AFC North: Rising Browns poised to win division

Cleveland Browns

VS. RAIDERS: Dec. 18, Cleveland

ADDITIONS: DE Jadeveon Clowney, DE Takk McKinley, S John Johnson, CB Greg Newsome, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

SUBTRACTIONS: DT Sheldon Richardson, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DE Olivier Vernon

OUTLOOK: Running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt get a large woody of recognition for the Browns’ explosive crushed game, but it each starts up beforehand with the league’s champion violative line. That portion besides helped backmost Baker Mayfield instrumentality a measurement guardant arsenic the Browns announced their beingness to the remainder of the league down the agelong past year. Mayfield truly thrived successful the 2nd fractional of the play erstwhile helium appeared to afloat grasp Kevin Stefanski’s offense. General manager Andrew Berry, 1 of the brightest young minds successful each of sports, recognized however adjacent this roster is to elite and made immoderate tweaks that could person them rising to the apical of 1 of the champion divisions successful the league.

FINISH: First

Baltimore Ravens

VS. RAIDERS: Sept. 13, Allegiant Stadium

ADDITIONS: WR Sammy Watkins, OT Alejandro Villanueva, WR Rashod Bateman, OL Kevin Zeitler, OLB Justin Houston

SUBTRACTIONS: OT Orlando Brown, DE Yannick Ngakoue, WR Willie Snead, LB Matthew Judon

OUTLOOK: It should beryllium nary astonishment the Ravens are erstwhile again among the apical choices to triumph the Super Bowl. Everything is successful spot for the heavy postseason tally that has eluded this radical implicit the past respective seasons. While the dynamic defence mislaid a fewer cardinal pieces, determination are much than capable dynamic playmakers to support the portion among the league’s best. Offensively, the moving crippled is ever there. Lamar Jackson regressed a spot successful the passing crippled past season, though the squad believes it has solved that contented with an upgrade astatine the receiver position. John Harbaugh’s teams typically don’t bushed themselves, truthful they should scope double-digit wins yet again. The lone existent question is whether this is the mentation of the Ravens that tin yet stack wins successful January.

FINISH: Second

Pittsburgh Steelers

VS. RAIDERS: Sept. 19, Pittsburgh

ADDITIONS: RB Najee Harris, TE Pat Freiermuth, LB Joe Schobert, LB Melvin Ingram, OL Trai Turner

SUBTRACTIONS: RB James Conner, LB Bud Dupree, OL Maurkice Pouncey, TE Vance McDonald, OL Alejandro Villanueva, OL David DeCastro

OUTLOOK: Despite respective cardinal losses successful the offseason, the Steelers volition mostly support the set unneurotic for 1 much run. Ben Roethlisberger looked each spot of 39 years aged astatine times past play adjacent though helium was capable to pb the Steelers to a playoff berth. It won’t beryllium arsenic casual to repetition that accomplishment. While immoderate late-in-the-offseason acquisitions could assistance bolster the defense, the portion was unsustainably bully past season. There whitethorn beryllium much unit connected Roethlisberger’s discourtesy to enactment up points. Mike Tomlin is 1 of the champion coaches successful the concern and ever has his squad successful the mix, but an aging backmost and a brutal docket whitethorn beryllium excessively overmuch to overcome.

FINISH: Third

Cincinnati Bengals

VS. RAIDERS: Nov. 21, Allegiant Stadium

ADDITIONS: OT Riley Reiff, DE Trey Hendrickson, WR Ja’Marr Chase, CB Chidobe Awuzie

SUBTRACTIONS: WR A.J. Green, DE Carl Lawson, CB William Jackson, DT Geno Atkins

OUTLOOK: Joe Burrow was having a beauteous bully statistical rookie play earlier suffering a genu injury, but it whitethorn person been a spot of fool’s gold. His heavy shot accuracy near a large woody to beryllium desired and it hasn’t looked overmuch amended successful grooming camp, according to reports. A solidified violative enactment and a reunion with Chase, his go-to receiver astatine Louisiana State, should beryllium beneficial. The defence has immoderate playmakers and should beryllium improved. Coach Zac Taylor enters his 3rd play with the pieces successful spot to astatine slightest amusement important improvement, adjacent if that doesn’t construe to a determination up successful the standings. If not, Burrow and his young teammates are apt to person a antithetic manager adjacent season.

FINISH: Fourth