PFF names AFC North toughest division and calls Steelers 'playoff hopefuls'

The Pittsburgh Steelers have overhauled their roster this offseason, making improvements at quarterback and along the offensive line as their roster in general just got better. It was necessary for the Steelers to improve given the difficulty of their division. In 2023, every AFC North team posted a winning record, and in 2024, Pro Football Focus named the division the strongest in football.

“The AFC North was projected to be the strongest division in 2023, and despite some ups and downs, the stark reality is that this will most likely be the strongest division again in 2024,” PFF's Thomas Valentine wrote.

The outlet also believes the Steelers can be playoff contenders if quarterback Russell Wilson can improve Arthur Smith's scheme.

“The Pittsburgh Steelers will experiment with Russell Wilson under center in 2024 after finishing with a 10-7 record in 2023, and if Wilson can improve his 72.5 pass percentage from last year in the new offense, the Steelers will be on their winning streak “Consistent playoff hopefuls,” Valentine wrote.

The Steelers signed Wilson this offseason to improve a quarterback room that was lackluster with Kenny Pickett at the helm. The team sent Pickett to Philadelphia, and now Wilson is tasked with leading the Steelers. After a rough 2022 season in Denver and a 2023 season in which he wasn't at his best and struggled to gel with Sean Payton, there are some concerns about whether he can do this. Still, Wilson's numbers last season would be a huge improvement over what Pittsburgh had at quarterback, and he could easily improve the room this season.

The AFC North typically has physical football, and with the hiring of Smith as offensive coordinator, the Steelers will be a physical team. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are one of the best running back tandems in the league, and by signing Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier in the first two rounds to improve the offensive line, the Steelers are looking to win in the trenches.

While the Steelers went 5-1 in the AFC North last year, that was largely due to the luck of playing against backup quarterbacks. The same can't be expected this season, so the Steelers will have to rely on their ground game and physicality and hope Wilson can make the throws needed to win some division games.

But the Steelers have built a strong roster and are almost always competitive in the division. It should stay that way this year. One twist, however, is that Pittsburgh's six division games come in the team's last eight games, so it will be a grueling affair without much rest and plenty of physical play. Still, the talent is there and the Steelers could certainly make the postseason again.