro-bowl running back Joe Mixon, hence why the Bengals drafted Sleeper 5th round pick Chase Brown. If the rumors are proven to be true, the opportunity for Brown will drastically increase, giving him a great chance to show the Bengals what he is capable of.

Football is a team sport, but as long as Joe Burrow throws passes in Cincinnati, the Bengals will be at the top of the AFC playoff race. An offensive powerhouse, the Bengals should remain a Super Bowl favorite for years. The #1 receiving core, including the special Burrow-Chase connection, has electrified the NFL, leaving the rest of the NFC North scrambling to catch up to their greatness.

CONCLUSION: Due to inconsistent play and a challenging 2023 schedule, Cincinnati’s floor should be around 10-7. Their ceiling will be 13-4, and that record is attainable if the offense clicks and their secondary steps up without Jesse Bates and Von Bell.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers had one roller coaster ride of a season. With an early season quarterback change and a 2-6 record facing the bye week, Pittsburgh’s season seemed down the drain. However, the Steelers won seven of their last nine games, finishing with a respectable 9-8 record and third in the AFC North. Although the Steelers merely missed the playoffs, Pittsburgh’s rebuild was nothing short of a success.

With the steady improvement of rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett and the offensive line, the Steelers’ late-season play was a beautiful display of what a tough football team should look like. Although Pittsburgh finished 2022 with a winning record, the team needed many tweaks during the off-season to their roster to potentially get them over the hump in 2023.

First-year general manager Omar Khan made a huge name for himself in Pittsburgh during this year’s free agency by replacing and upgrading each position of need. First, the Steelers lost starting cornerback Cameron Sutton to the Detroit Lions, who Omar replaced with veteran corner Patrick Peterson rather cheaply (two years, $14 million). Then, shortly after Steelers’ linebackers Robert Spillane, Devin Bush, and Myles Jack moved on from the steel city, Omar quickly signed their replacements: Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. Then, as starting safety Terrell Edmunds leaves for Philadelphia, Keanu Neal from Tampa Bay is signed by Pittsburgh. Finally, the Steelers lost a chunk of their defense, only to retain and upgrade it by spending less.

Omar Khan and the Pittsburgh Steelers struck gold as they drafted Georgia lineman Broderick Jones (pick 14), Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (32nd pick), Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (pick 49), and the 6’8 tight end out of Georgia Darnell Washington (pick 93). The Steelers’ roster is flooded with depth and young talent, making them a potential AFC North title contender.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett, running back Najee Harris, and rookie wide receiver sensation George Pickens must step up. If the already improved offensive line plays up to standards, the Steelers’ offense should be at the league’s top (mainly in rushing). There has, however, been a huge roadblock that the Steelers have not been able to push away for quite some time.

Steelers’ offensive coordinator Matt Canada is in the hot seat, and for good reason. Since 2021, the Steelers’ offense has been abysmal. Canada’s offense scored just 18 points per game in 2022, the 6th worst mark in the entire NFL. Although the Steelers’ run game picked up towards the back half of the season, the passing attack has been underwhelming. If Canada and the Steelers’ offense fails to throw the deep ball for yet another season, Pittsburgh will wish Canada farewell and to the playoffs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have the greatest momentum in the North following the draft. With their improvement at every position on the roster, the Steelers should be very disappointed if they miss the playoffs, mainly because they have been blessed with a light 2023 schedule.

CONCLUSION: The Steelers’ floor will be a record of 9-8 if Canada and the offense don’t improve. Their ceiling, however, is sky-high at 12-5. With one of the most dominant defenses in the league, the Steelers are just a few offensive tweaks away from seeing their first playoff victory since 2016.

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2022 campaign with a 10-7 record and a late-season playoff berth. In their Wild Card playoff game, Baltimore fell just short of Cincinnati 24-17. That was expected because the injury bug had feasted on Baltimore all season. Notable players such as Lamar Jackson, Kyle Fuller, J.K Dobbins, and Gus Edwards are just a few key pieces who had been injured for a significant amount of time for the Ravens during 2022. However, with a team depleted by injuries, the Ravens did finish the season on a high note.

The biggest story of the 2023 offseason was the excruciating contract negotiation between the Baltimore Ravens and 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson. All seemed lost between the two parties when Lamar Jackson publicly asked for a trade from the team. But, in a shocking turn of events, the Ravens managed to retain their franchise quarterback, giving Jackson a five-year $260 million contract, including $185 million guaranteed.

If that wasn’t enough, the Ravens decided to go receiver in the first round, drafting Boston College product Zay Flowers with the 22nd pick. Some were surprised Baltimore chose a receiver instead of a much-needed corner. Still, a lineup of Lamar Jackson, J.K Dobbins, Mark Andrews, Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, and Zay Flowers gives Raven’s flock much to be excited about.

CONCLUSION: Baltimore’s floor is 8-9, largely because of two things: this team has one of the more challenging schedules of the AFC North, and new pieces on the offensive side need time to develop. Another issue that has plagued this team for several years is health. If healthy, the Ravens could soar to 12-5.

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns finished the 2023 season with a subpar 7-10 record and last in the AFC North. With star quarterback Deshaun Watson missing most of the 2022 season due to suspension, it was a real struggle for the Browns to find their footing. Looking towards 2023, however, the season looks like it could be very promising for Cleveland.

Cleveland’s smash-mouth running game is amongst the best in the NFL. The deadly one-two punch of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt will continue to wear down opposing defenses weekly. In addition, Brown’s star receiver Amari Cooper, paired with Donovan Peoples-Jones and newly acquired Elijah Moore, gives Cleveland an offense capable of scoring 25+ points consistently.

In March 2021, the Cleveland Browns traded for Texans’ superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson. Although the Browns found themselves their franchise quarterback, the QB’s price was nothing short of extreme. Cleveland traded their 2022 first-round draft pick (13th overall), their 2022 fourth-round pick (107th overall), a 2023 first and third-round pick, and two 2024 picks, including a first-round and fourth-round pick. The Browns received Deshaun Watson and a 2024 six-round pick.

Cleveland not only sacrificed a mass amount of future draft picks, but they also sacrificed future contracts. Watson signed a five-year, $230 million guaranteed contract, ranking him the 5th highest paid quarterback heading into the 2023 season.

If Watson can return to his former MVP-like self, the Cleveland Browns will easily walk into the playoffs.

CONCLUSION: The notoriously mediocre Browns, who always seem to disappoint their sorrowful fanbase, will have a floor of a 7-10 record if Deshaun Watson doesn’t take a significant leap in 2023. However, if Cleveland’s QB becomes the player the Browns envision him to be, the Browns’ ceiling could be 11-6. The city of Cleveland is on the shoulders of their quarterback. Will he carry them to victory? We’ll see.