When you think of the AFC North, you think of rugged play and historic linebackers. Names like James Farrior, Ray Lewis, James Harrison, Terrell Suggs, and more come to mind.
That’s how it should be.
Things have changed a bit in recent years, but one thing remains constant: the division still has some great linebackers who are largely household names at the position.
So, how does it all shake out within the division, featuring names like Roquan Smith, Logan Wilson, and Patrick Queen? Glad you asked.
Let’s dive into the Ranking The Rooms: AFC North Off-Ball LBs rankings.
1. PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Even with Patrick Queen coming off a disappointing first season in Pittsburgh after signing a three-year, $41 million deal in free agency, the Steelers remain the cream of the crop at off-ball linebacker in the division.
Queen is back for Year 2 and is much more comfortable in his new digs, both from a schematic and a communication perspective. There were a lot of challenges last season defensively for the Steelers, which led to some struggles for Queen, struggles that were reminiscent of his time in Baltimore when he had to wear the green dot there.
The Steelers are emphasizing communication a great deal already this offseason in an effort to get Queen comfortable. If he can nail down the communication issues, he should be able to play faster and looser in 2025, which should lead to a much better season.
Next to him, second-year pro Payton Wilson is a player who is eyeing a big leap. With Elandon Roberts off to Las Vegas, Wilson is slotted in as the starter entering the season next to Queen. After a strong rookie season in which he flashed his athleticism, sideline-to-sideline range, and coverage abilities his future is looking very bright.
Veteran Cole Holcomb is on the cusp of returning after missing the entire 2024 season while recovering from a devastating knee injury in Week 9 of the 2023 season. He’s worked his way back and looks like he’s in great shape. If he can get close to the level of play he was before the injury, the Steelers’ LB room looks fantastic from a depth perspective, giving Pittsburgh three linebackers to lean on once again, as Holcomb could rotate with Wilson.
Behind those three, the Steelers signed Malik Harrison away from the Ravens, giving them a downhill thumper in the mold of Roberts while also shoring up special teams. Harrison can play on the edge some, too, and is a serviceable blitzer and run defender. Mark Robinson returns, too, though he’ll find himself in a battle with rookie seventh-round pick Carson Bruener for the final spot in the LB room with special teams likely deciding it.
2. BALTIMORE RAVENS
Having Roquan Smith as the centerpiece of their ILB room is a great starting point for the Ravens, who have lost two ILBs to the Steelers in back-to-back offseasons in Queen and Harrison.
Fortunately for the Ravens, they’ve been building some good depth behind Smith the last few offseasons and should see that pay dividends in 2025. Smith remains an All-Pro linebacker, a tackling and play-making machine. He’s one of the best NFL off-ball linebackers, and he’s a huge part of Baltimore’s success defensively.
He’ll be counting on Trenton Simpson to take a step forward this season. Simpson had some moments last year in extended action, playing 654 snaps in the regular season. He had 73 tackles and 1.5 sacks, but he had some struggles in coverage. That will be his biggest challenge this season, but he’s an elite athlete who is entering Year 3, which is right around when young LBs click in the NFL.
The Ravens also drafted physical presence Teddye Buchanan out of California, giving them another sideline-to-sideline thumper to develop. They also signed undrafted free agents Jay Higgins and Chandler Martin out of Iowa and Memphis, respectively, giving Baltimore plenty of young, intriguing talent at the position.
Higgins just fits the AFC North and should remind Steelers fans of Elandon Roberts. Very, very similar games and styles.
3. CINCINNATI BENGALS
Releasing Germaine Pratt hurts the Bengals a bit here, but they still have a great off-ball linebacker in Logan Wilson to steer the ship at the position.
Pratt was cut just last week and signed with the Las Vegas Raiders rather quickly. Losing 143 tackles and two interceptions at off-ball linebacker is tough for the Bengals, especially with all the problems they’ve having defensively. Wilson will have to take a step forward, and he’ll need to stay healthy.
Wilson played in just 11 games last season but still made 104 tackles, marking four straight years he’s eclipsed the 100-tackle mark. The Bengals did sign veteran Oren Burks to a two-year deal this offseason, giving them a championship-winning LB. Last year in Philadelphia he started two games and had 41 tackles. He played 230 postseason snaps, earning his highest Pro Football Focus grade of the season in the Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bengals also have some young, promising depth at the linebacker position, including Shaka Heyward, Maema Njongmeta, Joe Giles-Harris and Craig Young. The most intriguing player is rookie Barrett Carter, who was selected in the fourth round out of Clemson.
He was a standout with the Tigers as the new-age linebacker who can move all over, run sideline to sideline, blitz off the edge and handle coverage duties. We’ll see if he can get up to speed in the NFL quickly, because if he can, a pairing of him and Wilson moving forward could be a headache for opposing offenses.
4. CLEVELAND BROWNS
What a mess this group is. The Browns are decimated by injury, and their star in Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will miss the season due to a neck injury suffered last season in Week 8. When he’s healthy he’s a game-changer with his speed and athleticism.
Without him, the Browns are in a very tough spot.
Jordan Hicks returns for another year, giving them veteran leadership, but he can’t stay healthy and only played 12 games last year. The Browns added Jerome Baker in free agency, and there’s some intrigue there, but he’s on his fourth team in three years, having previously spent time with Miami, Seattle, and Tennessee. When he’s right, he’s a good linebacker for today’s style of play. But he’s smaller and struggles to stay healthy.
The Browns liked what they saw in spurts from Mohamoud Diabate last year and could call on him to play more in 2025, while Devin Bush also returns after a stint with the Browns last year. There’s experience there, at least.
What Cleveland is banking on is second-round pick Carson Schwesinger becoming a star in Jim Schwartz’s defense. He was a great linebacker at UCLA who had some fantastic tape as a tackling machine against the run and was savvy in coverage. He could start from Day 1.
If he does, the Browns should feel better about the group overall. There are some familiar names here, but it’s more hype on paper than actual sound play on the field.
2024 AFC North Off-Ball LB rankings:
No. 1 – Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 2 – Cincinnati Bengals
No. 3 – Baltimore Ravens
No. 4 – Cleveland Browns
