AFC North intrigue: Will Ravens be first to three-peat? Will Rodgers snap Tomlin's playoff skid?

No squad has won the AFC North 3 consecutive years since the part was created successful 2002, but ESPN BET favors the Baltimore Ravens to interruption that streak this season.

The Ravens -- led by first-team All-Pro backmost Lamar Jackson -- are looking for much than part glory, however. Jackson wants to observe occurrence successful the postseason, wherever his vocation grounds is 3-5, though the team's postseason disappointments weren't confined to QB play.

The Pittsburgh Steelers besides person a mates of radical nether a microscope this year. The 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers, who said this is likely his past season, volition beryllium Pittsburgh's archetypal subordinate implicit 40, and helium mightiness request to regain his MVP signifier to assistance manager Mike Tomlin drawback his six-game playoff losing streak. The regular play hasn't been a occupation arsenic Tomlin has not had a losing grounds successful 18 seasons successful Pittsburgh. The Steelers' over-under is 8.5 wins, according to ESPN BET.

Pittsburgh is hoping that acquiring cornerback Jalen Ramsey and choky extremity Jonnu Smith for information Minkah Fitzpatrick, volition wage dividends.

Bengals newsman Ben Baby, Ravens newsman Jamison Hensley, Browns newsman Daniel Oyefusi and Steelers newsman Brooke Pryor instrumentality a look astatine the division, including who could beryllium the apical rookie this year.

What's the QB outlook for each team?

Joe Burrow is present much than a twelvemonth and a fractional removed from a season-ending wrist wounded that required country successful November 2023. Recovering from the wounded didn't halt him from having a immense play past twelvemonth and finishing 4th successful MVP voting.

Burrow is successful presumption to person an adjacent amended 2025. The Bengals re-signed his apical 3 receiving options: Receivers Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and choky extremity Mike Gesicki. The violative enactment should beryllium improved with whoever wins the close defender battle. And if Burrow tin beryllium amended successful the 4th quarters this season, helium tin physique connected a 2024 play that saw him decorativeness 3rd successful Total QBR down Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. -- Baby

Jackson wants to execute what the different 3 projected starting QBs successful the part (assuming Flacco starts successful Cleveland) person already done -- scope a Super Bowl. Jackson has thing to beryllium successful the regular season, wherever helium has won 2 MVPs and has led the Ravens to 70 wins successful 7 seasons. All eyes volition beryllium connected him travel January. In the postseason, Jackson has committed 11 turnovers, which are the astir successful the playoffs since helium entered the league successful 2018. -- Hensley

For a squad coming disconnected a three-win season, the Browns mightiness person the league's astir absorbing grooming campy conflict with their four-way backmost competition. And it's multifaceted.

Does Cleveland commencement the play with 1 of its veterans, Joe Flacco oregon Kenny Pickett? Is either rookie, Dillon Gabriel oregon Shedeur Sanders, truly successful presumption to propulsion for the starting relation successful Week 1? And if not, however soon could the Browns crook to either backmost if the play starts slow?

With 2 first-round picks successful what is expected to beryllium a overmuch stronger QB draught successful 2026, it would behoove Cleveland to get a bully valuation of its first-year quarterbacks and spot if either is worthy gathering around. -- Oyefusi

After a prolonged decision-making process, Aaron Rodgers yet enactment disconnected status for astatine slightest 1 much play erstwhile helium signed a one-year woody with the Steelers connected June 7. He said 2 weeks aboriginal he's "pretty sure" this volition beryllium his past season.

Rodgers' tenure successful New York was hardly what helium oregon the Jets expected, and Pittsburgh represents an accidental to region himself from that tumultuous period. In 2024, Rodgers' archetypal play since a near Achilles tear, the backmost averaged 2.69 seconds to propulsion (fifth fastest among qualified QBs) and a 6.6-yard mean propulsion region (fifth shortest successful the league), per ESPN Research. It marked Rodgers' lone afloat play arsenic a starter wherever helium recorded an mean propulsion region beneath 7.4 yards.

Another twelvemonth removed from the Achilles injury, 2025 could beryllium the cleanable mode for Rodgers to extremity his Hall of Fame career, oregon it could adhd different disappointing closing section to his legacy. -- Pryor

What unit is each manager facing this season?

Zac Taylor: There are 2 large unit points facing Taylor this season. First, the Bengals request to extremity their two-year postseason drought and go applicable successful the AFC again. The lackluster 2024 run forced Taylor to shingle up his coaching unit and regenerate antiaircraft coordinator Lou Anarumo with Al Golden, a erstwhile adjunct during Cincinnati's 2021 Super Bowl run.

The different root of unit is the Bengals request to person an adjacent amended offense. Cincinnati's passing trio of Burrow, Higgins and Chase gain a combined $124 cardinal successful mean yearly salary. That should output the No. 1 discourtesy successful the NFL and a squad that tin bludgeon opponents each week. Last year, the Bengals were eighth successful the league successful points per drive, which is good. But Taylor volition beryllium tasked with maximizing each aspects of this squad successful 2025. -- Baby

John Harbaugh: For Harbaugh, the situation is to get his players to travel done successful the clutch successful the postseason. The crushed wherefore Baltimore hasn't been to a Super Bowl since 2012 is uncharacteristic mistakes similar wide receiver Zay Flowers fumbling adjacent the extremity enactment successful the 2023 AFC Championship Game and choky extremity Mark Andrews dropping a captious 2-point conversion successful the last minutes of the AFC divisional round.

As Harbaugh enactment it astatine the extremity of past season, "you support striving guardant to stack those games unneurotic and enactment 3 oregon 4 truly bully games together, error-free games together, and spell up and triumph a Super Bowl." -- Hensley

Kevin Stefanski: Despite the Browns' struggles past season, owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam gave a beardown endorsement astatine the owners gathering for Stefanski, a two-time Coach of the Year grant victor who received an hold 13 months ago.

Ownership acknowledged the franchise is retooling aft the commercialized for backmost Deshaun Watson, which Jimmy Haslam called a "big swing-and-miss," and wants to springiness Stefanski clip to bash so. But the Haslams emphasized that they are inactive looking to compete. Stefanski is astatine the forefront of those efforts, arsenic he's taking backmost playcalling duties and the Browns are returning to the violative strategy helium operated successful his archetypal fewer seasons arsenic caput coach. -- Oyefusi

Mike Tomlin: With a three-year hold that kicks successful this season, Tomlin apt isn't going anyplace nary substance what happens connected the tract successful 2025. But his bequest could instrumentality a deed if the Rodgers experimentation fails.

It marks the 2nd twelvemonth successful a enactment Tomlin led the complaint to bring successful an aging backmost successful an effort to extremity the ever-growing playoff-loss streak, which dates backmost to 2016. In 2024, helium was the operator of the determination to enactment Russell Wilson successful "pole position" for the starting backmost occupation and to supplant Justin Fields erstwhile Wilson's calf healed. Tomlin, who hasn't had a losing play during his 18 years successful Pittsburgh, deserves important recognition for doing much with little implicit the years, but helium should besides instrumentality the vigor erstwhile his gambles don't wage off. -- Pryor

Will the Ravens beryllium the archetypal AFC North squad to three-peat?

No. The Bengals did not person a precise bully twelvemonth past play and inactive finished 9-8. That is contempt blowing 2 second-half leads to the Ravens that yet outgo the Bengals a changeable astatine the part title.

Cincinnati should beryllium successful a presumption to not lone contend for the part crown but besides instrumentality afloat vantage of a docket that is ranked the 14th-hardest aft a third-place decorativeness past year. The Bengals besides retooled their squad to beryllium importantly amended against AFC North opponents, particularly erstwhile it comes to being amended defensively adjacent the enactment of scrimmage. Adding T.J. Slaton successful the mediate should assistance solidify Cincinnati's tally defence for those large games against the Ravens. -- Baby

Yes, arsenic agelong arsenic Jackson stays healthy. Of the 5 regular seasons that Jackson has finished, the Ravens person won 4 AFC North titles. The lone objection was 2020, erstwhile Baltimore was 2nd successful the division.

With Jackson arsenic its starting quarterback, Baltimore is 20-9 (.690) successful the AFC North, putting up an awesome 27.9 points per game. Plus, this has the makings of being the Ravens' astir implicit squad successful his 8 seasons. -- Hensley

Yes. The roadworthy to a part three-peat volition beryllium arsenic pugnacious arsenic ever for the Ravens. The Bengals' defence has obscurity to spell but up, and the Burrow-Chase-Higgins trio ever gives Baltimore each it tin handle. The Steelers' defence has often been a conundrum for Jackson and present Pittsburgh has added Rodgers. However, the Ravens person what is arguably the franchise's champion roster successful the Jackson era, a squad filled with not lone prima powerfulness but well-rounded extent successful cardinal spots. The AFC North volition beryllium a grind, arsenic it ever is, but Baltimore volition look arsenic part champs again. -- Oyefusi

Yes. Sorry to the Steelers fans speechmaking this, but the Ravens are the division's astir implicit team. The Bengals are the Ravens' biggest three-peat threat, but arsenic the rosters basal present with the Bengals' contract drama, the Ravens person the strongest individuality and instauration successful the division. That could assistance them get retired to a faster commencement and found an aboriginal part pb with a Week 2 crippled against the Browns and 2 much AFC opponents successful the archetypal 4 weeks. -- Pryor

Who volition beryllium the champion rookie successful the division?

Ravens information Malaki Starks: Putting him successful the aforesaid secondary arsenic Kyle Hamilton should beryllium a precise dynamic pairing.

Browns choky extremity Harold Fannin Jr. is idiosyncratic I was intrigued with passim the full draught process. At Bowling Green past season, helium enactment up large performances against Penn State and Texas A&M, 2 Power 4 teams that person a ton of NFL-level talent. Bowling Green did a bully occupation of putting Fannin successful abstraction and creating favorable matchups. Stefanski has done a bully occupation of that implicit the years.

I besides privation to spot however antiaircraft tackle Derrick Harmon and moving backmost Kaleb Johnson look successful Pittsburgh this season. -- Baby

Starks. The Bengals are successful a declaration impasse with Shemar Stewart, and the Browns and Steelers each selected antiaircraft linemen (Mason Graham and Harmon) successful the archetypal round. Starks, who has been moving with the Ravens starters since helium stepped ft successful Baltimore, has an accidental to marque the biggest splash of each the AFC North apical selections.

Baltimore has a past of identifying playmaking antiaircraft backs. Two of the erstwhile 3 safeties drafted by the Ravens successful the archetypal circular became first-team All-Pro selections: Ed Reed and Hamilton. -- Hensley

Starks. The erstwhile Georgia standout was a cleanable acceptable for a Ravens defence that needed to enactment up the backmost extremity portion besides freeing Hamilton to beryllium much versatile and enactment person to the enactment of scrimmage. Starks should person plentifulness of opportunities to usage his scope and marque plays connected the ball. -- Oyefusi

Starks. I'll marque it 4-for-4 and besides spell with Starks. No pressure! In joining a secondary with Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey, Starks is undeniably drafted into the champion spot of immoderate rookie successful the AFC North, positive the Ravens person a large way grounds of identifying and further processing bully safeties.

But there's besides a beardown lawsuit to beryllium made for Harmon, whom antiaircraft enactment manager Karl Dunbar already tapped arsenic the starting near antiaircraft tackle. Harmon figures to beryllium the aboriginal of the antiaircraft enactment on with Keeanu Benton erstwhile Cameron Heyward yet retires, but Harmon could commencement making a large interaction this year. -- Pryor

Which starting occupation (outside of QB) connected the squad you screen remains the biggest question mark?

Right guard. Cody Ford and Lucas Patrick look to beryllium the superior candidates successful contention for that job. Cordell Volson, who was antecedently the team's near guard, has plentifulness of starting acquisition and has imaginable to turn and amended nether caller adjunct manager Scott Peters.

Of those three, the Bengals person the astir invested successful Ford. Patrick, who was antecedently with the New Orleans Saints, signed a one-year woody successful escaped bureau but received conscionable $200,000 successful guaranteed money. Ford, connected the different hand, signed a two-year woody with $1 cardinal guaranteed, according to Roster Management System. With the summation of rookie Dylan Fairchild to play near guard, Cincinnati could person 2 caller starting violative linemen this season. -- Baby

Kicker. It speaks to the spot of the Ravens' roster erstwhile the biggest question lies extracurricular discourtesy and defense. Baltimore is looking for a caller kicker for the archetypal clip successful 14 years aft cutting Justin Tucker successful May amid an probe by the league for intersexual misconduct. Tucker subsequently received a 10-week ban.

Instead of Baltimore signing a veteran, the Ravens' contention to regenerate the NFL's astir close kicker volition beryllium betwixt rookie sixth-round prime Tyler Loop and undrafted rookie John Hoyland. Loop, who is considered the favorite, was astir cleanable this offseason earlier struggling precocious successful outpouring workouts. -- Hensley

WR2. Jerry Jeudy had a breakout play successful 2024, but the Browns don't person a proven enactment extracurricular of him. Diontae Johnson is agelong removed from being named a Pro Bowler successful 2021 and is joining his 4th squad successful 2 years. Young pass-catchers Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash person shown flashes but person a combined 53 vocation catches.

One oregon 2 of these players volition person to measurement up for the eventual victor of the Browns' four-man QB competition. -- Oyefusi

WR2. The Steelers concisely had a beardown wide receiver tandem successful the period and a fractional betwixt acquiring DK Metcalf and trading George Pickens. With Pickens' departure for Dallas, the Steelers erstwhile again person a question people astatine the No. 2 wide receiver spot with fewer interior options to capable the role.

At minicamp, wide receivers manager Zach Azzanni said fourth-year receiver Calvin Austin III is the team's WR2. While Austin averaged 15.2 yards per drawback past season, conscionable beneath Pickens' 15.3 YPC, helium inactive averaged lone 32.2 yards per crippled with 4 receiving touchdowns. The Steelers brought successful seasoned Robert Woods connected a one-year deal, but they could besides look astatine signing different escaped cause similar Keenan Allen oregon acquiring much assistance via trade. -- Pryor