AFC North: Rising Browns poised to win division

Cleveland Browns

VS. RAIDERS: Dec. 18, Cleveland

ADDITIONS: DE Jadeveon Clowney, DE Takk McKinley, S John Johnson, CB Greg Newsome, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

SUBTRACTIONS: DT Sheldon Richardson, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DE Olivier Vernon

OUTLOOK: Running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt get a great deal of credit for the Browns’ explosive ground game, but it all starts up front with the league’s best offensive line. That unit also helped quarterback Baker Mayfield take a step forward as the Browns announced their presence to the rest of the league down the stretch last year. Mayfield really thrived in the second half of the season when he appeared to fully grasp Kevin Stefanski’s offense. General manager Andrew Berry, one of the brightest young minds in all of sports, recognized how close this roster is to elite and made some tweaks that could have them rising to the top of one of the best divisions in the league.

FINISH: First

Baltimore Ravens

VS. RAIDERS: Sept. 13, Allegiant Stadium

ADDITIONS: WR Sammy Watkins, OT Alejandro Villanueva, WR Rashod Bateman, OL Kevin Zeitler, OLB Justin Houston

SUBTRACTIONS: OT Orlando Brown, DE Yannick Ngakoue, WR Willie Snead, LB Matthew Judon

OUTLOOK: It should be no surprise the Ravens are once again among the top choices to win the Super Bowl. Everything is in place for the deep postseason run that has eluded this group over the last several seasons. While the dynamic defense lost a few key pieces, there are more than enough dynamic playmakers to keep the unit among the league’s best. Offensively, the running game is always there. Lamar Jackson regressed a bit in the passing game last season, though the team believes it has solved that issue with an upgrade at the receiver position. John Harbaugh’s teams typically don’t beat themselves, so they should reach double-digit wins yet again. The only real question is whether this is the version of the Ravens that can finally stack wins in January.

FINISH: Second

Pittsburgh Steelers

VS. RAIDERS: Sept. 19, Pittsburgh

ADDITIONS: RB Najee Harris, TE Pat Freiermuth, LB Joe Schobert, LB Melvin Ingram, OL Trai Turner

SUBTRACTIONS: RB James Conner, LB Bud Dupree, OL Maurkice Pouncey, TE Vance McDonald, OL Alejandro Villanueva, OL David DeCastro

OUTLOOK: Despite several key losses in the offseason, the Steelers will largely keep the band together for one more run. Ben Roethlisberger looked every bit of 39 years old at times last season even though he was able to lead the Steelers to a playoff berth. It won’t be as easy to repeat that accomplishment. While some late-in-the-offseason acquisitions could help bolster the defense, the unit was unsustainably good last season. There may be more pressure on Roethlisberger’s offense to put up points. Mike Tomlin is one of the best coaches in the business and always has his team in the mix, but an aging quarterback and a brutal schedule may be too much to overcome.

FINISH: Third

Cincinnati Bengals

VS. RAIDERS: Nov. 21, Allegiant Stadium

ADDITIONS: OT Riley Reiff, DE Trey Hendrickson, WR Ja’Marr Chase, CB Chidobe Awuzie

SUBTRACTIONS: WR A.J. Green, DE Carl Lawson, CB William Jackson, DT Geno Atkins

OUTLOOK: Joe Burrow was having a pretty good statistical rookie season before suffering a knee injury, but it may have been a bit of fool’s gold. His deep ball accuracy left a great deal to be desired and it hasn’t looked much better in training camp, according to reports. A solidified offensive line and a reunion with Chase, his go-to receiver at Louisiana State, should be beneficial. The defense has some playmakers and should be improved. Coach Zac Taylor enters his third season with the pieces in place to at least show significant improvement, even if that doesn’t translate to a move up in the standings. If not, Burrow and his young teammates are likely to have a different coach next season.

FINISH: Fourth