A year ago, numerous NFL analysts picked the Cincinnati Bengals to miss the playoffs.

Most of those same analysts had the Baltimore Ravens winning the AFC North. 

The Bengals, however, ended up winning the division for a second straight season, though the Ravens also made the playoffs (and they were quickly dispatched by Cincinnati). 

We probably won't be seeing any of those same predictions this offseason. 

That's in part because the Bengals followed up their run to Super Bowl in 2021 with an AFC Championship game appearance in 2022. The outcome — losing to the Kansas City Chiefs — wasn't how Cincinnati wanted to end the season, but it showed that the Bengals aren't going away anytime soon. 

The other reason why we likely won't be seeing any predictions for the Ravens to win the AFC North over Cincy is because of the disastrous offseason Baltimore's had. 

Currently, the Ravens have no clue what their quarterback situation will look like in 2023. 

Will Lamar Jackson sign an extension? If not, does he sign his franchise tag? Does he land elsewhere? Or does the former NFL MVP sit out the entire season? 

No one knows — including the Ravens. 

The unsettled Jackson situation was a big reason why CBS Sports gave the Ravens' offseason an "F" in their recent NFL offseason grades. 

(The Bengals, by the way, received an "A" from CBS Sports.)

From CBS Sports: In short, the Ravens' offseason has been an utter disaster. It starts and ends with Jackson and his ongoing contract saga. Things went from bad to worse this week after Jackson publicly requested a trade. Baltimore's brass responded by reiterating its desire to sign him to a long-term deal. Outside of Jackson, Baltimore hasn't done much. It released six-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who signed with the Falcons. The Ravens traded Chuck Clark, a solid starting safety, for an undisclosed draft pick. Baltimore's biggest offseason signing so far was veteran wideout Nelson Agholor who caught just 31 passes for the Patriots in 2022. Finally getting closure on Jackson would be a big start, but the Ravens still have a lot of work to do this offseason. They'll likely look to the draft to address their biggest needs that include receiver, cornerback, pass rusher and offensive guard. 

Ouch. 

For now, it looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that played well down the stretch in 2022, will be the Bengals' biggest competition in the AFC North in 2023. 

Cincinnati will likely be universally predicted to win the division. And that's certainly how things should play out. But nothing is easy in the AFC North. The Bengals will get everyone's best shot each week. Winning the division, despite being favored, will be a grind. 

But the Bengals have proven over the last two years that they're the team to beat in the AFC North. They should continue their dominance in 2023 if their roster can stay healthy.