The AFC North has become known for having tremendous pass rushers in recent years. We’re talking about the elite ones at that. Opposing quarterbacks likely dread life when matchups against those teams pop on their schedule. The Baltimore Ravens made sure to join that group this offseason.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals have all had multi-time Pro Bowlers rushing the passer, Baltimore was lagging behind in that area. Not anymore. They signed Trey Hendrickson to a blockbuster four-year contract in free agency, stealing the top guy away from the Bengals.
And now, just as the Ravens improve one of their more lackluster positions with a huge bang, another AFC North rival takes a step back in that area. The Browns traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, and while they got Jared Verse back in return, is it safe to say that Baltimore has the best pass rusher in the division? They just might.
Baltimore Ravens’ massive addition looks like bigger masterstroke after Myles Garrett news
The Trey Hendrickson move was already a game-changing acquisition for the Ravens. In 2025, they had just 30 sacks, and adding a four-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro with 81 career sacks should completely shift the landscape of their pass rush unit. Changing Hendrickson’s allegiance from Cincinnati to Baltimore was all just a plus, and it’s becoming an even bigger win with the Myles Garrett trade.
The Ravens might have quickly become the best pass rush in the AFC North. Somehow, someway. Looking at each rival’s top pure pass rusher, the Steelers still have T.J. Watt, the Bengals have Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy (take your pick), and the Browns have Jared Verse. There’s a real case to be made that Baltimore has snuck into being the best in that department.
It’s really a conversation between Hendrickson and Watt. The Bengals look a bit better with Mafe and Murphy, but that’s still an average at best group, and although the Browns still have a very good piece in Verse, he hasn’t reached elite territory yet. Both Hendrickson and Watt are two of the most fearsome players when it comes to getting after the quarterback.
For Watt, he took a step back in 2025, as his sack production dropped from 11.5 to just seven. He’s also sitting on the wrong side of 30 and has dealt with a number of injuries. The decline could be real.
As for Hendrickson, he has been a consistent threat off the edge in recent years. He has 1.5 more sacks to his name over the last three seasons in seven fewer games, including back-to-back 17.5-sack campaigns in 2023 and 2024. Factor in the new head coach Jesse Minter, and he has a clear runway to turn in an AFC North-leading year in sacks. It's a huge win for the Ravens.
Add us as a preferred source on Google