NFL Team Previews: Baltimore Ravens
Boy, was it a tough year for general manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh. After being considered a preseason Super Bowl contender, the injury bug hit the Ravens hard, as they lost QB Joe Flacco, RB Justin Forsett, WR Steve Smith Sr., OLB Terrell Suggs, among others. If you don't know three of those four names, shame on you, and please stop reading this article. Those are major hits, and despite the age of Smith and Suggs, they have an impact. As a result, the Ravens finished with a losing record. This year, they hope to bounce back, although they have a steep hill to climb with the Bengals and Steelers in the division.
DRAFT RECAP: If the Ravens are indeed serious about getting rid of LT Eugene Monroe, taking OT Ronnie Stanley from Notre Dame was the right pick. In my opinion, he will be there for a decade, and possibly end up in the Hall of Fame. He is that good. I know they wanted other guys, but the left side of the offensive line was a need coming into the draft, and Stanley can fill it. Second round pick OLB Kamalei Correa was a good pick for the future, with the age of Suggs and Elvis Dumervil, but he shouldn't expect to start this season. I also really like the pick of WR Keenan Reynolds from Navy, and he should have an impact on the return game right away and possibly be a slot receiver.
FREE AGENCY: Well, nobody knows if WR Breshard Perriman will ever play in the NFL (he probably will, I'm being sarcastic), but signing WR Mike Wallace was a good depth move, as he had star power and can act as a number 1 receiver if Steve Smith gets hurt again. TE Benjamin Watson (who was signed from New Orleans) gives Joe Flacco a third tight end who can catch passes and score touchdowns. CB Jerraud Powers was a backup to one of the best in football in Patrick Peterson, and the Ravens hope they got him at a discount. The biggest signing may be S Eric Weddle from San Diego, as he was big time down there for the last 10 years or so. He should make a big impact emotionally on this football team.
PLAYERS LOST: LT Eugene Monroe, S Will Hill III, and DE Chris Canty remain unsigned. But there's a reason people remain unsigned, but G Kelechi Osemele signed a mega deal (for an offensive lineman) with the Oakland Raiders. Along with that, aging ILB Daryl Smith went to Tampa Bay, first round bust OLB Courtney Upshaw went to Atlanta, and backup QB Matt Schaub went to Atlanta as well. In other words, the only real loss for the Ravens is Kelechi Osemele.
STRONGEST POSITION: I'm tempted to say a lot of things, but I've never seen a tight end group this deep before. TE Maxx Williams is an ex first round selection, and is only entering his second season in the NFL. Ben Watson had a mega resurgence with Drew Brees and New Orleans last season after Jimmy Graham was traded to Seattle, and Crockett Gillmore broke out as well. All three are on the Ravens this season, and all three could realistically be the starter, and all three could realistically not play much. Are any of these guys spectacular? No. But does any team in the NFL have three functional tight ends? Raise your hand if you think you do. (I can't see any hands)
WEAKEST POSITION: Anybody who follows football a decent amount knows the Ravens aren't as good as the Steelers or Bengals. But they also know that the Ravens aren't a 5-11 team, as they were last season. Honestly, the defensive line looks pretty weak compared to what it has been in recent years, even after Ray Lewis retired (I know he's not a lineman, but that's when it was at the height of its' power). It's not a terrible line, but it's definitely the weak point of the Ravens' defense.
FIVE MOST IMPORTANT PLAYERS TO THE RAVENS SUCCESS: How about those four guys who missed most of last season plus newcomer S Eric Weddle? QB Joe Flacco is now the main component of this team, although OLB Terrell Suggs has been the soul since Lewis retired. RB Justin Forsett provides a running game, and WR Steve Smith is the key to the receiving corp having success. S Eric Weddle provides the thump in the secondary the Ravens have not had since Ed Reed, and hopefully the change of scenery this year bodes well for him.
PREDICTION: I like this Ravens team more than most, but that doesn't mean they will make the playoffs. They are a middle of the pack team, which means that anything could break their way and let them sneak into January, but it's unlikely. You have the Steelers, Bengals, Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Chargers, Broncos, Chiefs, and Raiders all contending for the postseason. In other words, everybody but the Browns and Titans (but don't tell them that). Are the Ravens better than 8 of those teams? Maybe. But I think that with the parody in the AFC, the Ravens will likely finish 8-8.
