Where do the Ravens land in a ranking of the AFC North defensive units

[ASFN Admin]

The AFC North has never lacked for defensive football. Long before the Baltimore Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow became a star for the Cincinnati Bengals, this division built its reputation on physicality, toughness, and defense. This was long before Aaron Rodgers found his way to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of well... What's that saying? The more things change, the more they stay the same. While quarterback play often dominates headlines, the AFC North remains home to several talented defensive units entering the 2026 season. That raises an interesting question as training camp approaches.

Where does Baltimore's defense rank when compared to the rest of the division? Here's the attempt to answer that question.

1. Cleveland Browns​

Cleveland's defense is often overshadowed by the team's offensive struggles, but the defensive front remained one of the NFL's best throughout the 2025 NFL season. At one point during the season, the Browns seemed dominant in the trenches, excelling at pass-rushing, run-defense grade, sacks, and getting off the field on fourth down. Myles Garrett is gone, but Cleveland landed Jared Verse as part of the trade. He's no stand-in. At some point, he might be a Myles Garrett clone. The Browns remain a nightmare for opposing offenses, and if they ever find some offense of their own, there's enough talent here to win more games than expected.

2. Baltimore Ravens​

Baltimore's defense feels like the division's most talented unit entering the new season. Kyle Hamilton remains one of football's most versatile defenders. Roquan Smith is still among the league's premier linebackers. Marlon Humphrey took a step backward, but he possesses Pro Bowl-level talent. The issue isn't talent. It's consistency. The Ravens showed stretches of dominance in 2025 but also endured periods where the defense didn't match the standard fans have come to expect. Even so, the overall talent level keeps them near the top of the division. If Jesse Minter delivers as expected, the journey back to excellence may be short.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers​

The Steelers allowed more than 350 yards per game during the 2025 regular season. They followed that effort by surrendering more than 400 in a one-and-done 30-6 playoff loss. T.J. Watt remains one of the NFL's most disruptive defenders, and Pittsburgh continues to find productive players regardless of draft position or pedigree. Still, there isn't enough on this roster to argue that they'll be a better defensive unit than the Browns or the Ravens. Mike McCarthy's team should once again field a defense capable of keeping it competitive every week, but the streak of consecutive winning seasons is in real jeopardy of ending.

4. Cincinnati Bengals​

The Bengals finished in the bottom fourth of the league in total defense, surrendering a league-high 60 TDs along the way. This team rarely invests heavily in the defensive side of the ball, and it shows. Perhaps you have heard. They lost Trey Hendrickson. He plays for the Baltimore Ravens now. Yes, he'll downplay Baltimore's games vs. Cincinnati, but best believe he won't have to manufacture any emotion. The Bengals added Boye Mafe. They drafted edge rusher Cashius Howell and cornerback Tacario Davis, but that won't be enough to elevate them past any other defensive unit in the division.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens are No. 2 in an early ranking of AFC North defensive units

Continue reading...