PFF’s All-Time Single-Season Teams: AFC North

Current stars shine: Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Myles Garrett and TJ Watt each hold their weight over the last 20 years.

Cleveland's peak offensive line was one of the best: Hall of Famer Joe Thomas secured a 92.9 overall PFF grade in 2009, while Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin were elite in 2020.

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Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

In honor of PFF heading into its 20th season of grading and data collection, we’re taking a look back at the best single-season performances for each team, according to PFF metrics.

As such, we’ve built a series of starting offensive and defensive lineups for all 32 teams using the highest-graded seasons at every position. There are a few rules:

A player must have played at least 500 snaps in a given season
A player can only make one appearance per roster (e.g., Julio Jones can’t take up all three WR slots for Atlanta)
A player who was acquired midseason can still be slotted, provided he fulfilled the required snap minimum for that team.

Without further ado, here are PFF’s all-time single-season lineups for the AFC North.

Baltimore Ravens

QB: Lamar Jackson, 94.9 (2024)

RB: Derrick Henry, 94.1 (2024)

WR: Derrick Mason, 89.0 (2008)

WR: Anquan Boldin, 84.2 (2012)

WR: Zay Flowers, 82.1 (2024)

TE: Mark Andrews, 91.5 (2021)

LT: Jonathan Ogden, 95.0 (2007)

LG: Kelechi Osemele, 85.0 (2014)

C: Matt Birk, 82.2 (2012)

RG: Marshal Yanda, 93.0 (2014)

RT: Willie Anderson, 90.2 (2008)

EDGE: Elvis Dumervil, 88.4 (2013)

EDGE: Terrell Suggs, 87.6 (2011)

DI: Kelly Gregg, 89.2 (2006)

DI: Michael Pierce, 86.9 (2017)

LB: Ray Lewis, 91.3 (2009)

LB: Roquan Smith, 85.9 (2022)*

CB: Josh Wilson, 88.4 (2010)

CB: Lardarius Webb, 86.4 (2011)

S: Ed Reed, 81.8 (2009)

S: Eric Weddle, 90.0 (2016)

FLEX: Kyle Hamilton, 90.0 (2024)

*Traded to Baltimore mid-season, but fulfilled required snap minimum

Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry reached historic heights with their production this past season, which earned them spots on the Ravens’ all-time single-season roster. In 2024, Jackson became the first quarterback in PFF history to earn 90.0-plus passing and rushing grades in the same year. Meanwhile, Henry led the NFL in PFF rushing grade and missed tackles forced in his first season in Baltimore.

Baltimore’s defense is led by multiple franchise legends like Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed. Reed also spearheads an unbelievable group of safeties that includes Eric Weddle and Kyle Hamilton. Hamilton continues to carry that tradition, as he ranked second in the NFL last season with a 90.0 overall PFF grade that matched Weddle’s outstanding mark in 2016.

Cincinnati Bengals

QB: Joe Burrow, 94.0 (2024)

RB: Joe Mixon, 80.8 (2022)

WR: A.J. Green, 90.4 (2015)

WR: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 88.4 (2006)

WR: Tee Higgins, 88.2 (2024)

TE: Tyler Eifert, 86.1 (2015)

LT: Andrew Whitworth, 92.3 (2014)

LG: Evan Mathis, 90.6 (2009)

C: Kyle Cook, 78.5 (2010)

RG: Bobbie Williams, 89.6 (2008)

RT: Andre Smith, 81.2 (2012)

EDGE: Carlos Dunlap, 89.7 (2019)

EDGE: Trey Hendrickson, 88.1 (2024)

DI: Geno Atkins, 93.9 (2012)

DI: DJ Reader, 85.2 (2022)

LB: Vontaze Burfict, 83.3 (2016)

LB: Vincent Rey, 78.5 (2016)

CB: William Jackson III, 90.2 (2017)

CB: Leon Hall, 90.0 (2009)

S: Reggie Nelson, 90.2 (2012)

S: Jessie Bates III, 90.1 (2020)

FLEX: Kevin Kaesviharn, 90.0 (2006)

Regardless of the Bengals’ flaws throughout their roster, they have the potential to be a perennial contender with Joe Burrow leading the way. His 93.0 PFF passing grade in 2024 ranked second in the NFL behind Lamar Jackson. It’s the third time in the past four seasons that Burrow has recorded at least a 90.0 PFF passing grade.

Cincinnati’s defensive line is led by two of its best players in recent memory. Eight-time Pro Bowler Geno Atkins holds the best single-season grade of any Bengals defensive tackle at 93.9, which he earned in 2012. Meanwhile, Trey Hendrickson’s most recent performance in 2024 also stands out, as he led the NFL in sacks while posting at least a 90.0 PFF pass-rushing grade for the second consecutive season.

Cleveland Browns

QB: Baker Mayfield, 85.7 (2020)

RB: Nick Chubb, 90.3 (2022)

WR: Jarvis Landry, 84.8 (2020)

WR: Andrew Hawkings, 83.5 (2014)

WR: Josh Gordon, 82.7 (2013)

TE: Steve Heiden, 80.9 (2008)

LT: Joe Thomas, 92.9 (2009)

LG: Joel Bitonio, 93.6 (2021)

C: Alex Mack, 85.5 (2013)

RG: Wyatt Teller, 92.2 (2020)

RT: Jack Conklin, 84.0 (2020)

EDGE: Myles Garrett, 93.9 (2023)

EDGE: Za’Darius Smith, 83.1 (2023)

DI: Danny Shelton, 82.1 (2016)

DI: Sheldon Richardson, 73.9 (2019)

LB: Karlos Dansby, 86.3 (2014)

LB: D’Qwell Jackson, 80.7 (2011)

CB: Joe Haden, 82.3 (2010)

CB: Sheldon Brown, 79.5 (2012)

S: T.J. Ward, 83.5 (2013)

S: Sean Jones, 81.1 (2006)

FLEX: Brodney Pool, 79.7 (2009)

Many of the Browns’ most successful individual seasons in the PFF era have come in the trenches. That includes Hall of Fame left tackle Joe Thomas, who earned a career-high 92.9 overall PFF grade in 2009. It was the first of four seasons in which Thomas secured at least a 90.0 overall PFF grade in his illustrious career. Thomas placing alongside Joel Bitonio, Alex Mack, Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin makes Cleveland’s offensive line in this exercise one of the best in the NFL.

There’s also a future Hall of Famer on the other side of the line of scrimmage in Myles Garrett. Not only is Garrett’s 93.9 overall PFF grade in 2023 the best in Browns history, but he has actually recorded the seven highest-graded seasons by an edge defender for Cleveland since 2006. Beyond those seven, his former teammate Za’Darius Smith owns the next-best performance with an 83.1 overall PFF grade in 2023 — which made them one of the most feared edge rusher duos in the NFL that season.

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB: Ben Roethlisberger, 90.5 (2015)

RB: Le’Veon Bell, 80.8 (2014)

WR: Antonio Brown, 92.5 (2015)

WR: Hines Ward, 89.7 (2007)

WR: Santonio Holmes, 84.7 (2007)

TE: Heath Miller, 88.2 (2011)

LT: Max Starks, 83.2 (2008)

LG: Ramon Foster, 83.6 (2016)

C: Maurkice Pouncey, 78.1 (2016)

RG: David DeCastro, 89.0 (2017)

RT: Willie Colon, 83.9 (2009)

EDGE: T.J. Watt, 91.9 (2023)

EDGE: Alex Highsmith, 90.0 (2023)

DI: Cameron Heyward, 91.5 (2019)

DI: Javon Hargrave. 83.4 (2019)

LB: Lawrence Timmons, 87.7 (2012)

LB: Ryan Shazier, 82.2 (2017)

CB: Cortez Allen, 84.3 (2012)

CB: William Gay, 83.6 (2008)

S: Troy Polamalu, 90.8 (2008)

S: Minkah Fitzpatrick, 84.4 (2019)*

FLEX: Mike Hilton, 83.1 (2017)

*Traded to Pittsburgh mid-season, but fulfilled required snap minimum

Pittsburgh’s offensive skill group is loaded with familiar names. Ben Roethlisberger’s terrific 2015 leads the way, as he ranked second in the league in PFF passing grade behind Tom Brady. His primary target that season was Antonio Brown, who led the NFL with a 92.6 PFF receiving grade. Roethlisberger also got to throw passes to Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, who each set career-highs in PFF receiving grade in 2007.

As is customary in Pittsburgh, this roster would succeed in large part because of its dynamic defensive line. Edge defender duo T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith each set career highs in overall PFF grade in 2023. Meanwhile, the ageless wonder Cameron Heyward and Javon Hargrave lead the way from the interior with their outstanding 2019 seasons. Of course, three of those four players still play for Pittsburgh, and they galvanized a unit that led the NFL in PFF pass-rushing grade in 2024.