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AFC North: All-Time 53-man roster and depth chart

By A.J. Fagerlin

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 20: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens high-fives teammate Ed Reed #20 on the field prior to the 2013 AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 20, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 20: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens high-fives teammate Ed Reed #20 on the field prior to the 2013 AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 20, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – APRIL 25: Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman “Mean” Joe Greene speaks during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – APRIL 25: Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman “Mean” Joe Greene speaks during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Interior Defensive Linemen

Starters

Mean Joe Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers

Mean Joe Greene is regarding as one of the best defensive linemen of all-time. He was the true anchor of the Steel Curtain and lived up to his fourth-overall selection in the 1969 NFL Draft.

Greene was a 10-time Pro Bowler, two-time A.P. Defensive Player of the Year, A.P. Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season, and a 4-time All-Pro selection. Greene played for the Steelers for 13 seasons and was a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 1987.

Also, he wasn’t “mean” as his widely known nickname states, at least off of the field. Greene was named Walter Payton Man of the Year in 1979.

Bob Golic, Cleveland Browns

We are running a 3-4 defense here based on the players that we have so far, so we are in need of a nose tackle.

Bob Golic was named to three consecutive Pro Bowls as a nose tackle for the Browns from 1985 to 1987. He doesn’t have the most impressive career stats, but he was very effective those three seasons and would certainly be able to hold his own next to Mean Joe on the defensive line.

Michael Dean Perry, Cleveland Browns

Michael Dean Perry played in Cleveland from 1988 to 1994 before going to Denver. In those seven years as a Brown, Perry picked up 51.5 of his 61.0 career sacks and 480 of 565 career tackles. He was elected to six Pro Bowls in his career, five of which came as a Brown. He was a First Team All-Pro selection in 1989 and 1990, and went on to win a Super Bowl with the Broncos in 1997.

Reserves

Haloti Ngata, Baltimore Ravens

Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals

Two modern players, Ngata and Atkins would form a stout second unit on the interior defensive line. Ngata is as stingy as they come in the run game, racking up 449 tackles and 59 tackles for loss with the Ravens. He is a two-time First Team All-Pro and made five straight Pro Bowls from 2009 to 2013.

Atkins is still one of the best pass rushing defensive tackles in the game today. He has 71.0 career sacks and 161 total QB hits. Atkins has three seasons with double digit sack totals including this past season. He is a two-time All-Pro and 7-time Pro Bowler, making it each of the last five seasons with the Bengals.

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