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NFL Free Agency: Thoughts On The Moves In The AFC North

By Chris Schisler

Dec 25, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell (26) against Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams (98) during the third quarter of a game at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won 31-27. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 25, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell (26) against Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams (98) during the third quarter of a game at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won 31-27. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 11, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tackle Andrew Whitworth (77) during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Bengals won 23-10. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tackle Andrew Whitworth (77) during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Bengals won 23-10. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports /

2. The Bengals Offensive Line Is Worse:

The Bengals offensive line took a hit with the losses of Kevin Zeilter and Andrew Whitworth. The Ravens have been there before. Losing Kelechi Osemele last year wasn’t an easy pill to swallow and they lost Rick Wagner this year. The Bengals lost their two star offensive linemen at the same time. The Ravens defensive linemen probably don’t mind hearing that. The Bengals went 6-9-1 last year and they lose two studs on the offensive line. According to reports the Bengals are bringing back Dre Kirkpatrick, a won battle in a lost war.

The Ravens Defense Is Ready To Start Beating The Bengals:

The Bengals fire power is really strong. Andy Dalton can be a prolific quarterback. A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert are stars the Ravens should be jealous of. However if Dalton is running for his life, and they can’t run the football, they will be in trouble. This is what Tim Roeder had to say about this on FanSideds stripehype.com: 

"“Losing Whitworth to the Rams hurts. Pairing that with losing Zeitler to in-house rivals doubles that pain. Dalton will probably wake up with nightmares due to his offensive line disintegrating right before our eyes. But again, the Bengals coaching staff knows that they drafted for this exact scenario two years ago. Here’s hoping that 2017 doesn’t become a season of defensive linemen all over Dalton.”"

Its moments like this that make Ravens fans grateful that Brandon Williams is coming back. The Ravens play the Bengals twice per season. Bronson Kaufusi will finally get to show what he is made of. Carl Davis could take a step forward. Williams, Michael Pierce and Timmy Jernigan are also on a really talented defensive line. If the Ravens can add an elite pass rusher, or perhaps have Matt Judon become one, the Bengals will have a serious match up nightmare on their hands.

In the AFC North physical football wins out. The battles in the trenches tell you how the game is going to go. The Bengals offensive line is worse today than it has been in a while. They better fix the problem or have guys step up. Bengals fans shouldn’t just be worried for their quarterback though; running the football could be a problem.

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