AFC North Secondary Rankings: Which Team Topped the Steelers?

Story by Yinzer Crazy Steelers' Writer 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-7s, secondary units, offensive lines, and finally, quarterback-coach combos.

Part Three: Secondaries

Secondaries are unique creatures. Some teams opt to pursue elite safety play and average cornerback play, and others the opposite. In the third installment in this series, I rank all four of the secondary units in the AFC North. It wasn’t an easy thing to do, aside from the number one spot. The Bengals, Browns, and Steelers all have talented players in their back seven.

However, all three teams have different positions filled by star players, some with more talent and less of a veteran presence, and others with a few rookies but proven veteran players. It’s an interesting exercise, and if you combine it with the previous article I wrote ranking AFC North front 7’s, you’ll be able to figure out which teams have the best defenses in the AFC North.

Let’s get started.

1 – Ravens

The Ravens arguably had the best secondary in the AFC North entering the 2022 season, and that was before they added Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams in the draft and free agency, respectively. Marlon Humphrey is the second-best corner in the league behind Jalen Ramsey, and while Marcus Peters is criticized by Steelers fans as being too aggressive, he’s done well under the Ravens system. The Ravens also added Kyle Fuller in free agency, and while he isn’t who he used to be, he will fit in nicely in their system.

The Ravens have a superstar cornerback and safety. They also have a potential Derwin-James type safety in Kyle Hamilton, and the rest of their starters are average or better. The rest of the AFC North cannot boast the same, so I have the Ravens ranked at #1. Honestly, the Ravens might have the best secondary in the NFL, so it’s no indictment against the rest of the North.

2 – Steelers

Minkah Fitzpatrick carries most of the weight on this ranking. The NFL’s highest-paid safety has also been the best free safety in the league since he joined the Steelers. The Steelers rank in the top 3 in most major passing categories since Minkah’s acquisition, including only allowing three 250+ yard games, over the last three years, good for first in the NFL.

The Steelers have a solid group of cornerbacks with Levi Wallace, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Cam Sutton. None of them are stars, but they all do exactly what the Steelers need, and have no major weaknesses. Terrell Edmunds is a very underrated strong safety, though his free agent market showed differently. Edmunds and Minkah are one of the best safety tandems in the league. All in all, the Steelers have arguably the best safety in the league, and a well-rounded average to an above-average group of players to round things out. Their proven depth and superstar safety are why they land at #2 on this list.

3 – Bengals

A league-average secondary is what I’d call the Bengals. The Bengals secondary outperformed expectations in 2021, but I wouldn’t count on it happening twice. Eli Apple, infamous for being burned by Cooper Kupp in the Super Bowl, was re-signed and looks to once again be a starter. Chidobe Awuzie, Mike Hilton, and Vonn Bell are all good players, and Hilton has a certain love garnered from the Steelers fanbase. However, aside from Hilton, every player in the secondary is a step down from what the Steelers have.

The Bengals have good depth and mostly average players, with a few holes, mostly relating to Hilton’s height and Apple’s tendency to get baked (see what I did there?). I like what the Bengals have, but their lack of consistency at both cornerback spots leaves them at third on this list. Oh, and Jessie Bates holding out for a new contract doesn’t help either.

4 – Browns

The Browns come in last on this list, due to a lack of proven depth. Essentially “Ward and company,” the Browns have struggled to field a strong secondary, despite their best efforts. Greedy Williams, Grant Delpit, and Greg Newsome are all players with a high pedigree, though Williams and Delpit have struggled to see the field.



Injuries have been the major Achilles heel for the Browns secondary and have prevented the group from becoming a cohesive unit. Due to the lack of proven depth and inconsistent play, the Browns come in at #4, though they do have the potential to rise a bit higher. I’m doubtful it happens, but it is a possibility Steelers fans need to be aware of.