04-13-2019, 10:37 PM
Can they compete? Sure.
The Ravens lost a TON on defense. They added some pieces to be sure, but losing three LB's (Smith, Suggs, Mosely) and signing zero LB's to replace them should hurt. Also, while getting Earl Thomas should be good, the fact that he's replacing Weddle makes it at best a mild upgrade instead of a total game-changer.
The Browns, in theory, should be solid. But really, who knows with them? The sophomore slump could easily bite Mayfield. OBJ could realize quickly that Cleveland is nothing like NY as far as attention, night life, or just generally continue to be OBJ. And their new HB, who thinks he's a kicker, won't be around for the first half of the year. Plus, there's always our old nemesis...the injury bug, that could decide to bite the Browns and remind everyone in Northern Ohio that they're still in Cleveland. In addition, their O-line should be weaker with the trade of Zeitler to NY for Vernon. It feels like 1987 since the Browns are legitimately the team I'm most worried about in the div. However, as with all Browns teams since the LBJ administration...we know how it'll all likely end for them.
Then there's the Steelers...I'm hesitant to declare them dead since every time it seems like they're toast they just keep on keepin' on. They're the cockroaches of the NFL (in more ways than one). My biggest reason for hope in regards to their (hopefully) imminent demise though is that I believe Ju-Ju's in for a real rude awakening when he's suddenly the #1 and getting all the double teams that AB used to take for him. It's one thing to be a good WR when you're in 1-1 all the time, it's an entirely different thing to do it when it's 2-1 or even 3-1. We'll find out what he's made of this season. Losing Bell isn't that big of a blow since he sat out all of last year anyway. Thankfully, even after trading AB the Steelers continue to appear to be the NFL's best version of a soap opera, as evidenced by the laughable Ramon Foster tweet begging former teammates to deal with their issues in private as opposed to on social media (the hypocrisy there alone is beyond hilarious). If there's even a shred of good left in the world, the Steelers will continue to be a circus this year.
As far as our boys go, I wouldn't let the national media dampen your hopes too much. Of the four teams in the division, the Bengals have lost the least talent this off-season (even the Browns gave up Peppers and Zeitler). They lost Kroft (who was hurt anyway), Burfict (who's looked like a shell of himself for years now), Ogbuehi (I can't really call this a 'loss'), and Fisher (not really a 'loss' either). While no one is really over the moon about the money given to Bobby Hart, they've seemingly brought in more talent than they've lost (unless you believe this to be 2013 in which case losing Burfict hurts). Also there's the X factor in Taylor, who could just by not being Marvin, rejuvenate the team. I don't think that the team is anything even resembling a Super Bowl contender, but we're talking about the AFCN, not the NFL...and with what's happened to the rest of the division there's no reason they shouldn't at least be in the mix come December.
The Ravens lost a TON on defense. They added some pieces to be sure, but losing three LB's (Smith, Suggs, Mosely) and signing zero LB's to replace them should hurt. Also, while getting Earl Thomas should be good, the fact that he's replacing Weddle makes it at best a mild upgrade instead of a total game-changer.
The Browns, in theory, should be solid. But really, who knows with them? The sophomore slump could easily bite Mayfield. OBJ could realize quickly that Cleveland is nothing like NY as far as attention, night life, or just generally continue to be OBJ. And their new HB, who thinks he's a kicker, won't be around for the first half of the year. Plus, there's always our old nemesis...the injury bug, that could decide to bite the Browns and remind everyone in Northern Ohio that they're still in Cleveland. In addition, their O-line should be weaker with the trade of Zeitler to NY for Vernon. It feels like 1987 since the Browns are legitimately the team I'm most worried about in the div. However, as with all Browns teams since the LBJ administration...we know how it'll all likely end for them.
Then there's the Steelers...I'm hesitant to declare them dead since every time it seems like they're toast they just keep on keepin' on. They're the cockroaches of the NFL (in more ways than one). My biggest reason for hope in regards to their (hopefully) imminent demise though is that I believe Ju-Ju's in for a real rude awakening when he's suddenly the #1 and getting all the double teams that AB used to take for him. It's one thing to be a good WR when you're in 1-1 all the time, it's an entirely different thing to do it when it's 2-1 or even 3-1. We'll find out what he's made of this season. Losing Bell isn't that big of a blow since he sat out all of last year anyway. Thankfully, even after trading AB the Steelers continue to appear to be the NFL's best version of a soap opera, as evidenced by the laughable Ramon Foster tweet begging former teammates to deal with their issues in private as opposed to on social media (the hypocrisy there alone is beyond hilarious). If there's even a shred of good left in the world, the Steelers will continue to be a circus this year.
As far as our boys go, I wouldn't let the national media dampen your hopes too much. Of the four teams in the division, the Bengals have lost the least talent this off-season (even the Browns gave up Peppers and Zeitler). They lost Kroft (who was hurt anyway), Burfict (who's looked like a shell of himself for years now), Ogbuehi (I can't really call this a 'loss'), and Fisher (not really a 'loss' either). While no one is really over the moon about the money given to Bobby Hart, they've seemingly brought in more talent than they've lost (unless you believe this to be 2013 in which case losing Burfict hurts). Also there's the X factor in Taylor, who could just by not being Marvin, rejuvenate the team. I don't think that the team is anything even resembling a Super Bowl contender, but we're talking about the AFCN, not the NFL...and with what's happened to the rest of the division there's no reason they shouldn't at least be in the mix come December.
