The hype of free agency has come and gone and now it’s time to look at what teams have gained and lost since March 17th and where they stand as they prepare for the upcoming draft. Let’s continue with the AFC North.
Baltimore Ravens
Key acquisitions: G Kevin Zeitler, WR Sammy Watkins, TE Josh Oliver
Re-signed: LB Tyus Bowser, DL Derek Wolfe, OLB Pernell McPhee, DT Justin Ellis, LB L.J. Fort, S Anthony Levine
Departures: OLB Matt Judon (Patriots), RB Mark Ingram (Texans), C Matt Skura (Dolphins), WR Willie Snead (Raiders), DE Jihad Ward (Jaguars), LS Morgan Cox (Titans), WR Chris Moore (Texans), G D.J. Fluker (Dolphins)
Analysis: The Ravens were one of the most exciting teams in 2019, but were very predictable in 2020, so there was little improvement from the previous year. In 2021, the team is trying to change its identity, and strengthening the weakest part of their game, through the air. Lucky for them, there were plenty of very good receivers hitting the open market: Kenny Golladay, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Corey Davis, Will Fuller, Curtis Samuel, Marvin Jones. Well the Ravens didn’t get any of them, they got Sammy Watkins. The former top 5 pick has not had a good career, and is the most overrated receiver, but it’s something. The Ravens have nothing through the air, so they’ll take what they can get. Watkins has earned plenty of money in his career, so he can take a discount for Baltimore. Also boosting that offensive is former Bengals and Giants starting guard Kevin Zeitler, who upgrades the right guard position.
The Ravens also worked to keep their own on defense retaining guys like Tyus Bowser and Derek Wolfe, while saying goodbye to Matt Judon.
Conclusion: The storyline of the Ravens last year was their predictability and offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s inability to adapt and mix up an offense. The past two seasons were very similar to each other, but did improve in 2020 with one playoff win. This division is one of the toughest in football, so this team is gonna have to change up their identity to compete.
Cincinnati Bengals
Key acquisitions: DE Trey Hendrickson, CB Chidobe Awuzie, DT Larry Ogunjobi, OT Riley Reiff, CB Mike Hilton, CB Eli Apple, S Ricardo Allen
Re-signed: G Quinton Spain, DT Mike Daniels, LB Jordan Evans, CB Brandon Wilson, RB Samaje Perine, P Kevin Huber, WR Mike Thomas, QB Brandon Allen
Departures: WR A.J. Green (Cardinals), DT Geno Atkins, DE Carl Lawson (Jets), CB William Jackson (Washington), WR John Ross (Giants), RB Giovani Bernard (Buccaneers), OT Bobby Hart (Bills), S Shawn Williams (Cardinals), QB Ryan Finley (Texans), WR Alex Erickson (Texans), CB Mackensie Alexander (Vikings), TE Cethan Carter (Dolphins)
Remaining free agents: LB Josh Bynes, CB LeShaun Sims
Analysis: For the second year in a row, the Bengals were very active in free agency. They’ve usually been a franchise that solely worked on retaining their own guys, but as the showed last year, they’re under a new philosophy. Last season and this offseason, the Bengals let go off two of their best defensive players in franchise history: Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. They also said goodbye to the second-best receiver in franchise history: A.J. Green. They said goodbye to two longtime players who’ve been with the team since 2013 in Giovani Bernard and Shawn Williams. They said goodbye to their first-round bust receiver: John Ross. They said goodbye to the worst offensive tackle in football: Bobby Hart. Alright you get the point they got rid of a lot of guys, many notable franchise greats. But it’s a new era and they’re rebuilding this roster, quite nicely actually.
The offense under Joe Burrow last year was looking real good before he got hurt, and it’s skill players continued to develop as well, so there’s not much need to improve their weapons, so they had to focus on adding talent to a mediocre defense. Lets start with the defensive line. After a breakout year in 2020, former Saints third-rounder Trey Hendrickson signed a big four-year, $60 million deal in Cincy. His previous three seasons weren’t stellar, but Hendrickson picked a perfect time to record 13.5 sacks in a contract year. He boosts a pass rush that lost Dunlap and Carl Lawson but is survived by Sam Hubbard. On the interior to replace Atkins is a former division rival in Larry Ogunjobi, a former Browns third-rounder. Ogunjobi fits the mold of Atkins as a shorter defensive tackle, and he’s an Atkins protégé, learning under the 8x Pro Bowler.
The Bengals had been reworking their secondary the past few years after once having one littered with former first-round picks. They signed a couple guys last year, and added even more this year. Joining Jessie Bates and the signings from last year, Vonn Bell and Trae Waynes, are former Cowboys starting CB Chidobe Awuzie, former Steelers nickelback Mike Hilton, former Saints and Giants first-round bust Eli Apple, and longtime Falcons starting free safety Ricardo Allen. Adding three talented corners with plenty of starting experience immediately upgrades that room. Their top three corners last year are either elsewhere or still free agents (William Jackson, Mackensie Alexander, LeShaun Sims) so it’s a brand new group. Waynes missed all of last year with injuries, so he’s essentially a new addition, so he’ll be starting on the outside opposite Awuzie with Hilton in the slot and Apple behind them. Almost forgot to mention Darius Phillips, who’s supposed to have been a starter but has missed a lot of time with injury. The addition of Allen is a smart move to provide veteran presence in the defensive backfield as a third safety behind Bell and Bates, who is turning into an All-Pro level safety himself. This is shaping up to be one of the best secondaries in the NFL, at least on paper, if all goes well.
It’s not a Bengals offseason without making an offensive line move. They released the aforementioned Hart after three seasons, finally. To replace him, they signed former Vikings tackle Riley Reiff. I don’t think Reiff has played anywhere other than left tackle, but I think they’re gonna try to stick him on the right side. They drafted Jonah Williams to be their next franchise left tackle, and moving him over to right tackle for one season could mess with that plan, so I think they’ll move the veteran.
Conclusion: I really want the Bengals to be good, I really do. I like what I saw from Burrow last year before the ACL tear, and I hope he comes back healthy and ready to set the league on fire. I like what they’ve been doing from a roster building perspective, from free agency to the draft, it’s all been solid. I do think the next move they need to make is offensive line, and selecting Penei Sewell in the draft. I don’t quite know where he’ll play, but they gotta address the line. If they can get some good protection from Burrow and everyone stays, healthy, don’t count out these Bengals.
Cleveland Browns
Key acquisitions: DE Jadeveon Clowney, FS John Johnson, DE Takkarist McKinley, CB Troy Hill, LB Anthony Walker, DT Malik Jackson, OT Greg Senat
Re-signed: WR Rashard Higgins, K Cody Parkey, WR JoJo Natson, LB Elijah Lee
Departures: DT Sheldon Richardson, DT Larry Ogunjobi (Bengals), S Karl Joseph (Raiders), CB Terrance Mitchell (Texans), CB Kevin Johnson (Titans), DE Adrian Clayborn, OT Kendall Lamm (Titans), DT Vincent Taylor (Texans)
Remaining free agents: LB B.J. Goodson, S Andrew Sendejo, DE Olivier Vernon
Analysis: The 2020 Cleveland Browns were such a fun team to watch. Almost every fan outside of the AFC North was routing for them, and were so excited to see the success that they had. They won a playoff game, now they’re ready to prove it wasn’t a fluke. To assist in their efforts, they brought in several new defensive starters to upgrade their lost free agents. Let’s just run through them quickly one by one and talk about how each help the team.
The biggest name was signed just last week in pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney. The former No. 1 overall pick hasn’t fully lived up to his draft position despite some solid seasons, and will play opposite fellow top pick Myles Garrett. Clowney had a rough 2020, missing half the season with injury and didn’t record a single sack. How he got to 2020 was even rougher, not signing until September on a one-year $13 million deal. He had to settle after turning down a lot more money, thinking that he actually deserved more than the reported three-year, $57 million deal he was offered from…the Cleveland Browns. Well now he’s on a one-year, $8 million deal in hopes of proving he’s not washed and can still disrupt.
Joining Clowney on the defensive line are former Falcons first-rounder Takk McKinley and veteran Malik Jackson. McKinley had a rough tenure in Atlanta which led to his release, and hopes to revive his career. Jackson is at the twilight of his career, hoping for one more crack in the starting lineup, and he’s in line to start after losing Larry Ogunjobi and releasing Sheldon Richardson. Anthony Walker is also a nice addition at linebacker, coming over from Indianapolis and replacing B.J. Goodson in the middle.
In the secondary the big move there was signing former Rams safety John Johnson to a four-year deal. Johnson isn’t a widely-known player, but he’s been one of the Rams best players since entering the league in 2017. Johnson is joined by fellow former Ram Troy Hill, who also signs on for four years, and has also been a quietly solid player the past few years. This is a much improved secondary that looks to be one of the best if everyone comes back healthy. They were without Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit the entire season, so if those guys are back, along with Denzel Ward and Ronnie Harrison, this is a real good looking secondary. They lost Karl Joseph, Terrance Mitchell, Kevin Johnson, and Andrew Sendejo, but they’ll be just fine with new additions and the guys coming back from injury.
Conclusion: I myself enjoyed watching Cleveland Browns football in 2020, and I can’t wait to watch them again in 2021. The offense was fun, despite not having Odell Beckham, and they’re only gonna get better. The defense looks much improved with the new additions, there are just no holes to be found. I could definitely see the Browns adding to the defensive line, especially at defensive tackle, and there are a few veteran guys still out there (Geno Atkins, Kawann Short, Gerald McCoy). They had to cut Sheldon Richardson for cap saving purposes, so maybe they won’t be adding a veteran, better look for it in the draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Key acquisitions: RB Kalen Ballage, OT Joe Haeg, LB Miles Killebrew, OL B.J. Finney, G Rashaad Coward
Re-signed: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, DT Tyson Alualu, CB Cameron Sutton, OT Zach Banner, DE Chris Wormley, LB Cassius Marsh, P Jordan Berry
Departures: OLB Bud Dupree (Titans), RB James Conner (Cardinals), CB Mike Hilton (Bengals), CB Steven Nelson, G Matt Feiler (Chargers), LB Ola Adeniyi (Titans), S Sean Davis (Colts)
Remaining free agents: OT Alejandro Villanueva, LB Avery Williamson
Analysis: The Steelers are one of the most boring teams in the offseason because they mainly focus on drafting and development and re-signing their own than bringing in big free agents. That philosophy took a tumble this year as they had to part with a lot of their own drafted players in Bud Dupree and James Conner and their one big free agent from a few years ago Steven Nelson. So what they did this offseason was more of the same, re-signing some key starters, but there’s a bit of a story for a few of them.
The story of this free agency was the high level of wide receiver talent in the pool, and among those players was JuJu Smith-Schuster. Many thought he was long gone due to several cap issues and the interest from teams like the Chiefs, but ultimately he returned to Pittsburgh on a one-year $8 million deal. This is likely the result of a lackluster 2020 season and the lower cap, but JuJu gets a prove-it deal to hopefully cash in next offseason. He’s not a true No. 1 receiver, but he’s part of a group that is just filled with No. 2 receivers in Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. None of them are going to be superstar perennial All-Pros, but they’re all really good receivers, which makes this one of the best WR groups in the NFL.
You always seem to get one of these types of stories every few offseasons: a player agrees to terms on a contract with one team, but it eventually falls out and the player signs with a different team. The most notable one is Frank Gore in 2015 when he was reportedly set to sign with the Eagles, but instead signed with the Colts. Most recently it was Anthony Barr in 2019 when he was supposed to sign with the Jets but signed back with the Vikings. This year, it was Tyson Alualu, the veteran defensive tackle who had agreed to terms with the Jaguars, the team that drafted him in the first round in 2010, but there was a delay in the signing. Alualu had contracted COVID-19, which prevented him from traveling to Jacksonville to sign the contract. During his quarantine, he had second thoughts about signing and he had built a family and a home in Pittsburgh, and he ultimately decided to stay. On a football side of things, Alualu has been a consistent run stopper for several years, and is a big part of that front seven.
The last re-signing I want to talk about is Cameron Sutton, a guy many people probably don’t know. He was a third-round pick in 2017 who had been more of a special teams depth guy most of his career. His defensive snaps were slowly rising every year before jumping to 53% in 2020 with six starts, good for third on team among CBs. The Steelers released veteran Steven Nelson, the No. 2 CB, and let nickelback Mike Hilton walk, which allowed the team to sign Sutton to a two-year extension, so that likely means we’re gonna be more of Sutton in the future opposite Joe Haden.
I’ll at least briefly touch on the new additions, because there are some interesting guys here. Kalen Ballage was a Dolphins cast-off who found success with the Chargers last year filling in for Austin Ekeler. He has a real good chance to be a key contributor now that James Conner is gone, but he has an uphill battle to climb to compete with Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland. The offensive line additions of Joe Haeg and old friend B.J. Finney are super important as longtime LT Alejandro Villanueva is still a free agent and Maurkice Pouncey retired, so there are some holes to fill on that line. I’m not saying these are perfect replacements, but it’s at least something. I’d be shocked if they didn’t address the o-line early in the draft.
Conclusion: The Steelers had major cap issues coming into free agency, which caused them to part ways with key starters and leave others unsigned. This has always been a very good drafting team, so I think they’ll be able to fill in their many holes. The biggest needs I see for this team is pass rusher and offensive line. This is a decent draft for both positions, not a fantastic, but there will be guys to consider picking 24th.
The Steelers don’t seem to be the scary powerhouse team they once were, the rest of the division is catching up, and it’s gonna be a battle. These teams absolutely hate each other, and they’re all getting good. I’m excited to watch AFC North football in 2021.
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