1. Cincinnati Bengals

The defense has got to be better if they are to make another run at a Super Bowl with QB Joe Burrow. The current coaching staff is on their last life line with no playoff appearances in the last three seasons.

2. Baltimore Ravens

If QB Lamar Jackson is healthy and plays to his MVP level, they will be in contention for a playoff spot and possibly a Super Bowl run. However, Jackson’s lack of playoff success is going to be a lynchpin going forward.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

It’s amazing that Pittsburgh has only had four head coaches in the last 56 seasons. Mike McCarthy is the fourth now and he reunites with QB Aaron Rodgers in what will be his final season in the NFL.

4. Cleveland Browns

The likelihood that they will be searching for yet another franchise quarterback after this season will depend on Deshaun Watson. He hasn’t lived up to the expectation since he arrived and this will be the final year of that fully guaranteed contract he signed when he was traded to Cleveland.

Head Coach: Zac Taylor

Key Position: Defense

QB Joe Burrow staying healthy and upright is always gonna be at the forefront for this franchise. However, if the defense was just average last season they probably would have been in the thick of the playoff race. They had the second worst total defense last season, had the worst rushing defense and the pass defense wasn’t much better. They let DE Trey Hendrickson go and revamped the defensive line bringing in Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe and trading for Dexter Lawrence. Signing Bryan Cook to patrol the secondary was a sneaky good move. Drafting Cashius Howell adds more options to rush the passer with former first round picks Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart.

Key Acquisitions: DL Jonathan Allen (Minnesota Vikings), DB Bryan Cook (Kansas City Chiefs), DB Kyle Dugger (Pittsburgh Steelers), DL Dexter Lawrence (NY Giants), DE Boye Mafe (Seattle Seahawks)

Key Rookies: DE Cashius Howell, CB Tacario Davis, WR Colbie Young

Head Coach: Jesse Minter (Defensive Coordinator – Chargers)

Key Position: Wide Receiver

WR Zay Flowers was the only reliable target last season. He got a massive extension in the offseason, but is there anyone else that is ready to step into the void? TE Mark Andrews is still around and will have to get back to his old ways with the departure of backup TE Isaiah Likely in free agency. Former first round pick WR Rashod Bateman continues to disappoint, but Baltimore’s patience has to be wearing thin at this point? Will rookie WR Ja’Kobi Lane be the missing piece they’ve been searching for?

Key Acquisitions: DL Calais Campbell (Arizona Cardinals), DB Jaylinn Hawkins (New England Patriots), DE Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati Bengals), OL Ethan Pocic (Cleveland Browns), OL John Simpson (NY Jets), TE Durham Smythe (Chicago Bears)

Key Rookies: OL Vega Ioane, DE/LB Zion Young, WR Ja’Kobi Lane

Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys)

Key Position: Offense

They made the playoffs last season despite having one of the oldest rosters in the league with many inconsistencies on both sides of the ball. Enter new head coach Mike McCarthy and his offensive pedigree reuniting with QB Aaron Rodgers. That should bode well for them this year as they can’t expect to return to the playoffs with a running back leading the team in catches again like last year. WR DK Metcalf was never on the same page with Rodgers, but was the number one receiver by default. Newly acquired WR Michael Pittman Jr. should provide that much needed balance as a 1A and 1B with Metcalf. Tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington should get plenty of looks in this offense under McCarthy. Free agent RB Rico Dowdle has turned in back-to-back 1,000 yard rushing seasons with two different teams the last two seasons. He should make it three with the offensive line in front of him.

Key Acquisitions: DB Jaquan Brisker (Chicago Bears), RB Rico Dowdle (Carolina Panthers), CB Jamel Dean (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), DL Sebastian Joseph-Day (Tennessee Titans), WR Michael Pittman Jr. (Indianapolis Colts)

Key Rookies: T Max Iheanachor, WR Germie Bernard, CB Daylen Everette

Head Coach: Todd Monken (Offensive Coordinator – Ravens)

Key Position: Everything

New head coach Todd Monken is walking into a rough spot. Former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz bowed out after Monken got the job over him. Then the franchise traded away its best player in DL Myles Garrett for picks and Jared Verse from the LA Rams. Not to mention he has a plethora of quarterbacks to choose from, but everyone that wasn’t simping for Deion Sanders knew it would be Deshaun Watson. The defense should remain a solid unit even without Garrett on the field and Schwartz calling the plays. Verse has recorded 12 sacks in his first two seasons and should get plenty of opportunities for a double digit sack season. LB Carson Schwesinger is quickly becoming a mainstay and his Defensive Rookie of the Year performance was no fluke. CB Denzel Ward is still among the best cornerbacks in the league since he was drafted in 2018. The offensive line was completely overhauled and should be better, especially with the drafting of Spencer Fano. TE Harold Fannin quickly became a go-to target for the Browns in his rookie season. Rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston bring some much needed playmaking to the receiving corps. If Watson is even a fraction of his former self this team could threaten to get out of their cellar.

Key Acquisitions: DE Derek Barnett (Houston Texans), CB Mekhi Blackmon (Indianapolis Colts), T Tytus Howard (Houston Texans), CB Noah Igbinoghene (Washington Commanders), OL Elgton Jenkins (Green Bay Packers), OL Zion Johnson (LA Chargers), DE Jared Verse (LA Rams), LB Quincy Williams (NY Jets)

Key Rookies: T Spencer Fano, WR KC Concepcion, WR Denzel Boston, DB Emmanuel McNeil-Warren