Post NFL Draft AFC North Power Rankings: Browns climbing the ladder

The AFC North was the toughest division in the NFL last season. All four teams finished with winning records, including the 11-6 Cleveland Browns. They finished second behind the 13-4 Baltimore Ravens and were joined in the postseason by the 10-7 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cincinnati Bengals rounded things out with a record of 9-8 and were the lone team in the division to miss out on the playoffs.

Heading into 2024, there's no reason to expect things to be different. All four franchises have made some decent moves — and the Browns and Bengals are also getting healthier following injury-plagued campaigns.

With the draft behind us, as well as the majority of the big free agency moves, this is a good time to check the temperature with our latest AFC North Power Rankings.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

This offseason was interesting for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who ended up moving on from former first-round selection Kenny Pickett. Pittsburgh rolled the dice on Russell Wilson after he was released by the Denver Broncos and Pickett forced his way out of town afterward.

They weren't done there, however, as they also traded for Justin Fields to play behind Wilson. It's an interesting dynamic since Fields might have more potential than Wilson at this point but it appears he's the No. 2 since they're reportedly kicking around the idea of him being a return man.

As much fun as it is to watch them try to get their QB situation figured out, we can't completely overlook this team. They continue to find ways to win under Mike Tomlin and even though they're at the bottom of these rankings, they can get hot thanks to their defense.