The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the teams in the AFC North that could compete for the division crown. After all, the franchise did win the AFC North in 2025. However, the Steelers are not expected to win the division in 2026. That label typically belongs to either the Baltimore Ravens or the Cincinnati Bengals due to the two teams and their superstar quarterbacks. Both Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow should be starting to feel some pressure when it comes to not winning a Super Bowl, and both of their futures can be considered as up in the air.
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A swarm of Steelers defenders pile onto Lamar Jackson during a 17-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
Things have not always been perfect for Jackson in Baltimore. He went through some messy contract negotiations back in 2023 where he eventually wound up requesting a trade. The quarterback is nearing contract negotiations once again as he is only signed through the 2027 season, and some expected that a new extension could get done ahead of the 2026 season. That is especially true because Jackson's cap hit in 2027 increases to $84.3 million, and an extension could lower that.
Negotiations with Jackson are unique as he acts as his own agent, which could make things a little bit more difficult. He negotiated a five-year, $260 million contract back in 2023, and he will probably be looking to beat that number this time around. Jeremy Fowler recently published a piece on ESPN where he broke down various situations across the league while getting comments from anonymous executives.
"Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti and General Manager Eric DeCosta have been consistent in maintaining that they want Lamar Jackson as their long-term quarterback, but if the past negotiation is any indication, Jackson is totally comfortable waiting things out. After prolonged contract negotiations entering the 2023 season, Jackson requested a trade before the sides eventually agreed on a five-year, $260 million deal. 'Last time [in 2023], it seemed like talks were going nowhere, and then a deal seemed to pop out suddenly,' said an NFC executive of Jackson. 'This one has a chance to get really interesting again, especially if he has a big year and ups his leverage,'" Fowler wrote.
Baltimore wants to keep their franchise quarterback around, and Jackson is going to have all the leverage in any negotiations. He is the one with the big cap hit in 2027, and the team is going to want to find a way to get that down. He also has a clause stating he cannot be franchise tagged in his contract, and Baltimore just brought in a new head coach. That is a lot of pressure on the organization to get a deal done, and Jackson is going to want to make sure he likes the way things are going under a new coaching staff.
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson stands on the field as his team warms up prior to a professional football game on the road.
Jackson could get a new deal done out of nowhere, but based on how things went last time, it could get messy. Burrow's situation in Cincinnati could also get messy as he has shown his frustration with the organization over the last several years. The Bengals actually made moves to improve during the 2026 offseason by bringing in a player like defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, but if this team misses the playoffs again, he could want out. Fowler touched on a potential trade involving Burrow.
"It is worth mentioning, just in case this year goes poorly, that Burrow's contract is quite tradeable in 2027, saving $8.25 million on the cap," Fowler said.
It is still unlikely that Burrow would get dealt, but he could force his way out. He has been frustrated in the past, and this team better have a somewhat successful season in 2026. That is especially true after they were the only franchise in the AFC North to keep their head coach after the 2025 season.
Steelers And The Browns Have QB Drama Of Their Own
Pittsburgh and the Cleveland Browns each have their own version of quarterback uncertainty, just not nearly to the same degree as Baltimore and Cincinnati. The Steelers are going through the same charade with Aaron Rodgers again, while the Browns might have one of the worst quarterback battles of all time between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers embraces Shedeur Sanders after losing to the Cleveland Browns on the road during the 2025 season.
Rodgers is expected to sign with the Steelers at some point this summer, while it's anyone's guess as to who will be the Week 1 starter in Cleveland.
What do you think about the quarterback situations in the AFC North? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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