2021 NFL notable offseason transactions and notes – AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
2020 Record: 11-5, 2nd in AFC North
Coaching/Front Office Changes:
Player Additions:
LT Alejandro Villanueva (from PIT)
WR Sammy Watkins (from KC)
G Kevin Zeitler (from NYG)
G Michael Schofield (from CAR)
TE Josh Oliver (from JAX)
Player Subtractions:
OT Orlando Brown
DE Yannick Ngakoue
LB Matt Judon
RB Mark Ingram
DL Jihad Ward
C Matt Skura
Injuries:
RB J.K. Dobbins (ACL) – Out for the season
WR Rashod Bateman (core) – Out for at least 3 games.
WR Miles Boykin (hamstring) – Out for at least 3 games.
Draft:
RD (PK) PLAYER SCHOOL POS
1 (27) Rashod Bateman Minnesota WR
1 (31) Odafe Oweh Penn State OLB
3 (31) Ben Cleveland Georgia OG
3 (41) Brandon Stephens SMU CB
4 (26) Tylan Wallace Oklahoma State WR
5 (16) Shaun Wade Ohio State CB
5 (27) Daelin Hayes Notre Dame DE
5 (40) Ben Mason Michigan FB
2020 Offensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 7th, Yards/Gm – 19th, Pass Yards/Gm – 32nd, Rush Yards/Gm – 1st,
Neutral Pace – 30th, Total Plays – 25th, Pass Plays – 32nd, Run Plays – 1st,
Pass EPA – 19th, Rush EPA – 1st, aDOT – 3rd,
Adjusted Line Yards – 2nd, Adjusted Sack Rate – 23rd, Pressure % – 10th
2020 Defensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 2nd, Yards/Gm – 7th, Pass Yards/Gm – 6th, Rush Yards/Gm – 8th,
Fantasy Points/Gm – 4th, Pass EPA – 7th, Rush EPA – 7th,
Blitz % – 1st, Adjusted Sack Rate – 13th, Pressure % – 5th,
DvP vs. QB FPs/Gm – 9th, DvP vs. RB FPs/Gm – 12th, DvP vs. WR FPs/Gm – 7th, DvP vs. TE FPs/Gm – 15th
Projected Starting Lineup:
QB: Lamar Jackson
RB: Gus Edwards
3RB: Justice Hill
WR: Marquise Brown
SWR: Sammy Watkins
WR: Rashod Bateman (R)
TE: Mark Andrews
TE: Nick Boyle
Notes:
Current projected win total across most books: 10.5
Strength of schedule rank: 21 (Based on opposition current projected win totals). Higher number means easier schedule.
Offense:
Defense:
Cover 1 Man.
Cincinnati Bengals
2020 Record: 4-11-1, 4th in AFC North
Coaching/Front Office Changes:
Player Additions:
S Ricardo Allen (from ATL)
CB Mike Hilton (from PIT)
DE Trey Hendrickson (from NO)
CB Chidobe Awuzie (from DAL)
DL Larry Ogunjobi (from CLE)
OT Riley Reiff (from MIN)
Player Subtractions:
C Billy Price
RB Gio Bernard
DT Geno Atkins
RT Bobby Hart
WR A.J. Green
CB William Jackson
CB Mackensie Alexander
DE Carl Lawson
G B.J. Finney
WR John Ross
FB/TE Cethan Carter
QB Ryan Finley
Draft:
RD (PK) PLAYER SCHOOL POS
1 (5) Ja’Marr Chase LSU WR
2 (14) Jackson Carman Clemson OT
3 (5) Joseph Ossai Texas DE
4 (6) Cameron Sample Tulane DE
4 (17) Tyler Shelvin LSU DT
4 (34) D’Ante Smith East Carolina OT
5 (5) Evan McPherson Florida PK
6 (6) Trey Hill Georgia C
6 (18) Chris Evans Michigan RB
7 (7) Wyatt Hubert Kansas State DE
2020 Offensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 29th, Yards/Gm – 29th, Pass Yards/Gm – 27th, Rush Yards/Gm – 24th,
Neutral Pace – 16th, Total Plays – 20th, Pass Plays – 14th, Run Plays – 17th,
Pass EPA – 23rd, Rush EPA – 26th, aDOT – 19th,
Adjusted Line Yards – 8th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 4th, Pressure % – 1st
2020 Defensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 19th, Yards/Gm – 26th, Pass Yards/Gm – 19th, Rush Yards/Gm – 29th,
Fantasy Points/Gm – 30th, Pass EPA – 26th, Rush EPA – 16th,
Blitz % – 16th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 32nd, Pressure % – 29th,
DvP vs. QB FPs/Gm – 13th, DvP vs. RB FPs/Gm – 23rd, DvP vs. WR FPs/Gm – 17th, DvP vs. TE FPs/Gm – 27th
Projected Starting Lineup:
QB: Joe Burrow
RB: Joe Mixon
3RB: Joe Mixon
WR: Tee Higgins
WR: Ja’Marr Chase (R)
SWR: Tyler Boyd
TE: C.J. Uzomah
Notes:
Current projected win total across most books: 6.5
Strength of schedule rank: 25 (Based on opposition current projected win totals). Higher number means easier schedule.
Offense:
O-Line a big weakness.
Defense:
Cover 1.
Pass defense should be abysmal.
Cleveland Browns
2020 Record: 11-5, 3rd in AFC North
Coaching/Front Office Changes:
Player Additions:
DL Jadeveon Clowney (from TEN)
CB Troy Hill (from LAR)
CB Mike Hilton (from PIT)
S John Johnson III (from LAR)
DE Takk McKinley (from LV)
LB Anthony Walker (from IND)
DL Malik Jackson (from PHI)
Player Subtractions:
DT Sheldon Richardson
DL Larry Ogunjobi
CB Kevin Johnson
CB Terrance Mitchell
DE Adrian Clayborn
DT Vincent Taylor
OT Kendall Lamm
LB Tae Davis
CB Tavierre Thomas
Draft:
RD (PK) PLAYER SCHOOL POS
1 (26) Greg Newsome II Northwestern CB
2 (20) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Notre Dame ILB
3 (28) Anthony Schwartz Auburn WR
4 (5) James Hudson Cincinnati OT
4 (27) Tommy Togiai Ohio State DT
5 (9) Tony Fields II West Virginia ILB
5 (25) Richard LeCounte Georgia S
6 (27) Demetric Felton UCLA WR
2020 Offensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 14th, Yards/Gm – 16th, Pass Yards/Gm – 24th, Rush Yards/Gm – 3rd,
Neutral Pace – 21st, Total Plays – 18th, Pass Plays – 28th, Run Plays – 4th,
Pass EPA – 7th, Rush EPA – 12th, aDOT – 6th,
Adjusted Line Yards – 19th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 16th, Pressure % – 6th
2020 Defensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 21st, Yards/Gm – 17th, Pass Yards/Gm – 22nd, Rush Yards/Gm – 9th,
Fantasy Points/Gm – 17th, Pass EPA – 22nd, Rush EPA – 21st,
Blitz % – 30th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 19th, Pressure % – 24th,
DvP vs. QB FPs/Gm – 25th, DvP vs. RB FPs/Gm – 9th, DvP vs. WR FPs/Gm – 24th, DvP vs. TE FPs/Gm – 28th
Projected Starting Lineup:
QB: Baker Mayfield
RB: Nick Chubb
3RB: Kareem Hunt
WR: Odell Beckham Jr.
SWR: Jarvis Landry
WR: Donovan Peoples-Jones
TE: Austin Hooper
Notes:
Current projected win total across most books: 10
Strength of schedule rank: 2 (Based on opposition current projected win totals). Higher number means easier schedule.
Offense:
RB usage projects to be heavy game-script driven.
Defense:
Cover 3.
Pittsburgh Steelers
2020 Record: 12-4, 1st in AFC North
Additions:
OC Matt Canada (promoted QB coach)
Subtractions:
OC Randy Fichtner
Player Additions:
LB Melvin Ingram (from LAC)
G Trai Turner (from LAC)
WR Tyler Simmons (from HOU)
Player Subtractions:
G David DeCastro
RB James Conner
CB Steven Nelson
CB Mike Hilton
LB Bud Dupree
LT Alejandro Villanueva
C Maurkice Pouncey
TE Vance McDonald
T Matt Feiler
LB Vince Williams
OLB Ola Adeniyi
Injuries:
DE Stephon Tuitt (knee) – Placed on IR.
RB Anthony McFarland – Placed on IR.
OT Zach Banner – Placed on IR.
Draft:
RD (PK) PLAYER SCHOOL POS
1 (24) Najee Harris Alabama RB
2 (23) Pat Freiermuth Penn State TE
3 (24) Kendrick Green Illinois C
4 (23) Dan Moore Jr. Texas A&M OT
4 (35) Buddy Johnson Texas A&M ILB
5 (12) Isaiahh Loudermilk Wisconsin DT
6 (32) Quincy Roche Miami OLB
7 (18) Tre Norwood Oklahoma CB
7 (27) Pressley Harvin III Georgia Tech P
2020 Offensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 12th, Yards/Gm – 25th, Pass Yards/Gm – 15th, Rush Yards/Gm – 32nd,
Neutral Pace – 6th, Total Plays – 7th, Pass Plays – 1st, Run Plays – 28th,
Pass EPA – 17th, Rush EPA – 27th, aDOT – 28th,
Adjusted Line Yards – 32nd, Adjusted Sack Rate – 1st, Pressure % – 16th
2020 Defensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 3rd, Yards/Gm – 3rd, Pass Yards/Gm – 3rd, Rush Yards/Gm – 11th,
Fantasy Points/Gm – 3rd, Pass EPA – 1st, Rush EPA – 11th,
Blitz % – 3rd, Adjusted Sack Rate – 1st, Pressure % – 1st,
DvP vs. QB FPs/Gm – 2nd, DvP vs. RB FPs/Gm – 3rd, DvP vs. WR FPs/Gm – 10th, DvP vs. TE FPs/Gm – 2nd
Projected Starting Lineup:
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Najee Harris (R)
3RB: Jaylen Samuels
WR: Chase Claypool
SWR: Juju Smith-Schuster
WR: Diontae Johnson
TE: Eric Ebron
Notes:
Current projected win total across most books: 8.5
Strength of schedule rank: 32 (Based on opposition current projected win totals). Higher number means easier schedule.
Offense:
RB Harris – Potential workhorse, 3-down role. O-line still problematic.
Defense:
Cover 1.
Potential shadow – CB Joe Haden
