The AFC North will look pretty different in 2026. New coaches and new expectations fill up each team in this division. Each one hopes 2026 can be their year, and they all have a real path to make that happen. There’s a ton of new talent that enters this division this year, which should make every matchup fun and competitive.

Here’s my prediction for the AFC North in the 2026 season.

Cincinnati Bengals

2026 Record: 11-6

Injuries and the defensive side of the ball have plagued the Cincinnati Bengals over the years. Health is something teams can’t control, but talent is. The Bengals have brought in plenty of new faces to try and raise the ceiling of their defense, which was one of the worst in the NFL a year ago.

The splash move in the offseason was trading for Dexter Lawrence II to boost the interior defensive line, and he’ll do just that. On the edge, Cincinnati brought in Boye Mafe and Cashius Howell, pairing them up with Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart to have a solid rotation.

It wasn’t only the front seven that got improvements; Cincinnati brought Bryan Cook in free agency to help out in the secondary. We all know what this offense can be with Joe Burrow at the helm; there are no worries about that. If this defense can operate around a top-15 unit, then 11 wins is certainly achievable.

Baltimore Ravens

2026 Record: 11-6

It’s crazy to think that the Baltimore Ravens went under.500 last year at 8-9. It led to longtime head coach John Harbaugh being relieved of his duties and the introduction of new blood with Jesse Minter. Minter specializes on the defensive side of the ball, and Baltimore hopes he can have the cultural influence Mike Macdonald has had in Seattle.

Defensively, the Ravens have struggled to pressure the quarterback over the years, and Minter thrives on calling blitzes to do so. Still, to try to get pressure on the quarterback without having to blitz, Baltimore brought in Trey Hendrickson, Calais Campbell, and Zion Young to boost the edge rusher room going into 2026. The secondary is being led by one of the league’s best, Kyle Hamilton, with promising young talent in Malaki Starks and Nate Wiggins. This defense can be one of the league’s best under Minter if it stays healthy.

Offensively, the offensive line depth is worrying for Baltimore. If this unit deals with injuries, it can be a long year for Lamar Jackson, who’s trying to have a bounce-back year of his own from under center. But if health can stay on their side, this offense has the makings to be dominant on the ground as usual. We know what Jackson and Derrick Henry can be, and bringing in Declan Doyle to call the offense will bring a new and fresh look for Baltimore fans.

The depth is worrying, though, which is why the Ravens fall short of winning the division but make the postseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers

2026 Record: 8-9

The Pittsburgh Steelers are another team in this division that won’t have their long-time head coach, Mike Tomlin, returning to the sidelines in 2026. Instead, it’ll be Mike McCarthy, who has found success in the NFL with Green Bay and Dallas. The big headline is the reunion of McCarthy with Aaron Rodgers, who has confirmed that 2026 will be his last season in the NFL.

This roster is primed to make a postseason run. The defense is stout, the offensive line is young, and they upgraded the playmakers this offseason. The big names are Michael Pittman Jr., Rico Dowdle, and Germie Bernard. So why are the Steelers finishing under .500? The quarterback is the simple answer. Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks we’ve ever seen, but reality is he isn’t playing at that elite level anymore. Rodgers struggles under pressure and looks to get the ball out quickly to avoid dealing with it.

Pittsburgh’s defense will lead this team and be the reason why it’s competing for a playoff spot throughout the season. The offense, led by Rodgers, will cause this team to fall short of making a postseason run or coming close to winning the AFC North.

Cleveland Browns

2026 Record: 5-12

The Cleveland Browns made headlines this offseason by trading away franchise player Myles Garrett to Los Angeles in exchange for Jared Verse. Despite the move making Los Angeles one of the best rosters in the NFL, it makes sense for the Browns. Garrett wasn’t on Cleveland’s seam timeline. Verse now joins a defense full of young stars in Carson Schwesinger and Mason Graham.

To help kickstart this rebuild, Cleveland hired Todd Monken as its new head coach to lead the offense through it. The roster on paper doesn’t look like a 5-12 team; the floor could be set around six to seven wins, but reality is the quarterback room will limit this team.

Cleveland had a quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, which Watson ultimately won. Neither option has much upside, but if the team was thinking about the future, the clear option would’ve been Sanders. Obviously, Cleveland named Watson the starter, but don’t be surprised if Sanders takes over at some point in the season.

The Browns have been the laughingstock of the AFC North for decades, and in 2026 that will continue. But despite the weak quarterback room, the Browns seem to be on the right track. With two straight promising draft classes on paper, the youth in Cleveland could develop and make the team a real threat in the AFC in a couple of years.