The Baltimore Ravens are one of the best teams in the league (led by arguably the best non-Patrick Mahomes quarterback in reigning MVP Lamar Jackson), but the AFC North will make success tougher than usual to come by in 2024.
Not only do the Ravens need to play nearly one-third of their 2024 schedule against a division that saw every team finish with a winning record despite Joe Burrow's injury, but they need to go through a fairly significant group of quarterbacks to do so.
The AFC North not only has four solid starters at the quarterback position, but they may have one of the best collection of backup quarterbacks. Ranking all of them illustrates what a meat grinder this division can be,
Ranking Top 10 AFC North quarterbacks: Ravens, Bengals take top spots
10. Josh Johnson, Baltimore Ravens
9. Kyle Allen, Pittsburgh Steelers
Both Johnson, who has taken ownership of the Ravens' backup quarterback job over rookie Devin Leary, and Allen can be trusted to provide solid game-managing for one or two games, but both Baltimore and Pittsburgh would prefer these two never saw the field in 2024.
8. Tyler Huntley, Cleveland Browns
7. Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals
Huntley's legs and accurate arm made him a terrific deputy for Jackson before joining a division rival in Cleveland. Browning managed to fizzle down the stretch after an excellent start to his tenure as Burrow's fill-in, but throwing 12 touchdowns in seven starts and pacing the league with a 70% completion rate makes him one of the best backups in the league.
6. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
5. Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Browns know what they're getting in Winston, as he has one of the strongest arms in the league and a penchant for turning the ball over that makes him a volatile backup. Fields is one of the best athletes to play the quarterback position, and the arm talent is not in question. Distributing the ball from the pocket quickly and improving his mechanics will be his ticket to success.
4. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
3. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Watson has the talent to become a quality starter once again, but his injuries and wild swings in performance make him the riskiest bet of any AFC North starter. Wilson may not be the Hall of Fame talent he was in Seattle, but he will give the Steelers a big upgrade over Kenny Pickett under center.
2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Both Burrow and Jackson are in the top five at their respective positions in the league. While Burrow has a ring and gaudier raw passing totals, he loses out to Jackson thanks to his injury history and inferior playmaking with his legs. Jackson is the reigning MVP and is in a good position to make a run at a third trophy.