There was no division more competitive in 2014 than the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers took the crown, and the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals made the playoffs as wild card teams. Even the Cleveland Browns, who have known nothing but complete and abject misery since coming back into the NFL in 1999, went a respectable 7-9 and led the division after 11 weeks.
Which AFC North team has done the most in free agency?
After being a terrific division in 2014, can the group improve going forward, or is it due for regression?
Going into the offseason, the Bengals had the most cap space of the three playoff teams but were not expected to be overly active. The Ravens and Steelers were both fairly crippled by the cap, having to make some moves in order to restock without hurting the long-term future. Cleveland had ample money to make whatever moves it wanted, and the Browns brought in some players on both sides of the ball.
So, did anybody do enough to topple Pittsburgh? Well, considering the Steelers won the AFC North by only a game in 2014, it seems plausible the Steelers could lose it without much, if any, change. One thing for all four fan bases to keep in mind is the upcoming schedule. Last year, the AFC North faced a cupcake slate that featured the AFC South and the horrific NFC South. This time? The NFC and AFC West divisions.
Let’s break down each team’s free agency period:
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh has a rough cap situation, so it decided to focus on keeping the core together. The Steelers' biggest move was giving Ben Roethlisberger a four-year extension, making his contract a total value of $99 million. Pittsburgh also moved money around on Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Mitchell and Marcus Gilbert, which helps in the short term but will hurt down the road with guaranteed money being pushed ahead.
The Steelers did virtually nothing to add to the team. Pittsburgh brought in running back DeAngelo Williams to spell Le'Veon Bell, but that's it. Defensive end Brett Keisel was released and the team could not retain outside linebacker Jason Worilds (retirement), or corners Brice McCain and Ike Taylor. It could be tough for the Steelers to return to the playoffs.
Pittsburgh has significant holes all over the place -- the team needs a pair of cornerbacks, a starting safety and a right tackle.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are gunning for their fifth consecutive playoff appearance under head coach Marvin Lewis, but they're still trying for their first postseason win since the Boomer Esiason era. Cincinnati has been fairly active in the free agent market, signing A.J. Hawk to a two-year deal to compete at inside linebacker, and defensive end Michael Johnson to a four-year, $20 million deal. The team also re-signed Rey Maualuga.
The Bengals did not lose much, with Taylor Mays and Terence Newman having ample interest elsewhere. It also appears tight end Jermaine Gresham is gone. The Bengals have $20.45 million of cap space, per Over The Cap, so they can still add with second-tier free agents. However, owner/general manager Mike Brown does not often spend excessively. New additions like wide receiver Denarius Moore and quarterback Josh Johnson don't exactly break the bank.
Cincinnati still has notable holes at the defensive tackle position and could use an upgrade at multiple spots on the offensive line.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have been masterful at manipulating the cap over the years, and general manager Ozzie Newsome was at it again in 2015. Newsome traded longtime nose tackle Haloti Ngata to the Detroit Lions, opening up enough space to sign draft picks and keep some of his own. However, the Ravens watched as Torrey Smith, Owen Daniels, Darian Stewart and Pernell McPhee all left for more lucrative deals.
Baltimore did not sign any outside free agents of considerable note. Free safety Kendrick Lewis was signed to a three-year deal, moving him in next to Matt Elam. Lewis lacks in-the-box skills but is a solid cover 2 safety. Quarterback Matt Schaub was brought in for depth. Head coach John Harbaugh will be relying on internal growth and a solid draft class if the Ravens hope to make it back to the playoffs. Baltimore needs a pair of receivers, at least one quality pass rusher and a starting cornerback at this point.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns were aggressive in free agency, signing Josh McCown to a three-year, $14 million deal before any other team made a move. Cleveland also went after corner Tramon Williams, replacing Buster Skrine, who left for the New York Jets. General manager Ray Farmer made perhaps his most important move in signing Dwayne Bowe this week to a two-year deal, giving McCown and Johnny Manziel a top target despite his declining production.
However, did Cleveland do enough to be competitive in this division? Losing tight end Jordan Cameron hurts, but signing Brian Hartline and Bowe helps to fortify the offense. Defensively, the Browns have pieces, but until the quarterback play improves, it could be rough sledding.
SB Nation presents: AFC North team needs in the draft
See More:
