2022 NFL Offseason Guide: AFC North

This is Part 6 of an eight-article series that will provide a bird's eye view of where each team stands at the start of the offseason, looking at cap space, free agents, potential cap casualties and draft capital. We can't predict the future to perfection, but it helps to know this kind of stuff if you're drafting best-ball teams or making dynasty trades in February and early March before free agency begins.

Last week, we covered the NFC West, the NFC North, the NFC East, the NFC South and the AFC West.

This week, we'll start with the AFC North, home to my beloved Ravens and the AFC champion Bengals.

Baltimore Ravens

Cap Space: $3.6 million (19th)

Potential Cap Casualties: CB Marcus Peters, CB Tavon Young, OT Alejandro Villanueva, OT Ja'Wuan James, WR Miles Boykin, DE Derek Wolfe

Detailed Cap Sheet: https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/baltimore-ravens/

Peters, Young and Villanueva are the three feasible cuts that could save Baltimore more than $3 million in cap space apiece ($10 million for Peters, $6 million for Villanueva, $5.8 million for Young). Cornerback might've been the team's deepest position last offseason, but that's no longer the case with Peters (Achilles) and Marlon Humphrey (biceps) coming off major injuries and Jimmy Smith and Anthony Averett scheduled for free agency. 

Key Free Agents: RB Devonta Freeman, RB Latavius Murray, WR Sammy Watkins, FB Patrick Ricard, C Bradley Bozeman, OLB Justin Houston, DL Calais Campbell, CB Anthony Averett, DT Brandon Williams, LB Josh Bynes, S DeShon Elliott

Draft Capital: 1st (14), 2nd (45), 3rd (76), 3rd (99), 4th (108), 4th (117), 4th (126), 4th (138), 4th (140), 6th (195)

The Ravens don't have picks in the fifth or seventh rounds, but they more than make up for it with their trio of compensatory picks (a third-rounder and two fourth-rounders) as well as the Giants' and Cardinals' picks in the fourth round.

It's good timing for the stockpile of mid-round selections, as Baltimore has 15 unrestricted free agents who played at least one-fourth of snaps on either offense or defense this past season. A lot of those guys are backups who only played so much because of injuries, but the list also includes some key pieces of the 2021 team in Bozeman, Ricard, Campbell and Houston (with the latter two candidates to retire).

Freeman, Murray and Watkins might also consider retirement, and none of the three is likely to see much guaranteed money in free agency. The Ravens might be interested in bringing Freeman back, but likely behind J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, both of whom are signed through 2023 and coming back from ACL tear.

The (Way-Too-Early) Verdict: The Ravens won't have such terrible injury luck again, but they might have a weaker roster to begin with, especially if things don't go well for the ACL/Achilles rehab gang. They do have a nice haul of draft picks, most of which figure to be used on the O-line and defense given that Dobbins, Lamar Jackson, Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay are all on rookie contracts (and Mark Andrews is entering Year 1 of an extension).

All the media focus will be on Jackson's upcoming second contract, though there's little chance he doesn't stay in Baltimore, whatever the process might be. Hollywood Brown, on the other hand, may be allowed to play out the final year of his rookie deal without much resistance, following a two-month slump to close out 2021. While the Ravens aren't likely to use an early draft pick on a tight end or running back, they might take a stab at finding Brown's potential successor (or at least a challenger for Duvernay in the No. 3 role).

Cincinnati Bengals

Cap Space: $44.8 million (4th)

Potential Cap Casualties: CB Trae Waynes, C Trey Hopkins

Detailed Cap Sheet: https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/cincinnati-bengals/

Cincinnati is projected for the fourth-most cap space, sitting in a rare position for a team that just played in the Super Bowl. There aren't many obvious cuts to free up additional space (without costing them quality players), but the Bengals can add $10.9 million if they move on from Waynes or $6 million with Hopkins.

Waynes has played only five games in two years with the Bengals and rode pine throughout the playoffs, while Hopkins carries PFF's No. 35 grade out of 39 qualified centers. No huge loss in either case.

Key Free Agents: TE C.J. Uzomah, S Jessie Bates, LG Quinton Spain, OT Riley Reiff, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DT B.J. Hill, CB Tre Flowers, CB Vernon Hargreaves, WR Auden Tate

Draft Capital: 1st (31), 2nd (63), 3rd (95), 4th (134), 5th (173), 6th (208), 7th (224), 7th (250)

The Bengals, like the Bills and Chiefs, are in excellent shape for the next few years, boasting a talented roster that shouldn't lose too much talent in free agency this spring. Uzomah, Bates and Spain have all been solid starters, and the Bengals can afford to keep all three or else find comparable replacements. Bates likely will set the market for safeties this offseason, though it's a relatively cheap position.

The (Way-Too-Early) Verdict: I can't say for sure, but it may be unprecedented for a Super Bowl participant to have this much cap space. That's what happens when you have standout players on rookie contracts at premium positions, namely QB Joe Burrow, LT Jonah Williams and WRs Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Bengals also have their tailback locked in, Joe Mixon, and seem more likely than not to retain veteran team leader C.J. Uzomah at tight end.

That said, TE is the skill position where an upgrade would be most useful, and the Bengals have flexibility to make some luxury additions (be it in free agency or the draft). Their offense should be even better next year, assuming Mike Brown doesn't go cheap again after back-to-back offseasons with a more aggressive approach in free agency. The Bengals would be wise to make a strong push for at least one or two of the top o-linemen available this spring.

Cleveland Browns

Cap Space: $20 million (12th)

Potential Cap Casualties: WR Jarvis Landry, QB Case Keenum, RB Kareem Hunt, TE Austin Hooper, LB Mack Wilson

Detailed Cap Sheet: https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/cleveland-browns/

Landry's release would add $14.9 million in cap space while leaving only $1.5 million in dead money behind. It'd also leave the Browns without any proven wideouts, so an extension or modest pay cut seems more likely than a release. For Keenum, they can save $7.1 million. For Hunt, it's $6.25 million. (All three are entering the final year of their contracts).

Hooper is a bit more complicated, with two years remaining on his contract but no guaranteed money. While his release will involve $11.25 million in dead money, it'd still add $9.5 million in cap space with a post-June 1 designation (which pushes $7.5 million of the dead money to the 2023 cap sheet). In real-money terms, the Browns would be avoiding Hooper's non-guaranteed $9.5 million base salaries for 2022 and 2023.

Key Free Agents: TE David Njoku, LB Anthony Walker, DE Jadeveon Clowney, DT Malik Jackson, S Ronnie Harrison, WR Rashard Higgins, K Chase McLaughlin

Draft Capital: 1st (13), 2nd (44), 3rd (78), 3rd (98), 4th (105), 4th (116), 5th (154), 6th (191), 7th (221)

Clowney and Walker are the main attractions, and Clowney might finally get a multi-year deal after notching 5.5 sacks over his final three games in 2021 (then again, he did just turn 29... and missed multiple games again). Harrison and Jackson also were starters for most of the season, but neither had a particularly good year (and Jackson is 32). 

The (Way-Too-Early) Verdict: The Browns don't lack for cap space, draft picks or standout players. What they do lack is a clear franchise QB, and the current group of pass catchers isn't exactly doing Baker Mayfield any favors. Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson seems to be a popular match in early mock drafts, but it's a good bet the Browns prioritize the position even if the in-state hero isn't their guy.

For fantasy, it's all pretty complicated, in part because of Mayfield and in part because of all the guys listed above as potential cap casualties. It's early, sure, but maybe Nick Chubb gets more work if the Browns do in fact get rid of Hunt. The O-line remains the strength of the team, with all five starters under contract for at least one more year.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Cap Space: $27.9 million (9th)

Potential Cap Casualties: LB Joe Schobert, OL Zach Banner, OL Joe Haeg, DE Stephon Tuitt

Detailed Cap Sheet: https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/pittsburgh-steelers/

It's unusual to see Pittsburgh with so much space, carrying just five cap hits of $10 million or more (including a $10.4 million dead-money charge for retired QB Ben Roethlisberger. They can add another $8-9 million if they get rid of Schobert, who made 112 tackles last season after coming over from Jacksonville in an August trade (he hasn't lived up to the four-year, $54 million deal Jacksonville signed him to, but Schobert is a solid linebacker, so the Steelers might renegotiate rather than releasing him).

They can add another $5 million by cutting Banner, a backup offensive tackle, and then have a few smaller cuts that would save $2-3 million apiece. All in all, it's more flexibility than the Steelers have had in years, with the massive caveat that they're now wandering out in the QB wilderness and could use most of that cap room in an instant if they decide to push for a veteran*.

*Pittsburgh media is trying to sell Mason Rudolph, but I don't buy it for a second. He's looked awful pretty consistently, and the Steelers have enough talent to stay competitive with a middling veteran or talented rookie under center. 

Key Free Agents: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, TE Eric Ebron, S Terrell Edmunds, RG Trai Turner, RT Chukwuma Okorafor, CB Joe Haden, WR Ray-Ray McCloud, WR James Washington, CB Arthur Maulet

Draft Capital: 1st (20), 2nd (52), 3rd (84), 4th (137), 7th (223), 7th (239)

None of the impending free agents was an impact player this past season, but Turner was arguably the best guy on a lousy O-line, while Edmunds and Haden are long-time starters in the secondary. It won't be cheap to keep or replace them, and the Steelers are a bit thin on draft capital to pick up young depth.

From a football standpoint, you'd probably assume Smith-Schuster is long gone, but he did take a slight discount to stay in Pittsburgh last offseason, reportedly, and is said to love the area. I still think both he and Ebron will sign elsewhere, leaving the passing game in the hands of Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and TE Pat Freiermuth.

On that note, the Steelers could use a third WR, but they aren't likely to shop top of the market for RB or TE, having successfully addressed those positions in last year's draft (Freiermuth looks like a definite Win, and Najee Harris is at least a good fantasy player, if not quite first-round RB quality).

The (Way-Too-Early) Verdict: Can the Steelers make a play for a quality, veteran QB? If so, they could push Cincinnati for the top spot in the AFC North. If not, they may be more inclined toward a rebuilding/retooling year, perhaps even moving on from some stalwarts like DE Stephon Tuitt.

For all the uncertainty, it does seem a pretty safe bet that Johnson, Harris, Claypool and Freiermuth will take most of the touches on offense. The question is whether they'll have decent enough QB play or blocking to get anything out of those touches.