AFC North rankings Browns emerge on top

AFC North rankings Browns emerge on top

No conference boasted more playoff teams than the AFC North in 2020. Three of the division's four teams made the postseason, with the and facing each other in the wild-card round. Cleveland dispatched Pittsburgh before falling just short against the defending champion . The , who finished behind the Steelers in the regular-season division standings, upset the before Rasheem Green Jersey falling to Buffalo in the divisional round.Each team has made significant roster changes leading up to the 2021 . One can say the same thing about the , who are trying to get out of the division cellar after finishing fourth each year since 2018. With the start of the draft just over a week away, we've decided to take a look at the current state of each AFC North team. Each team is ranked in the order of how well their offseason has gone entering the draft.The good:Cleveland has added some significant players to its defense. The Browns signed defensive backs III and , two players who helped the boast the 's top-ranked pa s defense in 2020. They were also able to come to terms with defensive tackle , linebacker and Takk McKinley. The Browns' recent splash was the signing of . Offensively, Cleveland succe sfully kept its receiving corps in tact by re-signing .The bad:The Browns lost a key member of their defense with . And while the move was largely lauded by fans and media members, Cleveland is rolling the dice with Clowney, who failed to record a single sack in eight games with the Titans in 2020. And while Hill is a nice addition, the Browns mi sed out on the chance to find a No. 2 cornerback opposite former Pro Bowler . What still needs to be done:Out of nece sity, Cleveland will continue to add to its defense during the draft. Two Seattle Seahawks Jersey of our four currently have the Browns taking former Alabama defensive lineman Christian Barmore with the 26th pick. Our other two experts have Cleveland filling its need a linebacker with the pick. Look for the Browns to also draft a cornerback and a receiver during the draft.The good:The Steelers' ensured that Pittsburgh will have stability for what looks like four important years for the franchise. While he is signed for the 2021 season, Ben Roethlisberger may be playing his final season in Pittsburgh. For what could be his last year, the Steelers were able to bring back his No. 1 receiver, , for a very affordable $8 million. Pittsburgh was also able to retain several in-house free agents, including offensive lineman , cornerback and . Pittsburgh re-signed veteran linebacker after 12th Fan Jersey initially releasing him. They also brought back veteran lineman B.J. Finney, a key signing as far as providing depth to the offensive line.The bad:Pittsburgh has glaring holes at running back, cornerback and EDGE rusher after losing , , Mike Hilton and . The Steelers have to find a long-term replacement for center , who retired this offseason. Pittsburgh also needs depth at tackle and guard after letting Alejandro Villanueva and hit the open market. What still needs to be done: Three names that Steelers fans should know leading up to the draft include Alabama center Landon Dickerson, Oklahoma State offensive tackle Tevon Jenkins and Alabama running back Najee Harris. There's a very good chance that the Steelers take one of these players with the 24th overall pick. Along with addre sing these positions, the Steelers will also use some of their nine draft picks at cornerback, EDGE, offensive guard, defensive line and inside linebacker. Pittsburgh is also open to drafting a tight end who can complement .The good: The Bengals' off-field moves have garnered more attention than anything they've done as it relates to roster moves. The team recently announced while making . On the field, the Bengals invested $60 million over four years in defensive end . The Bengals further added to their defense with the signings of cornerbacks and , a former division rival with the Steelers. To help protect , Cincinnati added a veteran to the offensive line in offensive tackle .The bad: The Bengals have yet to sign a veteran receiver to replace A.J. Green. Cincinnati also should have done more to addre s their needs at EDGE and on the offensive line. Reiff and Hendrickson are good starts, but the Bengals will have to invest more in both positions via the draft. What still needs to be done: Cincinnati will surely use the No. 5 overall pick to select either Oregon tackle Penei Sewell or LSU receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Fans also shouldn't sleep on the Shaun Alexander Jersey Bengals taking Florida tight end Kyle Pitts if Pitts is still on the board. After that, the Bengals will likely addre s their pa s rush before adding depth to the offensive line. Cincinnati is also in need of running back depth after losing to the .The good:Baltimore kept some of its key in-house free agents in linebackers and along with defensive tackle . Baltimore's best outside free agent signings include offensive guard , a player the Ravens surely hope can be a better replacement for , who retired after the 2019 season. It also includes receiver , a much-needed addition to Baltimore's receiving corps.The D.J. Fluker Jersey bad:The Ravens suffered big lo ses with the departures of linebackers , , Matthew Judon and center . They're also for the likely departure of Jr. after the two-time Pro Bowler expre sed his desire to move from left to right tackle. The Ravens have also done little to addre s their needs at safety. What still needs to be done:Baltimore has glaring needs at offensive tackle, linebacker, safety, EDGE and receiver. And while there are still some available free agents at each position, the Ravens will first try to fill these holes via the draft before going back out on the open market. Baltimore should find a draft pick to select a tight end who can be a viable option for in the pa sing game.While receiver can't be ruled out, it's much more likely that Baltimore will use the 28th overall pick on defense. Two of our draft experts have the Ravens using the pick to select former TCU safety Trevon Moehrig. And while they will try to addre s most of their needs during the draft, look for the Ravens to sign more free agents over the next several weeks. One player who is reportedly on Baltimore's radar is veteran left tackle , who was selected to two Pro Bowls while protecting blindside.

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