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The AFC North looks like it may be one of the most competitive divisions in a couple of years. The Ravens, Browns and Steelers all made the post season last year, and Baltimore and Cleveland are set with young quarterbacks who have showed they belong.
However, one analyst thinks the Bengals have the best quarterback in the division with Joe Burrow.
Former NFL wide receiver-turned FS1 analyst Greg Jennings had this to say about the situation in the AFC North on First Things First:
"Look at the AFC North — the Bengals have arguably the best QB in the division when healthy, the Ravens have a unanimous MVP & Baker is progressing the Browns. Big Ben has regressed. Just getting to the playoffs, that's not what the Steelers are all about." — @GregJennings pic.twitter.com/VuEXrjy5sy
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 18, 2021
Admittedly, this seems a little premature. Lamar Jackson regressed from his MVP season, and Baker Mayfield has been up and down so far in his NFL career. However, both quarterbacks secured playoff victories this past season and the Browns nearly found themselves knocking out the Chiefs in the playoffs.
We saw some really great things from Joe Burrow, but he hasn’t achieved those kinds of things yet.
It is easy to say that Cincinnati’s quarterback situation is better than Pittsburgh’s, though. Ben Roethlisberger may have led the Steelers to the playoffs, but it was clear the wheels came off for them after Washington and Cincinnati upset them during the regular season. Roethlisberger’s regression was a huge part of that as well.
This will be an interesting discussion to come back to at the end of the 2021 as long as Burrow stays healthy for the entire season. His ceiling, along with the Bengals, seems to be very high. Hopefully Cincinnati is able to surround him with better protection during this offseason, so we can see what he can do without having to run for his life on most plays.
Jennings is very kind to give the Bengals such a shoutout, and maybe had he meant it to be in reference to The Bengals future quarterback situation compared to the others in the division it would sit a little better. It is great to see the national media excited about Burrow, and there is no doubt he will live up to those accolades someday soon. However, it seems a little premature to put him at the top of such a stacked division based on things these quarterbacks have achieved so far.