Are the Ravens a Super Bowl contender arrange for a straightforward reload after accidents destroyed their 2021 season? Or are they a crew in transition as they lick their wounds from final winter and navigate a difficult contract scenario with franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson?
Their roster is filled with former All-Pros and lauded draft values; it’s additionally skinny at a number of premium positions. There might be nervous moments in the course of the preseason as star gamers check rehabilitated knees and ankles. Coaches will face questions on schematic modifications designed to chase away the stagnation that set in over the second half of final season.
The Ravens embody a variety of prospects as we stay up for coaching camp and the season past, with loads of fascinating particular person tales including as much as an unsure complete. With that in thoughts, right here is our annual countdown of the ten most intriguing individuals within the franchise heading into the season:
Steve Saunders/Adrian Dixon
When a crew suffers by a yr of traditionally terrible well being, it’s troublesome — almost unimaginable from the surface — to discern which troubles are as a consequence of unhealthy luck and that are as a consequence of unhealthy apply. But when John Harbaugh laid out his narrative for this offseason, one of many first issues he mentioned was that the Ravens would flip over each stone to keep away from one other yr outlined by catastrophic accidents.
To that finish, the crew employed a brand new head coach in Dixon, who beforehand labored for the Tennessee Titans, whereas retaining former head coach Ron Medlin on employees. Harbaugh opted to maintain Saunders, the crew’s power and conditioning coach who was suspended in 2020 because the Ravens confronted NFL self-discipline for failing to obey coronavirus protocols. But he mentioned the crew would assessment its offseason conditioning program and apply schedules from the inspiration up.
We don’t hear from the Ravens’ coach or power coach in the course of the season, and Harbaugh absolutely won’t blame both Dixon or Saunders if accidents mount once more. But he has established well being as a efficiency metric for 2022, and which means these behind-the-scenes figures may turn into a part of the story if the Ravens are both notably more healthy or once more tormented by breakdowns.
J.Okay. Dobbins
Two years in the past, Dobbins was properly on his option to changing into the Ravens’ first homegrown star at operating again since Ray Rice. His distinctive steadiness allowed him to squeeze constructive yards out of well-defended performs and given room to work, he exploded for a lot greater good points.
Without Dobbins and backfield mate Gus Edwards, who each suffered season-ending knee accidents earlier than Week 1, the Ravens nonetheless completed third within the league in speeding in 2021. But they averaged 4.8 yards per try in comparison with 5.5 the yr earlier than. Aside from Jackson, who relied extra on scrambles than designed runs, they lacked their traditional sizzle.
Will they be again on the prime of the league this yr, with Dobbins main the way in which? Harbaugh has mentioned the third-year operating again would play now if allowed. He’s that assured. But even a slight lack of quickness could make a profound distinction at a place with one of many worst attrition charges in skilled sports activities. Dobbins must show he’s nonetheless the dynamic risk we noticed in 2020, and his kind would be the topic of a lot scrutiny every time he returns to the apply discipline.
David Ojabo
The Ravens took a calculated threat, utilizing their second-round choose on a top-15 expertise who tore his Achilles tendon throughout a pro-day exercise in March. They wanted an edge rusher going into the draft however didn’t fancy their selections at No. 14 general. Instead, they waited for Ojabo, who would have been an possibility for them at that choose if he was anticipated to play the entire 2022 season.
The standard knowledge is that this can quantity to a redshirt season for the previous Michigan standout, who broke out final yr underneath the Ravens’ new defensive coordinator, Mike Macdonald. But Ojabo has mentioned he expects to play sooner or later in 2022. With his lengthy, highly effective body, he appears the a part of an NFL go rusher, even when he’s merely strolling round a apply discipline in shorts and a pullover. Given his athletic traits and his familiarity with Macdonald’s system, may he make an important play coming off the sting in a late-season sport?
We can’t rule it out, and which means Ojabo’s progress might be a narrative to look at all season. The Ravens are in need of younger go rushers except for Ojabo’s previous highschool pal, Odafe Oweh, so that they’ll be awaiting the cavalry.
Kyle Hamilton
Ravens common supervisor Eric DeCosta mentioned he couldn’t imagine the crew’s luck when Hamilton — a top-five participant on many analysts’ large boards — was nonetheless out there at choose No. 14. Was this completely happy spin after the Philadelphia Eagles leapfrogged the Ravens to take block-out-the-sun defensive sort out Jordan Davis? It’s troublesome to say, nevertheless it’s not troublesome to agree that the highest security within the draft was a very good worth the place the Ravens chosen him.
The 6-foot-4 Hamilton appears extra like an out of doors linebacker than a typical defensive again, and no matter his 40-yard sprint time may say, he covers floor effortlessly when the ball is within the air. During OTAs and minicamp, he earned robust opinions from teammates and coaches together with his confidence and tendency to keep away from repeating errors.
How will Macdonald use Hamilton’s unconventional expertise? Will the Ravens commerce veteran Chuck Clark to clear a beginning function for the rookie? A primary-round choose is normally probably the most intriguing gamers on a crew’s roster, however Hamilton might be a particular deal with for soccer nerds.
Mike Macdonald
Perhaps we should always not have been shocked after the Ravens completed final within the league in go protection, however Harbaugh’s choice to maneuver on from defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale was one of many main headlines of the offseason. Martindale’s unique blitzes and colourful feedback had been defining components for the Ravens in latest seasons, and Macdonald has a lot to dwell as much as contemplating how properly his predecessor’s defenses carried out from 2018 to 2020.
Of course, Macdonald grew up as a coach on the Ravens employees, so he discovered a lot from Martindale. He’s a extra buttoned-up determine who may not assault in any respect prices if we’re to learn something from his one season as Michigan’s defensive coordinator. But we’re not speaking a few radical reform right here.
How will Macdonald’s protection ship from Martindale’s? Early on, gamers have talked concerning the flexibility he expects from them and about his expertise for educating the broad image. The Ravens invested closely of their secondary within the offseason and are hoping for fewer accidents to irreplaceable stars. Their protection was probably to enhance in 2022 regardless of whom Harbaugh put in cost. If the 35-year-old Macdonald succeeds in his new job as he did at Michigan, he’ll stamp himself as a rising star in his discipline and a possible head coach.
Rashod Bateman
No one outdoors the crew’s mind belief appeared to know No. 1 extensive receiver Marquise Brown was headed to Arizona through commerce. The Ravens adopted up that shocker by steering away from every extensive receiver within the 2022 draft class. They haven’t signed a big-name veteran on the place, both.
All of which suggests they’re making ready to ask loads of their first choose within the 2021 draft. A groin damage hampered Bateman firstly of his rookie season. Once he confirmed up, he gave us glimpses of a possible No. 1 risk, snatching balls out of the air in tight home windows and making an attractive contested catch in Cleveland for his longest acquire of the season. In different video games, nonetheless, the Ravens barely focused him.
Is he prepared for a a lot larger burden? Jackson has handled Bateman as his new prime receiver; he met up with him for offseason exercises and seemed for him persistently throughout 11-on-11 minicamp drills. In these classes, Bateman flashed the downfield explosiveness that made him a breakout star throughout his sophomore season at Minnesota. All the potential is there, but when Bateman doesn’t produce each week, followers will marvel, loudly, why DeCosta didn’t do extra to bolster the extensive receiver corps.
Marcus Peters
The Ravens completed final season with a disastrous minus-11 turnover differential, one main cause why their go protection fell aside. What was the No. 1 cause they stopped producing takeaways? The absence of Peters, who tore his ACL earlier than he performed one snap in 2021.
Some abilities are irreplaceable, and Peters, who has averaged about one interception for each three video games performed over his NFL profession, proved to be one among them. It’s not simply his ballhawking. He is aware of opposing offenses in addition to the coaches and brings an outspoken, in-your-face confidence that was lacking from the Ravens protection final season.
Will Peters be all the way in which again in 2022? It’s a good query to ask of a 29-year-old veteran coming off a severe knee damage. Peters didn’t play as properly in 2020 as he had in 2019, so he was already going through some questions on whether or not he may rebound. On paper, the Ravens will go into coaching camp with as loaded a secondary as any within the NFL. But for the entire thing to operate as properly they count on, they want Peters to be Peters.
Greg Roman
Here we’re once more. A loud contingent of Ravens followers needed Harbaugh to fireplace Roman after final season. Their gripes — unimaginative passing assault, overreliance on the ability sport, poorly conceived routes for the extensive receivers — have turn into a refrain echoing behind all the pieces the Ravens do (or don’t do) on offense. Brown bolstered their discontent when, after his commerce to Arizona, he mentioned Roman’s system “wasn’t for me.”
All this bile for a coordinator whose offense ran all around the league in 2019 and nonetheless managed to complete sixth in whole yardage final season. Have the Ravens calcified underneath Roman, who was so lauded three years in the past for tailoring an assault round Jackson’s distinctive talents? It’s an affordable query after they averaged simply 18 factors over their final 9 video games in 2021. He has promised new wrinkles in 2022, and higher well being — the Ravens operated with out their projected backfield, their All-Pro left sort out and finally, Jackson, final season — would supply a lift.
Given the Ravens’ lack of funding in extensive receivers and their stockpiling of tight ends, many have questioned if Roman is aiming to recapture his formulation from 2019, when the Ravens rolled up speeding yards at a historic price and thrived on low-volume, high-efficiency passing. Regardless of his strategy, Roman, and the recent seat he occupies, might be a narrative from Week 1 on.
Ronnie Stanley
You may not hear about it outdoors Baltimore, however there aren’t many gamers within the league extra pivotal than Stanley. The final time he performed a full season, he was one of the best go blocker in soccer, and the Ravens completed with one of the best document within the AFC. His ankle damage halfway by the 2020 season created a domino impact from which the offense has by no means fully recovered. Jackson grew much less and fewer assured over the 2021 season because it turned obvious he couldn’t belief his tackles to offer a clear pocket.
Stanley was a shadow of himself within the season opener and shortly determined he wanted one other surgical procedure and one other spherical of rehabilitation. He has expressed optimism about his restoration. So have Harbaugh and DeCosta. But till we see No. 79 nimbly defending Jackson’s flank, who can say for certain?
The Ravens have bolstered their offensive line depth by free company and the draft, however they nonetheless don’t have a real stand-in if the Stanley of previous doesn’t present up in September. Jackson is a very powerful participant on the crew, however Stanley is the man who permits him to be that participant.
Lamar Jackson
As if there was any doubt who would prime this checklist. Jackson’s contract scenario alone places him on the entrance of the pack. Will the extension talks he alluded to throughout minicamp bear fruit or is he ready to enter Year 5 (and past) with no long-term safety? Would he relatively hold his choices open or decide to being the signature athlete in Baltimore for a era to return? Jackson guards his intentions properly, so we’re left to invest.
Set all that apart and he stays one of many NFL’s most fascinating gamers on the sector. In the early weeks of final season, Jackson carried the Ravens with a mix of downfield passing and good scrambling not often seen from any participant in league historical past. By the second half, he was taking too many hits, speeding throws and main a sputtering offense. Then, he went down, and the Ravens’ playoff hopes went with him.
Jackson seemed good when he returned to the crew for minicamp, with added muscle on his body and loads of zip on his passes. He mentioned he felt higher than he did going into his Most Valuable Player season in 2019. Whether that’s prophetic or not, his story would be the story of this crew.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com