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All 32 NFL teams enter the offseason with a clean slate. Whether chasing a championship or rebuilding from the ground up, every franchise kicks off its roster reshaping with free agency.
The legal tampering period begins Monday, March 9, opening the door for teams to negotiate with free agents and reshape their rosters. Some will make bold, franchise-altering moves. Others will find the missing piece to fuel a Super Bowl run.
With high-stakes decisions looming, here’s everything you need to know about NFL free agency in the AFC North.
For more data and grades on NFL free agents, check out PFF’s free agent rankings.
Note: Salary cap figures sourced from OverTheCap and updated as of March 4
Baltimore Ravens
- Record: 8-9
- Cap Space: $18.55 million
- Offensive PFF Grade: 74.7 (14th)
- Defensive PFF Grade: 70.0 (14th)
- Team Needs: WR, G, DL
What Went Right?
Although their defense was maligned for much of the season, the Ravens found their footing against the run at the halfway point. From Week 9 onward, Baltimore led the NFL in team PFF run-defense grade (85.1) and EPA per play on designed runs. The move to bring Kyle Hamilton (85.9 PFF overall grade) up from safety to play closer to the box spurred that success.
What Went Wrong?
Baltimore found it extremely difficult to generate pressure with consistency. Nnamdi Madubuike's season-ending neck injury and the trade of Odafe Oweh left the Ravens shorthanded. As a result, Baltimore finished in the bottom four of the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade (62.1), pressure rate (32.1%) and pass-rush win rate (36.9%).
Pending Free Agents (PFF Grade)
- G Daniel Faalele (56.8)
- C Tyler Linderbaum (80.2)
- S Alohi Gilman (69.8)
- EDGE Dre'Mont Jones (63.4)
- CB Chidobe Awuzie (74.7)
- TE Isaiah Likely (56.4)
- EDGE Kyle Van Noy (61.7)
- WR DeAndre Hopkins (81.3)
- FB Patrick Ricard (68.6)
- QB Tyler Huntley (79.1)
- DI Brent Urban (58.6)
Likely Departures
The Ravens' top priority has to be retaining center Tyler Linderbaum, a pivotal piece of the team's rushing attack. That may prove difficult, given the bidding war brewing for his services. Baltimore could cut ties with cornerback Marlon Humphrey, creating around $19 million in cap space (post-June 1) due to his struggles over the past two seasons.
Free-Agent Targets
It is a concern when a 340-pound run-stuffing interior defender like Travis Jones leads a team in pressures. Addressing that issue will be a priority for new head coach Jesse Minter. One answer may lie in former ChargersKhalil Mack and Odafe Oweh, the latter of whom is quite familiar with Baltimore.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Record: 6-11
- Cap Space: $47.2 million
- Offensive PFF Grade: 76.2 (13th)
- Defensive PFF Grade: 52.6 (29th)
- Team Needs: C, G, DI, S
What Went Right?
Joe Burrow‘s turf toe injury sent the Bengals into a spiral, and by the time he returned, the hole was too deep. While the move to bring in Joe Flacco slowed the hemorrhaging, it wasn’t enough. With Burrow on the field, the Bengals ranked second in the NFL in offensive success rate (38.5%). That leaves promise that the team can rebound in 2026.
What Went Wrong?
Top to bottom, the Bengals' defense struggled to find traction in any facet. Coverage lapses in the back end led to explosive receptions, sloppy run fits gave way to breakaways and limited pressure let quarterbacks pick them apart. Ultimately, the Bengals finished 29th in both EPA per play allowed and touchdown drive percentage allowed (29.1%).
Pending Free Agents (PFF Grade)
- EDGE Trey Hendrickson (82.9)
- S Geno Stone (54.3)
- QB Joe Flacco (73.8)
- EDGE Joseph Ossai (64.0)
- TE Noah Fant (56.4)
- CB Cam Taylor-Britt (57.6)
- EDGE Cameron Sample (54.1)
Likely Departures
Questions surrounding Trey Hendrickson’s future in Cincinnati have clouded the past two offseasons for the Bengals. With the news that the Bengals will not place the franchise tag on Hendrickson, the vaunted pass rusher will enter the open market as the top defensive free agent. He is one of six players to produce a pass-rush win rate above 20% over the past three seasons, so he will have no shortage of offers.
Free-Agent Targets
The Bengals require a complete defensive overhaul and could look to another highly sought-after defender to build around at linebacker. Devin Lloyd profiles well to lead Al Golden’s defense after producing the third-highest PFF overall grade at the position this past season.
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- Record: 5-12
- Cap Space: -$16.36 million
- Offensive PFF Grade: 55.6 (32nd)
- Defensive PFF Grade: 84.5 (4th)
- Team Needs: QB, WR, OL
What Went Right?
Headlined by the NFL and PFF Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, the Browns again hung their hats on their defense. Garrett charted as the highest-graded defender in the NFL, powered by a record-breaking 23.0-sack season. That performance elevated everyone around him, lifting the Browns to an 84.5 team PFF defense grade, fourth highest in the league.
What Went Wrong?
A revolving door at quarterback left the Browns' offense disjointed and uninspired, ultimately ending Kevin Stefanski’s tenure as head coach. Although we saw flashes from young players like Shedeur Sanders and Quinshon Judkins, the offense accomplished very little, finishing with the lowest team PFF offensive grade (55.6) in the NFL — six points lower on the grading scale than any other squad.
Pending Free Agents (PFF Grade)
- G Joel Bitonio (70.7)
- LB Devin Bush (87.6)
- C Ethan Pocic (63.8)
- G Wyatt Teller (62.2)
- T Cam Robinson (46.2)
- DI Shelby Harris (61.9)
- TE David Njoku (55.9)
- T Jack Conklin (57.4)
- G Teven Jenkins (77.7)
- RB Jerome Ford (55.4)
Likely Departures
With limited cap space and practically the entire offensive line slated to hit free agency, the Browns will have to make some tough decisions. Cleveland’s longtime interior stalwarts, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, and Wyatt Teller, will likely be on the outside looking in.
Free-Agent Targets
To help facilitate their offensive line overhaul, the Browns traded for former Texans tackle Tytus Howard and promptly extended him on a three-year, $63 million deal. More moves are sure to come as Cleveland aims to get younger up front, one of which could be a cost-effective signing of Braxton Jones to pair with Howard at tackle.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Record: 10-7
- Cap Space: $40.11 million
- Offensive PFF Grade: 69.5 (23rd)
- Defensive PFF Grade: 70.8 (12th)
- Team Needs: QB, WR, T, DB
What Went Right?
As per usual, the Steelers' pass rush was firing on all cylinders in 2025. With the deepest pass-rush unit in the NFL, Pittsburgh can wear down blockers while keeping fresh bodies on the field, as they possess five players — T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith, Keeanu Benton and Nick Herbig — who earned a 75.0-plus PFF pass-rush grade with at least 100 reps, the most of any team in the NFL.
What Went Wrong?
Despite Pittsburgh's strong pass rush, the coverage behind it wasn’t nearly as productive. High man-coverage rates stressed the secondary and allowed for offenses to move the ball through the air with limited resistance. As a result, the Steelers finished 24th in yards per attempt allowed (7.27) and 21st in team PFF coverage grade (54.7).
Pending Free Agents (PFF Grade)
- QB Aaron Rodgers (68.0)
- G Isaac Seumalo (73.3)
- S Kyle Dugger (48.8)
- RB Kenneth Gainwell (72.6)
- WR Calvin Austin III (54.6)
- WR Adam Thielen (60.4)
- S Chuck Clark (74.6)
- CB James Pierre (86.2)
- WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (48.0)
- CB Asante Samuel Jr. (70.1)
- S Jabrill Peppers (65.1)
Likely Departures
Pittsburgh is likely aiming to improve in the secondary, which could lead to the departures of spot starters Asante Samuel Jr. and Jabrill Peppers. The Steelers have indicated they have no intention of dealing Jalen Ramsey but could look to fill out the roster in a way that allows him to move back to outside cornerback after he played most of last season in the slot and at safety.
Free-Agent Targets
The Steelers‘ biggest question at the moment is Aaron Rodgers‘ future plans. Should he retire, the Steelers' top need once again becomes finding a quarterback, with soon-to-be-released Kyler Murray gaining steam as an option. Should Rodgers return to reunite with his former coach Mike McCarthy, the primary attention would turn to wide receiver, where a player like Christian Kirk could be a low-cost veteran signing with upside.