Massive Shift In AFC North Looming As Steelers See Joe Burrow And Myles Garrett Cause Unrest In Their Organizations

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been able to remain competitive in the AFC North over the last three seasons, despite having a ton of inconsistencies at quarterback. The same is expected of the organization in 2025, although a starting quarterback for the season is not under contract yet. The Steelers are looking to bolster their roster throughout the 2025 offseason, while the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are going through some turmoil within their organizations. 

Both the Browns and the Bengals are having some issues with their star players. Myles Garrett officially requested a trade from Cleveland, but the organization does not seem to want to grant him his wish. His camp has also come out and said he has no interest in signing a new deal in Cleveland, which means the Browns have probably played their final game with Garrett rushing off the edge.

In Cincinnati, the organization is having trouble retaining all of its talent. Star quarterback Joe Burrow has been very clear in stating that he wants the organization to find a way to keep Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Trey Hendrickson in the long-term. This would take a strong financial commitment from Cincinnati.

So far in the 2025 offseason, the Bengals have failed to extend Chase, have franchise tagged Higgins for the second season in a row, and have given Hendrickson permission to seek a trade. This is not what Burrow wanted, and the star quarterback is likely going to be upset until the organization makes things right.

The Bengals are notoriously known for being cheap. They ran into this issue when Carson Palmer was the quarterback of the team, and he ultimately held out at the start of the 2011 season before being traded. The Bengals seem to be repeating the same mistakes from their past, which could suggest Burrow won't stick around forever if the organization is not committed to winning. Former NFL General Manager Mike Tannenbaum spoke about this during an appearance on NFL Live.

"I think the Bengals should be very concerned about the status of Joe Burrow," Tannenbaum said. "I'm not saying we're Carson Palmer 2011 yet, where basically he said he was gonna retire, but the fact that Joe Burrow spoke in such detail of what he wanted to do, I would be concerned if Tee Higgins isn't signed to a long-term deal for a second year in a row. And now Hendrickson is gonna be going? You want to be doing the opposite. You have a franchise quarterback, you want to keep as many of these players as possible. Again, I'm not saying that Joe Burrow's on the precipice of retiring, but if I'm the Bengals, I'm concerned about where his mindset is."

The frustration can certainly bubble over for Burrow if the Bengals do not make the proper moves in the next few years. Burrow was very public with his wishes for what Cincinnati should do during the 2025 offseason, and the organization has come up short. Both Higgins and Chase need to get long-term deals, especially now that Hendrickson seems to be going elsewhere.

Steelers Could See Bengals Implode In Coming Years

The Bengals have a ton of star power, but the results have not been there consistently enough. The organization made it to Super Bowl LVI in 2021, but since then, it has been nothing but disappointment for the franchise. Cincinnati has failed to make the postseason in each of the last two seasons, and things could get worse before they get better.

If the Bengals can't sign Chase and Higgins to new, long-term deals by the time the 2025 season rolls around, Burrow might be frustrated enough to force himself out. It is going to take a couple more years of frustration for the quarterback, but the Bengals are currently on a dangerous path.

What do you think of the Bengals' current situation? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation