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3 reasons why the Ravens will repeat as AFC North winners

By Norman Getsinger

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 29: Defensive Tackle Michael Pierce #97 of the Baltimore Ravens takes the field prior to the game against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 29: Defensive Tackle Michael Pierce #97 of the Baltimore Ravens takes the field prior to the game against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 11: Matt Judon #99 of the Baltimore Ravens with fans after the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 11: Matt Judon #99 of the Baltimore Ravens with fans after the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

The Baltimore Ravens head into the 2020 offseason with some questions on defense and on the offensive line. They still should be able to win the AFC North for the third time in three years this upcoming football season.

The Chiefs hoisted the Lombardy trophy on Sunday night, and on Monday every football fan was looking forward to the 2020 offseason. In the AFC North, the Browns, Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals all have serious questions that need to be answered prior to the first kickoff of the 2020 season. When looking at the 2020 season and who will be division champs, the Ravens should feel very good about their chances of taking the crown again.

They have the unanimous MVP, an offense full of young starters, a secondary that is flat out stacked, and a special teams unit that is always among the very best in the NFL. The Browns, Steelers, and Bengals are going to be challenges that need to be overcome. However, the Ravens should feel very good about the team that they have assembled. There are a few reasons why the Ravens will repeat as division winners.

1. The Ravens have the fewest holes of all AFC North teams:

When comparing the Ravens roster to the other three rosters in the AFC North, the Ravens look to have the strongest roster from top to bottom. The biggest question mark on the offensive side of the football for the Ravens is whether or not Marshal Yanda will retire. That is not too bad considering the question marks on offense the other three teams face. The Browns have issues along the offensive line, specifically at the tackle positions as Baker Mayfield was sacked a whopping 40 times last year. Finding quality tackles is not easy to do and even if the Browns draft a tackle in the first round, it is rare to find a tackle that will excel at the position in his first year.

When it comes to the Bengals, well they are simply rebuilding right now. When the season started the Miami Dolphins were supposed to be the worst team in the NFL. The Bengals decided to take that title by only winning two games all season. The Bengals will be drafting Joe Burrow with their first overall pick, any other selection would be shocking to me. However, Burrow will not be able to take the Bengals from worst to first. For one, their best receiver, A.J Green is heading to free agency and has been hurt all season. The offensive line has been less than stellar and the defense ranked 29th last season in terms of yards allowed. To make a long story short, it is going to be very difficult for the Bengals to finish first in the AFC North.

The biggest challenger to the Ravens’ chances of winning the title are the Steelers, and even they have big questions this offseason that need to be addressed. The Steelers are locked into a contract in which they will pay Ben Roethlisberger $33,500,000. That is quite a lot of money to pay a quarterback who is coming off of elbow surgery and is going to be 38 when the season starts. Beyond questions about the quarterback, there are questions about what to do with Bud Dupree, a very solid pass rusher who is coming off of his best season yet and is entering free agency. Beyond Bud Dupree, the Steelers also have a ton of questions on the offensive line. Ramon Foster, the Steelers starting guard is 34 years old. Maurkice Pouncy is the Steelers center and he is 30 years old. Those are two very old players that could become huge liabilities for the Steelers.  For reference, the Ravens don’t have a starter on the offensive line, outside of Marshal Yanda, who is over the age of 25.

Even though the Ravens have questions of their own, such as what to do with Matthew Judon and which free agents they want to sign back to the team, the questions facing the other three teams are much more pressing and severe. The Ravens should head into the 2020 season with the majority of the holes on the team filled.

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