The AFC North has consistently been one of the toughest divisions in football, but the Baltimore Ravens have taken firm control of the crown in the last two seasons. Now, with Aaron Rodgers on the Pittsburgh Steelers, they’ll be trying to change that. However, it’s clear the Steelers getting back to the top of the AFC North won’t just be about them getting better; Pittsburgh will need Baltimore to regress a little as well.
Fortunately, a regression could be in the cards for the Ravens. In a recent Bleacher Report piece, Moe Moton named one roster flaw that could derail 10 teams that are expected to be contenders in 2025. For the Ravens, Moton pointed out that the team’s developing guards could limit Derrick Henry’s impact. That would certainly be a nightmare for Baltimore, since the run game is so important to what they do.
Pittsburgh Steelers could catch up to Ravens because of Baltimore’s inexperienced offensive line
Moton detailed how Henry has remained dominant as he ages, but things could get much more difficult in 2025, as the Ravens lean on younger players on the interior of the offensive line.
"The Baltimore Ravens lost versatile offensive lineman Patrick Mekari in free agency. Last year, he started at left guard in most of the games. This year, Andrew Vorhees is in line to start at left guard, while Daniel Faalele looks to improve in his second full year as a starter… Henry is a 6'2", 247-pound locomotive, but even he needs solid blocking against stout run defenses."Moe Moton (Bleacher Report)
These linemen could very well be ready to step up to the plate and deliver, keeping Baltimore’s dominant offense rolling. If that doesn’t happen, and the run game isn’t as efficient, the Ravens will certainly fall back closer to the pack. Of course, they still have Lamar Jackson and a ton of other talented players, but all that everyone in the division is hoping for is a couple of steps back.
In a competitive division like the AFC North, that could be the difference in a few wins and losses, making way for a team like Pittsburgh to get back to the top of the division.