2025 AFC North preview: Can anyone derail the Ravens?

The Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers all have significant questions to answer in the 2025 NFL season. The Baltimore Ravens? Well, they’re looking pretty good.

The Ravens enter 2025 as the favorite to take home their third straight AFC North crown. However, nothing is simple or easy in a division filled with goblins. Pittsburgh will be quietly competent again despite the lack of above-average quarterbacking. Cincinnati will hope its offense can outrun a neglected defense. Cleveland hopes for the same, just with the roles reversed.

So while Baltimore returns a ferocious, reinforced defense and a quarterback a few votes away from his third regular season MVP award last winter, the AFC North remains up for grabs.

Will the Steelers reign of competence continue? Can anyone catch the Ravens? Can we combine the Bengals and Browns to make one super-Ohio team? Let’s take a look at each team, rolling back through this summer’s 32-team previews to go beyond the depth chart. Teams are listed in alphabetical order by location.

Baltimore Ravens Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball against Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the second quarter in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball against Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the second quarter in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Biggest question to answer in 2025: What’s the difference between good and great?

That’s what’s haunted the Ravens since 2018. They’ve got 78 wins in those seven seasons. Lamar Jackson has nearly as many MVP awards (two, and almost a third last season) as the franchise has playoff wins (three). Last year’s team ranked first in offensive efficiency and 11th on the defensive side of the ball, leading to a Wild Card win over the rudderless Pittsburgh Steelers and not much else.

Malaki Starks and Mike Green enter to punch up the D as rookies. The offense’s big addition is a 33-year-old DeAndre Hopkins, coming off his least productive season on a per-game balance but also having posted a respectable 1.83 yards per route run (YPRR) to rank 52nd among wideouts and right between Jordan Addison and Jerry Jeudy. Will that be enough to be Baltimore’s tipping point and send the franchise to its first Super Bowl since 2013?

Potential weakness: The edge rush (and kicker)

Baltimore got the most productive season of Kyle Van Noy’s career when he exploded for 12.5 sacks in his age 33 season. Even if he can do it again, this is a team whose 31.4 percent pressure rate ranked only 24th in the NFL. Drafting Mike Green should help on passing downs, but a Ravens team that doesn’t blitz often may have to dial up its aggressiveness to maximize chaos in Maryland this winter.

Also, Justin Tucker was released after his worst season as a pro. The Ravens used this as a shield to replace him rather than directly addressing the 16 masseuses who accused him of sexual misconduct.

Most important newcomer: S/CB Malaki Starks

Starks and Kyle Hamilton could be a truly devastating safety combination. With Hamilton as the launch pad, Starks’ boom-or-bust tendencies will be given the chance to blast off knowing he’s got a steady, Pro Bowl presence capable of erasing messes behind him. That doesn’t only apply to the safety spot, however. Head coach John Harbaugh could deploy him akin to how the Detroit Lions use Brian Branch, sliding him close to the line of scrimmage in the slot or effectively serving as a Swiss Army Knife for a defense that’s perpetually terrifying.

Overlooked gem: CB Nate Wiggins

It’s borderline cheating to call a 2024 first round draft pick “overlooked,” but the Ravens are so stacked with talent that Wiggins’ excellent rookie campaign flew under the radar a bit. After coming out of college at just 173 pounds, there was a chance the Clemson product would be overpowered as a rookie and consigned to follow Emmanuel Forbes’ path as a mid-Atlantic washout. Instead, he shined.

Wiggins led all Ravens defenders by posting a -28.4 expected points added (EPA) mark across 67 targets last season. His 59.7 passer rating allowed trailed only Marlon Humphrey among men in purple and ranked 14th in the NFL among defensive backs to play at least 200 snaps. His playing weight is up to 182 pounds at 6-foot-1 and he’s now got Jaire Alexander in the lineup to give Baltimore one of the the NFL’s most intimidating cornerback trios.

Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart (97) and defensive tackle Howard Cross III (95) prepare to take the field for the first quarter of the NFL Preseason Week 3 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. The Colts led 24-7 at halftime.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart (97) and defensive tackle Howard Cross III (95) prepare to take the field for the first quarter of the NFL Preseason Week 3 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. The Colts led 24-7 at halftime.

Biggest question to answer in 2025: Does the defense have a snowball’s chance in hell of matching the offense?

Almost certainly not, even with Trey Hendrickson knocking off the rust of his preseason holdout. But Cincy’s blueprint to win every game 35-34 this season is unsustainable. Someone has to step up from a beleaguered defense that made minimal additions in free agency and drafted a low floor, high ceiling pass rusher in the first round by targeting Shemar Stewart. Except, whoops, they’ve already alienated Stewart, a developmental player who needed preseason reps but missed a bunch of them due to a rarely-seen rookie contract standoff.

Who’ll be around to punch up 2024’s 27th-ranked defense? Tedarrell Slaton was a nice pickup from the Green Bay Packers who can add some run-stuffing punch from the inside. Demetrius Knight was a late bloomer in college and should bring value to the linebacker corps. But those additions have to offset the losses of guys like Sheldon Rankins, Akeen Davis-Gaither, Germaine Pratt and Mike Hilton. What about this unit will be deliberately better than it was in 2025?

Potential weakness: Pass rush

Hendrickson had 17.5 sacks in 2024. The rest of the Bengals’ roster combined for 18.5. Rookie first round pick Shemar Stewart has arrived as his running mate and eventual replacement, but asking for immediate contributions will be tricky. He had 4.5 career sacks at Texas A&M, so while he brings some Myles Garrett twitchiness to the front line, it’s fair to wonder how long it will take to turn that potential into production.

That’s a problem when the secondary is filled with newcomers and young players who’ve failed to live up to their draft status. If Hendrickson and company can’t get to quarterbacks it puts a ton of pressure on defensive backs like Dax Hill, DJ Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt — guys who haven’t yet proven they can be reliable, above-average starters on Sundays.

Most important newcomer: EDGE Shemar Stewart

The Bengals got a head start on a proud tradition of antagonizing their own players, forcing Stewart into an earlier-than-expected impasse over language in his rookie contract. While they resolved contract issues with both Stewart and Hendrickson, there’s still plenty that needs to be fixed.

Stewart could be that guy despite his limited college resume. Texas A&M’s talented front didn’t need Stewart to attack the edge the way Cincinnati does. That’s where his 99th percentile athleticism and 267-pound frame come in. The rookie has the speed and power to be a baffling presence on the line, chasing quarterbacks into Hendrickson’s path and cleaning up the messes his veteran running mate creates. But there’s so much he’ll need to refine in a hurry to get there, and he doesn’t have one single move to win consistently from day one the way a guy like Chop Robinson could use his speed rush to contribute for the Miami Dolphins.

If Stewart can find his trump card early, Cincinnati’s defense will be …OK. If not? Well, we talked about the dream of a bunch of 35-34 wins, right?

Overlooked gem: DT Tedarrelle Slaton

Not much went right for the Bengals’ defensive front this offseason. Signing Slaton to a two-year, $14.1 million contract could pay dividends. While the fifth-year veteran won’t add much when it comes to flushing quarterbacks — he has two sacks and seven QB hits in his career — he should be a boost for a unit that ranked 28th in run defense in 2024.

Slaton led all NFL defensive tackles in run stop win rate at 46 percent. He notched a tackle on nearly 12 percent of the running plays he faced. While he’s not gonna get to the backfield with regularity (only six career tackles for loss), he’s excellent at holding his position and shucking off blockers to either make a stop or force a running back off his line and into a teammate’s arms.

Cleveland Browns Aug 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Aug 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Biggest question to answer in 2025: (gestures animatedly toward the quarterback position)

Give Cleveland its flowers; no team in the NFL rostered as many quarterbacks who could feasibly start a game in 2025 this preseason as the Browns. Joe Flacco, Comeback Player of the Year in his last stint with the team returns after an underwhelming stint with Indianapolis. Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders were unbridled excitement in college but had ups and downs this preseason.

Realistically, all three of these guys are Golden Corral entrees in a league filled with actual steakhouses (well, maybe not the Colts). But hey, Myles Garrett could have 25 sacks, so there’s that!

Potential weakness: Quarterback

Moving on.

Most important newcomer: Flacco

The good news is Flacco’s been here before. He led Cleveland to the postseason with a let-it-fly approach that saw him average 9.3 air yards per throw — his second-longest pass distance of the past decade. He gets some new blood from that 2023 season with Jerry Jeudy now in Ohio and Cedric Tillman no longer a fresh-faced rookie. But the wideouts around them are unproven, from Jamari Thrash to Isaiah Bond (and Tillman, with 50 catches in 25 NFL games, isn’t entirely established either).

This feels like a situation where the quarterback has to pump up his receivers rather than the other way around. That’s a big ask for a 40-year-old who hasn’t been able to do that consistently since at least 2018.

Overlooked gem: LB Devin Bush

Bush went from former Pittsburgh Steelers top-10 draft pick and potential franchise cornerstone to Seattle Seahawks rotational piece over the first five seasons of his NFL career. The Browns took a flier on him in 2024 after he played just 27 percent of Seattle’s defensive snaps and he rewarded that faith with a revival. Bush was effective in each phase of the game in his Cleveland debut. His missed tackle rate dropped to 3.8, he brought value as an occasional blitzer (a 24.8 pressure rate) and his 77.8 passer rating allowed in coverage was a career best.

He’ll have more pressure on his shoulders in 2025. Not only is the Browns’ offense (shrugs broadly, exasperated), but running mate Jordan Hicks retired in July. He’ll play alongside second round rookie Carson Schwesinger and rising third-year player Mohamoud Diabate and look to re-establish his cornerstone bonafides as the do-everything anchor in the middle of the field.

Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) walks along the sideline with a head set during the first half of the first preseason game where the Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday Aug. 9, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) walks along the sideline with a head set during the first half of the first preseason game where the Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday Aug. 9, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Biggest question to answer in 2025: Why are they doing this to Mike Tomlin?

The team’s best defensive player just went through a brief hold-in before earning the biggest paycheck of any edge rusher in league history. It just dealt a safety who was a Pro Bowler four of the last five seasons for a soon-to-be 31-year-old cornerback and a tight end coming off an outlier season. The quarterback turns 42 years old in December, is playing the worst football of his career and, right, is a media circus unto himself. He’ll be throwing to a wideout depth chart that has DK Metcalf (good!), Calvin Austin, Scotty Miller and whatever Roman Wilson can bring to the table (less good!).

Mike Tomlin has overcome a multitude of challenges in his 18 seasons as a head coach. His Steelers have finished with a losing record zero times in that span. But his biggest test — perhaps harder than a season in which Mason Rudolph (back on the roster for ’25!) and Duck Hodges started 14 games at quarterback — may come in 2025. So much of it seems like a bizarre punishment from his own front office.

Potential weakness: Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers just had the worst season of his NFL career. He turns 42 in December. He’ll be throwing to one of the thinnest receiving corps in the league, one year after… throwing to one of the thinnest receiving corps in the league and having the worst season of his NFL career.

Most important newcomer: QB Aaron Rodgers

Can the league’s 22nd best quarterback, who also happens to be 41 years old, return to MVP form after the least efficient season of his career as a starter? No.

Can he be league average and pilot the Steelers to their next Wild Card loss? We’ll see!

Overlooked gem: C Zach Frazier

Frazier entered the starting lineup as a second-round rookie and immediately shined for a team loaded with question marks up front. Now he’ll set the tone from the middle of a young offensive line set to start fellow 2024 picks Troy Fautanu (who played one game as a rookie due to injury) and Mason McCormack at right tackle and guard. That leaves room for plenty of variance, especially with another young former first round pick, Broderick Jones, at left tackle.

Stability will be vital to a Pittsburgh offense built around an aging quarterback who is hardly a scrambling threat. Aaron Rodgers played largely forgettable football last season, and while he occasionally thrived under pressure (nine touchdowns, one interception) he also had boom-or-bust tendencies (a 50 percent completion rate compared to 66 when given a clean pocket).

Fixing that is a tall task for an offensive line whose 36.3 pressure rate couldn’t crack the NFL’s top-20 last fall, but growth from Frazier and the rest of his young cohort could guide the way. Equally important: his 79.7 run block grade by Pro Football Focus ranked sixth-best in the NFL. That will clear room for Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson, further easing the burden from Rodgers’ overtaxed shoulders.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: 2025 AFC North preview: Can anyone derail the Ravens?

2025 AFC North preview: Can anyone derail the Ravens?

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