with 2024 NFL regular season Every team across the league is set to make some tough decisions, including cutting rosters down to 53 players who will begin the year with Super Bowl aspirations.
However, there are only a few playoff spots up for grabs, so every team will be fighting to come out as the winner of their division, or at least secure a wild card spot.
Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports Cowherd gave his predictions about what would happen in each division before training camp began. Using those rankings, here are the details of every team in each division, including the AFC North, which Cowherd calls the best division in football.
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Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens attempts to throw a pass while defending Drew Tranquill #23 of the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship NFL football game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Kara Durette/Getty Images)
1. Baltimore Ravens
collin says“The Ravens, top-five offensively, top-five defensively and the best special teams coach in the league. I think they’ll win the division.”
In football’s toughest division, Cowherd sees the Ravens, the AFC’s current No. 1 team, as winners once again.
Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to a 13-3 record as the starter, and won himself another MVP after throwing for 3,678 yards with 24 touchdowns, while also rushing for 821 yards and five scores.
Head coach John Harbaugh is counting on Jackson, his mix of solid weapons and strong defense to once again lead Baltimore to the division crown.
Important Addition: RB Derrick Henry
It’s not too hard to see why. After losing Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in free agency to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Ravens caught an even bigger fish in Henry, a bulldozer back from the Tennessee Titans.
AFC East breakdown: What will the division be like in the 2024 NFL season?
The Ravens are known for their prolific run game, and now they have a running back that NFL defensive players sigh when they see on the schedule because he can tear defenses apart.
Henry has scored at least 10 touchdowns on the ground since 2018, making four Pro Bowls during that time, including two in the last two campaigns. He now has an improved offensive line, making him a prime candidate to find the paint at the end of drives and help the Ravens’ Super Bowl aspirations.
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) takes a handoff from quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during joint practice with the Green Bay Packers at Ray Nitschke Field on Thursday, August 22, 2024, in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. (Torque Mason/USA TODAY Network)
The biggest question: Will Mark Andrews be able to stay healthy?
The Ravens’ defense has everything a coordinator could ask for, so the question isn’t on that side of the ball. Instead, it revolves around a player Jackson has relied on since he entered the league, although he wasn’t healthy for a large portion of 2023.
Andrews suffered a serious ankle injury, forcing 2022 fourth-rounder Isaiah Likely to play in his place. Likely played well, but Andrews is Jackson’s go-to safety and can be a beast in the red zone.
The biggest question is will Andrews stay healthy for a full season, especially come playoff time? He’s a catalyst for this offense that quickly elevated 2023 rookie Zay Flowers up the depth chart at wide receiver and gives Jackson another solid option in the pass game.
Week 1: @ Kansas City Chiefs (Sept. 5, 8:15 p.m.)
2. Cincinnati Bengals
collin says“Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow have proven that when Joe is healthy, they win. What do you want me to say? Last year with Jake Browning, they had a winning record. With Jake Browning and Burrow back, they’re a playoff team.”
It’s not hard to see that when Burrow is under center, he’s comfortable, calm, and delivering strikes that result in points on the scoreboard.
As Cowherd mentioned, they are a favorite to make the playoffs and possibly make another Super Bowl appearance like in 2021.
Burrow, sporting a new look with blonde hair, has come to training camp after playing just 10 games last season because of a wrist ailment that forced him out for the season. The Bengals were 5-5 when they took the field after a poor start, but they improved to 12-4 last year and 10-6 during their Super Bowl run season.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9), who did not throw, observes drills during training camp at Kettering Health Practice Fields. (Karim Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports)
Important Addition: WR Tee Higgins
How is this an addition? Well, the Bengals have had some very public wide receiver contract disputes this offseason (one of which we’ll discuss below), but having Higgins on the team is a huge deal for Burrow.
Higgins is arguably the best No. 2 receiver in football, having topped 1,000 yards in 2021 and 2022 before seeing a drop in production in 2023 due to quarterback troubles as well as his own injuries.
The Bengals franchise tagged him this offseason, although they wanted a long-term extension. But Higgins signed his franchise tag with a full guarantee of over $21 million. With Higgins, the Bengals are simply a better offense and Burrow will have his big man on the outside who can loft the ball into the end zone as well as launch it deep downfield for those big chunk plays.
NFC West breakdown: How will the division hold up this NFL season?
The biggest question: Will WR Ja’Marr Chase stick around?
Throughout training camp, we saw one receiver after another get the long-term extension they wanted… except for Chase.
After Brandon Aiyuk and CeeDee Lamb are satisfied, Chase is the last name on the list who wants a deal, but he hasn’t signed one yet. He’s been a hold-in during camp, but head coach Zac Taylor gave Bengals fans real concern when he went day-to-day with Chase on whether or not he’ll play in Week 1.
It goes without saying how much Chase means to the Bengals organization, but how long will it take before the front office gets this stud receiver what it wants? Will he sit out and cast a huge cloud over this playoff-ready team?
Russell Wilson #3 of the Pittsburgh Steelers drops back for a pass in the first quarter during a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisher Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin Burl/Getty Images)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Collin says: “The Steelers, they don’t seem to be able to figure out their O-line or offensive coordinator. To be honest, I really like their roster. I’m just worried about playing in the right spot on that side of the ball in an offensive league.”
Somehow, some way, head coach Mike Tomlin’s record of never having a season below .500 with the Steelers remains intact after last season. In fact, Tomlin’s boys reached the playoffs at 10-7 despite a terrible offensive output.
But the Steelers’ defense remains as strong as ever, and they’re hoping a change to Russell Wilson at quarterback (or perhaps Justin Fields in the middle of the season) and Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator can bring more oomph to that side of the ball.
Key Player: QB Russell Wilson
This is a key player for the Steelers, as he beat out Fields, whom the Steelers traded to the Chicago Bears this offseason, in the quarterback battle in camp.
Wilson and Fields worked it out, but Tomlin and his coaching staff handed the 35-year-old the reins of Smith’s offense early in the season.
Now, what can Wilson do with it, especially after flopping with the Denver Broncos following a trade from the Seattle Seahawks two seasons ago? Wilson has to step up and lead the Steelers, or Tomlin could hook up early and hand the offense over to a first-round pick in Fields.
The biggest question: Is Arthur Smith the right person?
As Cowherd mentioned, the Steelers haven’t been able to find a true position at offensive coordinator since Matt Canada was fired following poor performance that had fans calling for his release for weeks last season.
Smith wasn’t able to get the most out of the Atlanta Falcons’ star-studded offensive roster as the team’s head coach. He’s looking for some redemption with the Steelers, a team that could surprise some people when Wilson and company move on.
With their division foes playing twice in a season, as well as some tough opponents in between, the Steelers need to put points on the board, as their defense may not be able to save them like they did last season.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) gesticulates during a joint NFL football practice with the Minnesota Vikings. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
4. Cleveland Browns
collin says“Cleveland’s coach is great. Deshaun Watson is a total question mark. Weird personality, weird injuries, I’d put him fourth right now.”
Again, Cowherd mentioned that this division is divided by inches, not feet, so just because the Browns were a playoff team last season (thanks to Joe Flacco and great coaching) doesn’t mean they finish last in this division. It could go either way.
But the Browns have some big questions about Watson (we’ll get to that), as he’s played just 12 games combined over the past two seasons and a shoulder injury has Cleveland fans holding their breath to see if he can still play well.
Meanwhile, the Browns’ offense, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, is deadly and can overcome offensive players at will.
Important Addition: WR Jerry Jeudy
Would the Browns be able to add Jeudy, a star out of Alabama who hasn’t lived up to his potential since his first-round pick with the Denver Broncos?
It’s not entirely Jeudy’s fault that things never really worked out in Denver after four seasons of mediocre performance. He passed for nearly 1,000 yards in 2022, which led some to think he should have had a breakthrough season last season, but Wilson’s quarterback situation has come to a head under first-year head coach Sean Payton.
Now, Jeudy finds himself in the offensive mind of Kevin Stefanski, who is considered Cowherd’s favorite “coach” in Cleveland. Stefanski’s scheme could be a perfect fit for someone like Jeudy, who can take the top off the defense and run crisp routes to get to the open lane.
Can he quickly build rapport with Watson and make him second only to Amari Cooper in the pass game?
The biggest question: What will Watson be this year?
The Browns’ playoff hopes depend on what the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is able to do this season.
Right now, Browns fans aren’t happy with Watson as their franchise player under center, as he hasn’t lived up to his big contract he received after being traded from the Houston Texans. They want a Pro Bowl Watson, but he won’t be able to stay healthy in 2023 and has to deal with his lengthy suspension in 2022.
The AFC North is a very tough division, with talent across all four teams. (Getty Images)
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They have stars to play with, and Nick Chubb should also return at some point this season.
Week 1: vs. Dallas Cowboys (September 8, 4:25 PM)
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