AFC North Position Rankings: The Front-7's
Story by Yinzer Crazy Steelers Contributor Noah Nichols. Follow him on Twitter @_NoahNichols
A little off-season series dedicated to ranking all AFC North position groups against each other. The groups will go like this; Offensive weapons, front-7’s, secondary units, offensive lines, and finally, quarterback-coach combos.
Part Two: Front-7’s
Last week I ranked the AFC North weapons, and this week, it's time to move on to the players who make a defense tick; the front seven. For those who don’t know, the front seven includes edge rushers, inside linebackers, and the defensive line. The AFC North boasts the two best edge rushers in the game, and some of the best defensive fronts in the league, so competition here is fierce. Let's rank em!
#1 - Steelers
Even with the retirement of Stephon Tuitt, the Steelers still boast the deepest and most talented front seven in the North, and perhaps the entire NFL. Cam Heyward is the second-best interior defensive lineman in the NFL, TJ Watt just tied the single-season sack record (and broke it, in my book, but they don’t ask me to write down the records), and the rest of the room has plenty of talent.
Concerning the duo of Myles Jack and Devin Bush, it remains to be seen how well it will work out, and if it fails, it certainly won’t be for a lack of talent. Personally, I think the two will operate similarly to Lavonte David and Devin White in Tampa Bay, with Bush being free to run and make plays. Even if you don’t believe the Steelers have great depth, there’s something to be said for leading the league in sacks for five years in a row.
#2 - Browns
Myles Garrett carries most of the weight in this ranking, obviously. Though the return of Jadeveon Clowney, who posted a respectable 10 sacks last season, does help solidify their spot on this list. The Browns managed 43 sacks last year, good for 9th best in the NFL. While I’m not a huge fan of the Clowney addition, he’s worked out for the Browns and helped boost the Browns to said 43 sacks.
A combination of Anthony Walker, Malik Jackson, Takk McKinley, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah make for a strong defensive front. It’s not terribly proficient, and Garrett clearly elevates this group, but the Browns have talent across their front seven. However, compared to the Steelers, the Browns superstar talent is neither as strong nor as deep as what the Steelers have.
That said, Garrett is clearly the best pass rusher in the division aside from Watt, and as a result, leaves the Browns here at the #2 ranking on this list.
#3 - Bengals
A lot of Steelers fans and writers laughed when the Bengals inked free agents Trey Hendrickson and B.J. Hill to large contracts, which were uncharacteristic moves for the Bengals. We can admit we were wrong, as it turned out to be enough to make the Bengals front seven a force, that while not needing to be reckoned with, at least deserved respect.
The Bengals managed 42 sacks last year, good for 12th best in the league. We saw what the Bengals defensive front could do against a young and hapless Steelers offensive line. I put them third here because the Bengals lack a true superstar pass rusher. Hendrickson had 14 sacks last season, and I’d label him a star. But he can’t touch the league Garrett and Watt are in, which is why I put the Bengals in 3rd.
#4 - Ravens
No, I did not put the Ravens last because I’m a homer. I put the Ravens last because I don’t know who their number one pass rusher this season is, let alone their depth. The Ravens had the 9th least sacks in the league in 2021 with 33. I get their defense was injured, but those were largely across the secondary, not the front seven.
I understand their defensive front has been more predicated on stopping the run than rushing the passer – but today's game is about the latter, not the former. I like rookie David Ojabo and second year rusher Jayson Oweh, but one won’t play this season and the other has yet to prove himself. Players like Tyus Bowser and Brandon Williams don’t move the needle for me.
I like Patrick Queen at linebacker, as far as talent goes. But he’s entering that Devin Bush territory where he needs to prove he can do something with it. The Ravens are predicated on their secondary, and it shows, as they not only lack a superstar but even a star, pass rusher. Their best front seven players probably wouldn’t start for the Steelers. All in all, their lack of star players and convincing depth lead me to rank them here at #4.
Wrap-Up
We know the Steelers defensive line was going to be great, even after the loss of Tuitt. It’s been their biggest investment over the last decade, and it's paid off, leading the Steelers to five consecutive years of leading the NFL in sacks, a record two years running. The rest of the AFC North clearly has talent, and all can get after the quarterback, though none as fast, or consistently, as the Steelers.
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