AFC North Division Analysis: What Will the Division Look Like in the 2024 NFL Season?

As the 2024 NFL regular season approaches, every team in the league will have to make difficult decisions as they trim their roster and replace 53 players who will enter the season with Super Bowl aspirations.

However, with the limited number of playoff spots, each team will be fighting to win their division or at least earn a wild card spot.

FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd has his predictions for how each division will pan out before training camp begins. Using those rankings, we break down each team in each division, continuing with the AFC North, which Cowherd calls the best division in football.

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1.Baltimore Ravens

Colin says: “Ravens, top-five offense, top-five defense and the best special teams coach in the league. I think they’ll win the division.”

In the toughest division in American football, Cowherd believes the Ravens, the current number one seed in the AFC, will win once again.

Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to a 13-3 record as the starting quarterback and won another MVP award after throwing for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns to go with 821 rushing yards and five scores.

Head coach John Harbaugh is banking on Jackson, his solid combination of weapons and cost-effective defense, to bring another division title to Baltimore.

Key Add-on: RB DERRICK HENRY

It’s not hard to see. After losing Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, the Ravens landed an even bigger fish in Henry, a bulldozing back from the Tennessee Titans.

AFC EAST ANALYSIS: HOW WILL THE DIVISION BE FORMED FOR THE 2024 NFL SEASON?

The Ravens are known for their ferocious running game, and now they have a quarterback that NFL defenses gasp at because he can simply wear down defenses.

Henry has scored at least 10 touchdowns on the ground since 2018, making four Pro Bowls during that time, including two in the last two campaigns. He now has an even better offensive line, making him a prime candidate to find the paint late in the game and help the Ravens’ Super Bowl aspirations.

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: WILL TE MARK ANDREWS STAY HEALTHY?

The Ravens defense has everything a coordinator could ask for, so the question isn’t on that side of the ball. Instead, it revolves around a player Jackson has relied on since entering the league, even though he wasn’t healthy for much of 2023.

Andrews suffered a serious ankle injury that forced 2022 fourth-round pick Isaiah Likely to step in as his replacement. He likely did okay, but Andrews is Jackson’s safety blanket and someone who can be a monster in the red zone.

The biggest question, then, is whether Andrews will stay healthy throughout the season, especially in the playoffs? He’s been such a catalyst for this offense that 2023 rookie Zay Flowers has quickly become the No. 1 wide receiver on the depth chart, giving Jackson another solid option in the passing game.

WEEK 1: @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (SEPTEMBER 5, 8:15 PM)

2. Cincinnati Bengals

Colin says: “Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow have proven that when Joe is healthy, they win. What can I say? Last year with Jake Browning, they had a winning record. With Jake Browning. Burrow’s back, they’re a playoff team.”

It’s easy to see that when Burrow is under center, he’s comfortable, calm, and throws strikes that put points on the scoreboard.

As Cowherd noted, they are a serious contender to make the playoffs and perhaps win the Super Bowl again, much like they did in 2021.

Burrow, sporting a new look with blond hair, comes to training camp after playing in just 10 games last season because of a wrist injury that sidelined him for the entire season. The Bengals were 5-5 when he was with the team after a slow start, but was 12-4 the year before and 10-6 in the Super Bowl season.

KEY ACQUISITION: WR TEE HIGGINS

How is that a complement? Well, the Bengals have had a couple of very public wide receiver contract disputes this offseason (we’ll get to one of those later), but having Higgins on board is huge for Burrow.

Higgins is arguably the second-best quarterback in college football, having topped 1,000 yards in 2021 and 2022, but quarterback issues in 2023 and his own injuries have caused his effectiveness to decline.

The Bengals franchise tagged him this offseason, even though he wanted a long-term extension. But Higgins signed his franchise tag for more than $21 million, fully guaranteed. With Higgins on board, the Bengals are simply a better offense, and Burrow will have his big man on the outside, who can drive the ball into the end zone and also throw it deep down the field for those big plays.

NFC WEST ANALYSIS: HOW WILL THE DIVISION BE FORMED IN THE NFL SEASON?

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: WILL WR JA’MARR CHASE HOLD OVER?

Throughout training camp we watched as player after player received a coveted long-term contract extension… except for Chase.

Now that Brandon Aiyuk and CeeDee Lamb are happy, Chase is the latest on the list to want a deal but not have one. He was held up during camp, but head coach Zac Taylor sparked real concern among Bengals fans when he discussed the situation with Chase daily in terms of whether he would play in Week 1.

It goes without saying how much Chase means to the Bengals organization, but how long before the front office gives the star quarterback what he wants? Or will he sit there and create a giant cloud over this playoff-ready team?

3.Pittsburgh Steelers

Colin says: “The Steelers, they can’t figure out their offensive line or their offensive coordinator. Honestly, I love their roster. I worry in the offensive league that they can’t handle that side of the ball.”

Somehow, somehow, head coach Mike Tomlin’s record of never having a sub-.500 season with the Steelers remains intact after last season. In fact, Tomlin’s boys made the playoffs with a 10-7 record despite a terrible offense.

But the Steelers defense remains as strong as ever, and the team is hoping that the addition of Russell Wilson at quarterback (or Justin Fields midseason?) and Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator can bring more effort to that end of the field.

KEY ACQUISITION: QB RUSSELL WILSON

He has to be a key addition to the Steelers roster, as he has won the quarterback battle in training camp over Fields, who the Steelers acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears this offseason.

Wilson and Fields got the ball rolling, but Tomlin and his coaching staff handed the 35-year-old Smith the reins of the offense early in the season.

What can Wilson do about that, especially after losing to the Denver Broncos in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks two seasons ago? Wilson needs to step up and lead the Steelers, or Tomlin could quickly pick up the slack and hand the offense over to a first-round pick in Fields.

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: IS ARTHUR SMITH THE RIGHT MAN?

As Cowherd mentioned, the Steelers have struggled to find the right offensive coordinator. Matt Canada was fired after a poor performance that had fans calling for his firing for weeks last season.

Enter Smith, who was unable to fully utilize the Atlanta Falcons’ star-studded offense as the team’s head coach. He seeks redemption with the Steelers, a team that could surprise some if Wilson and company move forward.

Faced with division rivals twice a season, and some tough opponents in between, the Steelers need to put up points because their defense may not be able to save them like it did all of last season.

4. Cleveland Browns

Colin says: “I love the coaching in Cleveland. Total question mark on Deshaun Watson. Weird personality, weird injuries, I’ll put them fourth for now.”

Again, Cowherd mentions that this division is separated by inches, not feet, so just because the Browns were a playoff team last season (thanks to Joe Flacco and excellent coaching) doesn’t mean they’re in last place in this division. It could go either way.

However, the Browns have some serious questions about Watson (we’ll get to that later), as he’s played in just 12 games over the past two seasons, and a shoulder injury will have Cleveland fans holding their breath to see if he can continue to play.

Meanwhile, the Browns offense, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, is lethal and has the ability to paralyze an offense at any time.

KEY ACQUISITION: WR JERRY JEUDY

Can the Browns acquire Jeudy, the star out of Alabama who underperformed as a first-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos?

It’s not entirely Jeudy’s fault that things never quite clicked in Denver after four seasons of mediocrity. He nearly topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2022, leading some to believe he had a chance for a breakthrough last season until Wilson’s quarterback situation unraveled under first-year coach Sean Payton.

Now Jeudy is in the offensive mind of Kevin Stefanski, the “coach” Cowherd idolizes in Cleveland. Stefanski’s scheme could be ideal for someone like Jeudy, who can take the top off defenses and run sharp routes to get open.

Can he quickly establish a rapport with Watson and establish him as a solid No. 2 alongside Amari Cooper in the passing game?

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHO WILL WATSON BE THIS YEAR?

The Browns’ playoff hopes depend on what the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback can accomplish this season.

Browns fans are not happy with Watson as their starting center right now because he simply hasn’t lived up to his massive contract that he received in a trade with the Houston Texans. They want Watson in the Pro Bowl, but he simply wasn’t healthy in 2023 and dealt with his lengthy suspension in 2022.

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There are stars around him who can make an impression, and Nick Chubb should also be back this season.

WEEK 1: VS. DALLAS COWBOYS (SEPTEMBER 8, 4:25 PM)

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