The AFC North is usually one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL, but it took a step back last season. The Baltimore Ravens still dominated the regular season, claiming the first seed in the AFC with a 14-2 record, but the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers each failed to make the playoffs.
The division should rebound this year as Ben Roethlisberger returns to Pittsburgh, and Joe Burrow makes his debut with Cincinnati. Even the Cleveland Browns added several new Pro Bowl-caliber players in free agency.
With new talent flooding into each AFC North team, the division could produce three playoff teams in 2020. It’s happened within the past decade. In 2014, three teams came out of the AFC North, and the Browns went 7-9. No other division even approached the AFC North’s winning percentage that season.
While the AFC North should experience renewed success in 2020, each team possesses at least one glaring weakness. Some of these weaknesses are usually only inconveniences, but they could prove fatal for some squads.