Which AFC North team is the best on paper heading into 2024?

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

For at least the third year in a row, the AFC North enters the season as the best division in the NFL. Nobody can dispute that.

Once again, any of the four teams can win it, and any of the four can finish fourth.

Last year, Baltimore finished first at 13-4. Cleveland was 11-6, Pittsburgh 10-7 and Cincinnati 9-8. The top three teams made the AFC playoff field. It was the first time since 1935 that all members of a division finished above .500.

Which team is the best this year?

With training camps set to open next week, we can only judge on paper.

To do so, we ranked the division teams at each position group and assigned points. The team ranked first in a position group received four points; the team ranked fourth received one point. Then we added up the points in all 10 position groups to determine the best team – on paper.

Division titles are not won on paper, of course. Coaching and injuries are huge factors. That’s why they play the games.

This is how we rank the Browns among their division rivals entering training camp.

Offensive line

1. Browns: LT Jedrick Wills, LG Joel Bitonio, C Ethan Pocic, RG Wyatt Teller, RT Jack Conklin; reserves Dawand Jones, Zak Zinter (r), Michael Dunn. (4 points)

2. Ravens: LT Ronnie Stanley, LG Andrew Vorhees, C Tyler Linderbaum, RG Ben Cleveland, RT Roger Rosengarten (r); reserves Patrick Mekari, Josh Jones, Daniel Faalele. (3 points)

3. Bengals: LT Orlando Brown, LG Cordell Volson, C Ted Karras, RG Alex Cappa, RT Trent Brown; reserves Amarius Mims (r), Jackson Carman, Cody Ford. (2 points)

4. Steelers: LT Broderick Jones, LG Isaac Seumalu, C Zach Frazier (r), RG James Daniels, RT Troy Fautanu (r); reserves Dan Moore, Nate Herbig, Mason McCormick (r). (1 point)

The wide advantage the Browns previously held has closed considerably due to concerted additions by their rivals and the defection of Browns offensive line guru Bill Callahan. I can argue that any of these four units could be ranked No. 1 or No. 4 by the end of the season. They’re that close now.

Wide receiver

1. Bengals: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Trenton Irwin, Andrei Iosivas, Jermaine Burton (r). (4 points)

2. Browns: Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, David Bell. (3 points)

3. Steelers: George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Roman Wilson (r), Calvin Austin, Quez Watkins. (2 points)

4. Ravens: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Devontez Walker (r), Deonte Harty. (1 point)

Historically, the Bengals and Steelers have been very good at drafting receivers; the Browns and Ravens have not. The Browns are better than the Ravens at compensating for their draft misses.

Tight end

1. Ravens: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely. (4 points.)

2. Browns: David Njoku, Jordan Akins. (3 points)

3. Steelers: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington. (2 points)

4. Bengals: Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample. (1 point)

While the Ravens and Steelers still integrate two tight ends frequently into their offensive packages, the Browns are switching to more 11 personnel groupings (three receivers, one tight end), following suit of the Bengals.

Running back

1. Ravens: Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell. (4 points)

2. Browns: Nick Chubb, Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong. (3 points)

3. Steelers: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Cordarrelle Patterson. (2 points)

4. Bengals: Zack Moss, Chase Brown, Trayveon Williams (1 point)

Before Chubb’s severe knee injury, the Browns claimed the best backfield. It’s hard to project when Chubb will return to the field and how much he’ll lose because of two more surgeries (and three total) on that left knee. Another concern is how the Ken Dorsey shotgun-spread offense will diminish the running game.

Quarterback

1. Bengals: Joe Burrow, Jake Browning. (4 points)

2. Ravens: Lamar Jackson, Josh Johnson. (3 points)

3A. Browns: Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston (1.5 points)

3B. Steelers: Russell Wilson, Justin Fields (1.5 points)

Assuming all four of these backup quarterbacks will start at least one game puts the Bengals decidedly on top. Browning proved to be quite competent last year. The Browns’ and Steelers’ QB situations are hard to project because of new players and offensive systems being implemented.

Defensive line

1A. Browns: DE Myles Garrett, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DT Quinton Jefferson, DE Za’Darius Smith; reserves Ogbo Okoronkwo, Shelby Harris, Maurice Hurst. (3.5 points)

1B. Bengals: DE Sam Hubbard, DT B.J. Hill, DT Sheldon Rankins, DE Trey Hendrickson; reserves Myles Murphy, Kris Jenkins (r), Joseph Ossai. (3.5 points)

3. Ravens: DE Broderick Washington, NT Michael Pierce, DT Justin Madubuike; reserves Brent Urban, Travis Jones, Rayshad Nichols, Josh Tupou. (2 points)

4. Steelers: DE Larry Ogunjobi, NT Keeanu Benton, DT Cameron Heyward; reserves Isaiahh Loudermilk, Montravius Adams, Dean Lowry, Breiden Fehoko. (1 point)

The Browns and Bengals employ 4-3 defenses, so they prioritize defensive linemen and field the best ends. The Ravens and Steelers employ the 3-4 system, so they prioritize linebackers and have the best interior linemen. The Steelers’ best player, Heyward, is 35 and their depth has suffered.

Linebacker

1. Steelers: OLB T.J. Watt, ILB Patrick Queen, ILB Elandon Roberts, OLB Alex Highsmith; reserves Cole Holcomb, Nick Herbig. (4 points)

2. Ravens: OLB Odafe Oweh, ILB Roquan Smith, ILB Trenton Smith, OLB Kyle Van Noy; reserves David Ojabo, Malik Harrison. (3 points)

3. Bengals: WLB Germaine Pratt, MLB Logan Wilson; reserves Akeem Davis-Gaither, Joe Bachie, Cedric Johnson (r), Devin Harper, Shaka Heyward. (2 points)

4. Browns: WLB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, MLB Jordan Hicks, SLB Devin Bush; reserves Tony Fields, Mohamoud Diabate, Nathaniel Watson (r). (1 point)

The Steelers’ edge rushers are better than the Ravens’, but the Ravens hold an edge inside. The Bengals’ LB tandem is very under-rated.

Cornerback

1. Browns: Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson, Greg Newsome. (4 points)

2. Bengals: Cam Taylor-Britt, D.J. Turner, Mike Hilton. (3 points)

3. Ravens: Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins (r), Brandon Stephens. (2 points).

4. Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Grayland Arnold. (1 point)

The Browns’ depth beyond the top three gives them an even wider advantage, but the Bengals’ top three is right up there.

Safety

1. Ravens: Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams, Ar’Darius Washington. (4 points)

2. Steelers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Damontae Kazee. (3 points)

3A. Bengals: Geno Stone, Vonn Bell, Dax Hill. (1.5 points)

3B. Browns: Grant Delpit, Juan Thornhill, Rodney McLeod (1.5 points)

Hamilton is the No. 1 playmaker in this group, Fitzpatrick is a three-time All-Pro, and Stone led the AFC with 7 interceptions. So, as good as the Browns’ top three is, this is an extremely competitive position group.

Specialists

1. Ravens: PK Justin Tucker, P Jordan Stout, RS Deonte Harty. (4 points)

2. Steelers: PK Chris Boswell, P Cameron Johnston, RS Cordarrelle Patterson. (3 points)

3A. Browns: PK Dustin Hopkins, P Corey Bojorquez, RS Nyheim Hines. (1.5 points)

3B. Bengals: PK Evan McPherson, P Brad Robbins, RS Charlie Jones. (1.5 points).

The Ravens and Bengals have been consistently good overall, but the addition of Patterson by the Steelers and Hines by the Browns, potentially, compresses this group from top to bottom. The great unknown is which special teams coordinator will best deploy the new hybrid kickoff format.

Best offenses

1. Ravens: 15 points.

2. Browns: 14.5 points.

3. Bengals: 12 points.

4. Steelers: 8.5 points.

Best defenses

1. Ravens: 11 points.

2A. Browns: 10 points.

2B. Bengals: 10 points.

4. Steelers: 9 points.

Overall best rosters

1. Ravens: 30 points.

2. Browns: 26 points.

3. Bengals: 23.5 points.

4. Steelers: 21 points.

Top position groups

Ravens: Tight end, running back, linebacker (tie), safety, specialists.

Browns: Offensive line, defensive line (tie), cornerback.

Bengals: Wide receiver, defensive line (tie), quarterback.

Steelers: Linebacker (tie).