The Post’s Andrew Crane previews the AFC North for the 2026 season.
1. Baltimore Ravens
Coach: Jesse Minter
2025 record: 8-9
O/U wins: 11.5
Key additions: Baltimore capitalized on the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson conundrum by landing the star edge rusher, while also adding veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell. And though much of the Ravens’ offensive core remains the same, they brought back guard John Simpson on a three-year, $30 million deal after he spent two seasons with the Jets.
Key departures: TE Isaiah Likely, RB Keaton Mitchell, C Tyler Linderbaum, LB Kyle Van Noy, S Alohi Gilman and DL Dre’Mont Jones.
First-and-goal: After stunningly missing the playoffs on a last-second missed kick, the Ravens, who have yet to make a Super Bowl in the Lamar Jackson era, fired John Harbaugh and brought back his former defensive assistant in Minter. They were a middle-tier offense last year (24.9 points per game), but with Jackson, Derrick Henry — looking for a fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season — and young receiver Zay Flowers, Baltimore can regain its status as an elite contender.
Fourth-and-long: Injuries remain the critical variable. Jackson missed four games in 2025 with hamstring and back injuries, and Henry is up to 3,664 career rushes after another 307 last year.
Prediction: 13-4. The Minter era begins with a division title after a Week 17 win on the road against the Bengals.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
Coach: Zac Taylor
2025 record: 6-11
O/U wins: 10.5
Key additions: If the Bengals needed to make a move to signal they’re serious about contending in 2026, it occurred in April, when they landed star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II from the Giants. Cincinnati also added Jonathan Allen to its defensive line, while inking a deal with safety Kyle Dugger in free agency.
Key departures: Edge Trey Hendrickson, edge Joseph Ossai, LB Logan Wilson, QB Jake Browning and TE Noah Fant.
First-and-goal: The Bengals are due. Long overdue. They haven’t made the playoffs since their 2021 run to the Super Bowl and subsequent return to the AFC Championship game the following year, and that seems impossible with QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja’Marr Chase and WR Tee Higgins all on the same roster. The pair of wideouts form the best 1-2 punch at the position in the league.
Fourth-and-long: The offensive line has been Cincinnati’s Achilles’ heel dating back to when Burrow entered the league — he has taken the fourth-most sacks since 2020 (213). He also missed 19 games across the past three seasons, with turf toe causing him to miss substantial time in 2025.
Prediction: 13-4. The desperation pays off with a strong regular season and, finally, the return of a Burrow-led playoff run.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Coach: Mike McCarthy
2025 record: 10-7
O/U wins: 8.5
Key additions: The Steelers gave Aaron Rodgers a new WR2 by trading for Michael Pittman Jr. They also added Rico Dowdle — who ripped off three games with at least 130 rushing yards for Carolina last year — to complement the backfield. Jamel Dean, a Super Bowl champion with the 2020 Buccaneers, is projected to start at cornerback alongside Joey Porter Jr.
Key departures: RB Kenneth Gainwell, S Kyle Dugger, WR Calvin Austin III, OL Isaac Seumalo, OL Broderick Jones and OL Andrus Peat.
First-and-goal: This is it for Rodgers, who said 2026 will be his final season, and the Steelers even hired his former Green Bay coach in McCarthy. Rodgers managed to turn back the clock last year and secure a playoff spot for Pittsburgh, but can he replicate that in Year 2? The presence of DK Metcalf (850 yards, six touchdowns) alongside Pittman will certainly help, as will a healthy T.J. Watt (just six sacks last season).
Fourth-and-long: The Steelers, recently under Mike Tomlin, stuck to their identity as an AFC North team content with kicking field goals while winning through the run and defense, so there might be some growing pains in the McCarthy era.
Prediction: 8-9. Rodgers finishes with a respectable campaign to cap a Hall of Fame career, but he can’t quite get one more crack at a postseason run.
4. Cleveland Browns
Coach: Todd Monken
2025 record: 5-12
O/U wins: 5.5
Key additions: The arrival of budding star Jared Verse to anchor their defense coincided with the shocking exit of Myles Garrett, who set the NFL’s single-season sack record in 2025. And though the Browns still have so much to fix, they brought in tackle Tytus Howard and guard Zion Johnson to give their offensive line a boost.
Key departures: DE Myles Garrett, TE David Njoku, LB Devin Bush, DL Shelby Harris, LB Mohamoud Diabate, OL Joel Bitonio, OL Jack Conklin, OL Cam Robinson, OL Wyatt Teller and C Tytus Howard.
First-and-goal: It’ll be challenging for Browns fans to find reasons for optimism with their team in 2026, but young players — such as rookie wideouts KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, as well as second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (731 yards, six receiving touchdowns in 2025) — can establish themselves as part of this new-look nucleus in the Monken era.
Fourth-and-long: Without fail, the Browns always encounter some sort of dysfunction, and since last season ended, they’ve already traded Garrett and named the controversial Deshaun Watson as starting quarterback again. Plus, they’ll begin the season with an overhauled offensive line featuring five new starters.
Prediction: 4-13. The Browns are going nowhere, but Shedeur Sanders finds a way to win them a handful of games after replacing Watson — injecting a bit of hope for the direction of the franchise into 2027.
