The 2026 NFL season is correct round the nook, and it is time to make some daring predictions for each workforce throughout the league, beginning with the AFC North.
This division guarantees to be certainly one of the best and entertaining in the NFL but once more this season, and after final 12 months’s title got here all the way down to a missed kick as time expired in Week 18, we could possibly be in retailer for an identical consequence in 2026.
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Lamar Jackson and the Ravens shall be seeking to bounce again from a disappointing, injury-riddled 2026 marketing campaign with a reloaded roster and a model new teaching employees, whereas the Pittsburgh Steelers are working it again yet another time with Aaron Rodgers, although giving him extra weapons to assist make the most of his remaining season. The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping some huge additions on protection and a full season of wholesome Joe Burrow will put them again in the playoff dialog, whereas the Cleveland Browns are hoping to shock those that have written them off after the Myles Garrett commerce.
Here are 4 issues I believe will occur in the AFC North this season:
Lamar Jackson struggled with accidents throughout a disappointing 2025 season for the Ravens. (Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images)Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
The youngest quarterback in NFL historical past to win a number of league MVP awards, Jackson (*4*) after delivering certainly one of the most unimaginable seasons we have ever seen from a professional quarterback. But accidents held him again final season, combining with a struggling protection and that fateful missed discipline objective at the buzzer in Week 18 to maintain the Ravens out of the playoffs for the simply the second time in practically a decade.
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Baltimore shook issues up in the offseason, changing longtime head coach John Harbaugh with first-timer Jesse Minter, and handing Jackson a brand new offensive coordinator in Declan Doyle, who simply labored below Ben Johnson in Chicago. The Ravens additionally made some huge investments in the remainder of the roster, bolstering the protection with a high veteran move rusher in Trey Hendrickson, and upgrading the expertise round Jackson with promising draft picks (OL Olaivavega Ioane, WRs Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt). A more healthy Jackson needs to be again at the high of his recreation, and with an improved supporting forged and modern scheme, do not be shocked if he will get again in the MVP dialog with a giant 12 months.
In latest years, the Bengals have made it clear they’ve a sort in terms of drafting edge defenders in the early rounds, which is why it made a lot sense after they spent the seventeenth general decide in the 2025 NFL Draft on Stewart. Despite his lack of manufacturing at Texas A&M, Stewart’s bodily profile and high-end traits made him a great goal for Cincinnati, and banking on his upside was comprehensible.
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But in the second spherical of this 12 months’s draft, the Bengals signaled a unique method, as soon as once more going to College Station, however this time for a sophisticated, productive edge rusher in Howell. Despite his lack of best dimension and size, Howell’s explosiveness and deep bag of proven pass-rushing moves allowed him to place up huge numbers in faculty, and made him a first-round talent on my board. While the Bengals nonetheless have excessive hopes that Stewart can finally turn into an affect participant, Howell’s technical prowess and monitor document of manufacturing ought to permit him to make a much bigger affect as a rookie than Stewart does in his second NFL season.
Denzel Boston Becomes WR1 in Cleveland
Denzel Boston (12) has the talent set to rapidly change into the Browns’ high receiving goal. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
We all know this franchise is a multitude, and after buying and selling away the most dominant defensive participant in the complete league, expectations are even decrease heading into the 2026 season. One supply of hope for the Dawg Pound needs to be the way forward for their pass-catching group, which already featured a veteran presence in Jerry Jeudy, and a budding star in Harold Fannin Jr. at tight finish. Then got here the 2026 NFL Draft, which noticed the Browns spend a first-round decide on Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion earlier than stealing Boston out of Washington in the second spherical.
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Despite being their second decide at the place in this draft class, it is Boston who has the talent set to rapidly assert himself as the high goal in this passing recreation. His combination of size, athleticism and physicality earned Boston a first-round grade on my board, and it ought to make him the go-to weapon for whoever finally ends up throwing the passes in Cleveland this season (my cash’s on Shedeur Sanders). While Jeudy, Fannin and Concepcion will all be concerned and convey their respective big-play talents to the desk, it’s going to be Boston who emerges as the clear-cut chief in the clubhouse, particularly in clutch conditions and in the pink zone.
Germie Bernard’s versatile talent set and big-play skill needs to be enormous belongings for Aaron Rodgers. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Can you inform I’m a giant fan of the method this division drafted in 2026? Yes, the Steelers made a giant veteran addition with one other offseason commerce, buying Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts very similar to they did with DK Metcalf the 12 months earlier than, and that pair will definitely be beneficial to Rodgers with their dimension and physicality. But it is Bernard who has me excited about the potential of this passing recreation, and his skill to unlock the better of what Rodgers might be in the remaining 12 months of his Hall of Fame profession.
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A flexible weapon who lined up throughout the place at Alabama, Bernard is a landing ready to occur when he will get his fingers on the ball, and the Crimson Tide have been sensible to search out as many inventive methods as potential to make that occur. Rodgers is thought for his skill to do away with the ball rapidly, and Bernard’s skill to get open rapidly with polished route-running skills and make huge performs after the catch needs to be an enormous asset. Whether he traces up on the outdoors, in the slot, and even in the backfield, Bernard’s mixture of bodily traits and psychological prowess ought to make a direct affect whereas opposing defenses are fearful about stopping Metcalf and Pittman, leaving the rookie with loads of 1-on-1 alternatives.
This story was initially revealed by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2026, the place it first appeared in the NFL part. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.