Bengals have no clear contenders for post-Myles Garrett AFC North pass rush crown

After Adam Schefter announced that Myles Garrett was on the move from Cleveland to the Los Angeles Rams, our thoughts immediately turned to how that trade would affect the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Of course, to say that we are excited about the proposition of facing Cincinnati’s in-state rival without arguably the best pass rusher in the league to pressure Joe Burrow is an understatement.  

But now there exists a Myles Garrett-sized void to fill about who is the best pass rusher in the AFC North. And with that title up for grabs, can we count on anyone on the Bengals stepping up to earn the crown? 

Steelers have the deepest group that could carry the mantle

It is entirely plausible that the Pittsburgh Steelers have the three best pass rushers in the division, now that Garrett is West Coast-bound. 

The Steelers enter the season with Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig as two of the better pass rushers in the league, while also being among the most underrated.

Fortunately for opposing quarterbacks, the Steelers, in their infinite wisdom, choose not to play Herbig as much as they should. But no complaints from us. 

They also have TJ Watt, who is entering the 10th year of what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career. And while he is coming off a down year of seven sacks, the Bengals haven’t had a player not named Trey Hendrickson hit the seven-sack mark since Sam Hubbard and Larry Ogunjobi in 2021.

AFC North intimately familiar with Ravens’ offer for potential best pass rusher

Unfortunately for Bengals, Browns, and Steelers fans, the best edge rusher is probably one of the Baltimore Ravens’ offseason acquisitions, Trey Hendrickson. 

Nevertheless, Cincinnati’s front office was rather cavalier about letting him hit free agency, even knowing he might end up in Baltimore. Only time will tell if they were right in acting so nonchalantly.

Hendrickson has 38 sacks over the past three years, which includes an injury-shortened 2025 season when he only recorded four. But if he is completely healthy, he will be the colossal favorite to become the undisputed best pass rusher in the division.

The Ravens also have another special player on the inside when healthy. Nnamdi Madubuike is making his way back from a neck injury sustained last season, during which he recorded two sacks in two games. But in 2023, he showed he was a force on the interior defensive line, stacking up 13 sacks. 

If healthy, Madubuike, like Hendrickson, could make a case for the best pass rusher in the AFC North, but as a defensive tackle, which makes him potentially even more dangerous. 

Also in the mix is the Ravens’ second-round draft pick, Zion Young, who promises to be a handful on his own. 

Jared Verse quickly fills Garrett-sized void in Cleveland

While there will surely be some who are not happy about the Browns trading away one of the most dominant forces in the league, they immediately recouped Jared Verse as part of the deal, who instantly becomes their best chance of having the division’s best pass rusher. 

It is easy to understand why General Manager Andrew Berry moved away from his stance against trading Garrett once Verse became part of the deal. 

Verse is entering his third year after the Rams selected him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. And he already has two Pro Bowls and a Defensive Rookie of the Year to his name. 

While the other AFC North teams are happy to see Garrett gone, they must be wary of what the up-and-coming Verse brings to the table. 

Bengals have plenty of hope, but few guarantees

Hopes are high that a Bengals player can step up and become a prolific pass rusher. The Bengals had the second-best pass rusher in Hendrickson before he departed for black-and-purpler pastures. 

Now, Al Golden and fans are hoping that the front office pulled all the correct levers this offseason.

One of their biggest hopes lies in free agent acquisition Boye Mafe, who comes to Cincy with a similar pedigree to a couple of past pass rushers. Let’s hope he turns out to be more of a Trey Hendrickson and less of a Carl Lawson.

Also, after finally showing some promise last season, there is reason to believe that Myles Murphy could follow in the footsteps of Hendrickson. 

The next best hope for the Bengals to take up the mantle as the division’s best pass rusher could be rookie Cashius Howell. The former Texas A&M Aggie was a more prolific pass rusher than Mafe and Murphy, on par with Hendrickson coming out of college. 

Nevertheless, that is a lot to put on the shoulders of a rookie who will be a part of a defensive rotation. 

Some of us may have hope in Shemar Stewart, but that ‘some’ falls well short of a lot. And what is also lacking is the realistic hope that he can become the best pass rusher in the division. 

The Bengals also picked up a couple of pass-rushing defensive tackles of their own this offseason in Jonathan Allen and Dexter Lawrence. However, each of them has a single-season best of nine sacks to their credit. 

Perhaps this could be the year that either or both of them eclipse that benchmark. 

As Bengals fans, we must remain hopeful that, in light of the blockbuster trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Rams, the best pass rusher in the AFC North in 2026 will wear stripes, despite the overwhelming odds that it won't happen.

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