There has obviously been a lot of hype over Joe Burrow over the past month, and for great reasons. It is expected that the Bengals will take him with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft as well, and if they do not I believe Cincinnati fans will storm PBS and take it by force. A lot of Burrow’s success is going to rely on what else is going on in the AFC North. The division has always shown at least two strong teams per year and those have historically been Baltimore and Pittsburgh. I wanted to take a moment and look at what the competition is likely to be for each team who he will play 6 of his 16 games against.
Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson is either a generational player or a flash in the pan and it’s really hard to tell at this point. In year two his passing game certainly evolved but he also set the rushing record for a QB in NFL history. Everyone keeps saying that he is one hit away from being injured and losing those legs but I expect Lamar to become an even better passer in 2020 because for this Ravens team to get to the Super Bowl he has to. Notable NFL aficionados like John Feinstein, Gus Frerotte and Charly Casserly all believe Lamar is the real deal and is a future HOFer.
Pittsburgh Steelers: How many years does Big Ben have left in the tank? One, two….four? It is in the Bengals best interest that he retire soon because he is a Bengal killer. For his size Roethlisberger somehow escapes pressure, throws downfield and continues to make plays. He is without a doubt going to the HOF but let’s take a look further. Once Ben is gone who takes over? We have seen this season that the backup situation in Pittsburgh is not good and between Mason Rudolph, Devlin “Duck” Hodges and Paxton Lynch the Steelers do not have a franchise QB. This means they are going to have to invest in one. At 8-8 the Steelers could squeeze one in during the first round in 2020 and sit him behind Roethlisberger but someone like Herbert or Tua could fall to them. They could also take a flyer on Fromm, Hurts, Eason or Huntley or Love. I think we all know that taking a QB is a crapshoot anyway but if anyone is going to get lucky it will be our nemesis……a la a kid from Miami, OH.
Cleveland Browns: Who is Baker Mayfield? Is he a rookie sensation that was a flash in the pan or is he the real deal and just needs coaching stability, a left tackle and a stouter defense? Wow, wouldn’t we all like that. At times Mayfield looks great and has fantastic arm strength and escapability. At other times he is inaccurate, throws picks and makes dumb decisions. He is a mix of Johnny Manziel and Brett Favre and those two seem to be battling for supremacy on the field with him. The franchise continues to be a dumpster file and the turmoil is going to set Baker back at least another year. If the dysfunction continues you will see some of the star players beginning to bail like OBJ, Garrett and Chubb (when their contracts are up) and finding greener pastures and large contracts. I think all Bengal fans hope that the instability continues and Mayfield never is able to bottle up his talent and use it on Sunday’s but he is a real outlier to watch because he could tip the scales in the AFC North.