2025 AFC North Preview: Ravens Rise, Bengals Stall, Browns Rebuild
Welcome to our 2025 AFC North Preview!
As we gear up for the 2025 NFL season, we’re breaking down each division with key offseason moves, betting odds, critical questions, and bold predictions for every team.
Current Odds to Win:
Baltimore Ravens -145
Cincinnati Bengals +230
Pittsburgh Steelers +500
Cleveland Browns +3200
The AFC North has been one of the most competitive divisions in football over the last five years, but those days appear gone when studying the betting odds for the upcoming season. Cleveland, who has never won this division, watched their competitive window seemingly close last season and they are an afterthought in the play-off mix for the upcoming season. Pittsburgh will once again feature a new Quarterback while the Cincinnati Bengals have been putting on a masterclass on how to mismanage a championship window. Baltimore is minus money to take the AFC North crown and they once again look set up as one of the Super Bowl favorites heading into training camp.
Baltimore Ravens
Key Moves: Ronnie Stanley (re-signed), Jaire Alexander, Chidobe Awuzie, Malaki Starks, Mike Green
Key Question: Can they get over the hump?
“Can they get over the hump?” is really the only question that this roster has entering the 2025-26 season. Baltimore has their franchise quarterback – and one of the best rosters top to bottom in the NFL to go along with him. They’ve been on the brink of the Super Bowl each of the last two seasons, and with that, has come self-inflicted ways to lose time and time again. Whether it’s a Zay Flowers fumble at the goal line or a Mark Andrews drop on a late two point conversion, this team can’t get out of their own way. Overall, they had one of the best drafts in my opinion and added another nice secondary piece in Jaire Alexander heading into the summer. Lamar Jackson gets a lot of hate for his lack of post-season success – but he has put his team in position to win each of the last two years. It’s time for them to stop beating themselves and ascend to new heights where they belong.
Bold Prediction: Super Bowl Champions
Cincinnati Bengals
Key Moves: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins (both re-signed), Shemar Stewart?
Key Question: Has this team missed its window?
As noted above, the Bengals have done a great job showing every other NFL team what NOT to do when you have one of the best QB’s in the NFL on your roster. They routinely have mismanaged finances to the point that it seems like a bit, and now it appears an already bad defense will be losing Trey Hendrickson as well. First round rookie Shemar Stwart left mandatory minicamp amidst a contract dispute and it’s just another feather in the cap for the Bengals front office’s inability to get out of their own way. Other NFL teams might receive the benefit of the doubt in a situation like this, but since it’s the Bengals I’m going to rule in Stewart’s favor.
It’s pretty insane that a team with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase struggles to make the postseason but that’s the boat the Bengals are in. They were on the outside looking in last year, and if their defense plays like it did in 2024 I don’t see how they make the play-offs this year either. This team should be fantasy football gold, but on the real field, my expectations are way too low.
Bold Prediction: Misses play-offs again
Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Moves: Darius Slay, DK Metcalf (traded for), Aaron Rodgers, Kaleb Johnson, Derrick Harmon, Jack Sawyer
Key Question: What does Aaron Rodgers have left?
The Steelers had one of the most eventful off-seasons in my opinion, acquiring a new number one receiver and a future HOF QB while also trading away a fan favorite player in George Pickens. Despite the moves they’ve made, I’m still skeptical and I’m assuming most of you are too. I think Kaleb Johnson was a smash pick, and fits Arthur Smith’s outside zone scheme perfectly. I don’t love trading away George Pickens though, and expecting a renaissance season from Aaron Rodgers is quite the gamble. Vegas has their win total set at 8.5 which is one win lower than 2024 – despite the team being better as a whole assuming they get TJ Watt back on the field. I can’t lie, it will be fun to see how this plays out but for now I just can’t expect any different result than what we’ve seen with any Steelers team post-Big Ben. They’re going to make the play-offs, and likely get embarrassed by a good team once they’re there.
Bold Prediction: Kaleb Johnson scores 10 touchdowns as a rookie
Cleveland Browns
Key Moves: Myles Garret (re-signed), Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel
Key Question: Did they hit on a QB?
The Browns' window to compete seemingly came and went once they acquired Deshaun Watson. They made the play-offs two seasons ago, but were one of the worst teams in football in 2024. They managed to re-sign Myles Garrett post-trade request – but the moves they made during the draft tells me that they aren’t looking to compete right now. They traded down, acquiring an extra future first round pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars and they selected multiple QB’s – Dillon Gabriel in the third round and the sliding Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. They have an absolute gauntlet of a schedule to boot, and I believe this season internally for the team will be about evaluating whether or not Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders can be their QB of the future. They’re likely to have multiple high first next season, and will be able to swing big on a QB if they aren’t satisfied with their new rookies performance.
Bold Prediction: Worst team in football, earning the number one overall pick in the 2026 draft
Written by Ben Hossler (@BenHossler)