We’ve spent months speculating concerning the composition of the Ravens’ 53-man roster. Now that it’s set, save for a couple of strikes across the edges, we supply on to a extra essential query: What type of group have they got?
This isn’t a brand new query, but it surely’s one price asking once more with the season staring them within the face. We’re previous the purpose of pie-in-the-sky projections for untested gamers and overly optimistic timelines for these getting back from main accidents. We’re a lot nearer to the reality, a minimum of because it applies to the model of the Ravens we’ll see in Week 1.
With this in thoughts, let’s type that roster of 53 into tiers (gamers listed alphabetically in every):
Superstars
- TE Mark Andrews
- CB Marlon Humphrey
- QB Lamar Jackson
- Ok Justin Tucker
No one would dispute that Jackson is a very powerful participant on the roster and one of the crucial essential in franchise historical past. He is the Ravens to anybody wanting from the surface, and if he’s not nice, they received’t be both.
Tucker is the most effective at what he does, and Andrews put himself in that dialog along with his chic 2021 efficiency.
Humphrey is the one man you would possibly push down a tier given his uneven play earlier than he suffered a season-ending harm in Week 13 of final season. But the Ravens made him the brand new face of their protection after they gave him a $97.5 million extension in 2020, and his versatility shall be important to coordinator Mike Macdonald’s plans for restoring the move protection to a customary degree of excellence.
Core starters
- WR Rashod Bateman
- DT Calais Campbell
- S Chuck Clark
- WR Devin Duvernay
- OLB Justin Houston
- LS Nick Moore
- OT Morgan Moses
- OLB Odafe Oweh
- FB Patrick Ricard
- S Marcus Williams
- G Kevin Zeitler
These guys are the spine of the group. They’re able to making a Pro Bowl, however extra importantly, the Ravens can rely on them to carry out properly week after week. They are available all varieties, from solid-as-oak veterans Campbell and Zeitler to rising stars Bateman and Oweh.
The iffier gamers on this group are Duvernay, who’s right here extra as a particular groups star than a No. 2 broad receiver candidate, and Moore, a specialist.
Some would possibly query Clark, who didn’t carry sufficient weight to dissuade the Ravens from spending large cash on Williams and utilizing a first-round decide on Kyle Hamilton. But his dependable manufacturing and professionalism will maintain him on the sphere so long as he stays on the town.
Starters with one thing to show
- DT Justin Madubuike
- NT Michael Pierce
- G Ben Powers
- ILB Patrick Queen
We know these guys will play, however we don’t know what the Ravens will get from them for a wide range of causes.
Madubuike has flashed as an inside playmaker however has but to take the leap many predicted earlier than final season. Pierce is a confirmed man-eater within the center, with upside as a move rusher, however he has to indicate he can keep on the sphere after he performed simply eight video games over two seasons in Minnesota. Queen performed higher after the Ravens diminished his obligations a couple of video games into final season, however he has not advanced into the all-around center linebacker envisioned after they used a 2020 first-round decide on him.
This is a pivotal yr for Queen; if he doesn’t elevate his degree, it’s potential the Ravens received’t use their fifth-year choice to lock in his future with the group.
Powers all the time places himself within the combine to start out however by no means has an iron grip on his job.
Key guys, in the event that they’re wholesome
- TE Nick Boyle
- OLB Tyus Bowser*
- RB J.Ok. Dobbins
- RB Gus Edwards*
- CB Marcus Peters
- OT Ronnie Stanley
This group is bigger than the Ravens would love, full of gamers who may crash the celebrity tier below the proper circumstances.
Stanley is the most important query mark on the group, the person paid to be Jackson’s chief protector but in addition the person who has not performed a full season since 2019. The Ravens cleared him to observe final week, and he proceeded to not take the sphere Monday or Tuesday, fueling doubts about his standing for Week 1. Dobbins, in the meantime, badgered the Ravens to let him again on the sphere, but it surely stays unclear how explosive a runner he shall be early within the season.
Peters, the group’s most dynamic defensive ball hawk, carries the sunniest prognosis of the bunch, with coaches seemingly assured that he’ll appear to be himself when the Ravens face the New York Jets on September 11.
Bowser and Edwards aren’t on the 53-man roster, as a result of the Ravens put each on the physically-unable-to-perform record, that means they are going to be out a minimum of the primary 4 weeks. But it will be deceptive to put out the group’s property for 2022 and never embrace them. Coach John Harbaugh has stated Bowser is in wonderful form, and he was one of many key gamers on the protection final yr, so he may make a big affect as quickly as he’s eligible to return. Edwards, who missed all of final season after he tore his ACL, may take longer, however Harbaugh has stated he expects the hard-charging runner to play in 2022.
Rookies who will make a Week 1 affect
- S Kyle Hamilton
- TE Isaiah Likely
- C Tyler Linderbaum
- P Jordan Stout
Linderbaum gave the Ravens a scare when he damage his foot in coaching camp however appears on observe to start out the opener. He regarded none the more serious for put on in his temporary dose of preseason motion, and his mobility may open new potentialities for the working recreation.
Likely was the breakout star of coaching camp and the preseason, so good that the Ravens didn’t wish to danger an harm by dressing him for the preseason finale. He was fifth of the group’s six fourth-round picks; 4 months later, he’s projected to be one in all Jackson’s prime targets.
The Ravens took a danger by drafting Stout and pushing their longest tenured participant, Sam Koch, onto the teaching workers. Stout has erased any doubts about that call along with his thunderous punts in coaching camp and the preseason.
Hamilton has most likely impressed extra debate than any rookie on the group due to a couple of apparent errors in tackling and protection, however he has additionally demonstrated the vary and flexibility that made him a first-round decide.
Part-time starters/strong backups
- ILB Josh Bynes
- RB Mike Davis
- CB Kyle Fuller
- RB Justice Hill
- QB Tyler Huntley
- OT Ja’Wuan James
- OL Patrick Mekari
- G Tyre Phillips
- WR James Proche II
- WR Demarcus Robinson
- DB Brandon Stephens
- DT Broderick Washington
The recreation day roster wouldn’t work with out these gamers, a few of whom begin however most of whom are the primary males up when accidents hit.
Bynes is near a core participant as a result of he’s such a reliable presence within the center; he’s simply not on the sphere for each down.
Every working again apart from Dobbins is on this tier, as a result of we don’t know who’s going to hold the load early within the season. Davis is perhaps the most secure guess due to his all-around abilities, however the Ravens are patching on the place, a lot as they did final yr.
James might be the Week 1 starter at left deal with. Stephens may step ahead to grow to be a do-it-all linchpin within the secondary. Mekari is the uncommon super-utility lineman who can fill in ably in any respect 5 positions.
At broad receiver, Proche will once more need to battle to get on the sphere given Robinson’s benefits in dimension and big-play potential.
Keep a watch on the longer term
- CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
- G Ben Cleveland
- OT Daniel Faalele
- DT Travis Jones
- TE Charlie Kolar
- OLB David Ojabo
- ILB Josh Ross
- CB Damarion “Pepe” Williams
These younger gamers aren’t below stress to supply immediately they usually’re not in rapid hazard of dropping their spots. Some have star upside however received’t be capable of present it initially of the season.
The imposing Jones would have contributed immediately if he had not injured his knee within the second preseason recreation. Ojabo may give an instantaneous increase to the move rush if he makes it again from a torn Achilles within the second half of the season. Armour-Davis must show he can keep on the sphere. Ross and Williams made constructive impressions in coaching camp, but it surely’s not clear the place their snaps would possibly come from outdoors of particular groups.
Cleveland was alleged to be the beginning left guard by now. Instead, he spent coaching camp digging himself out of a gap after he failed the group’s conditioning take a look at a number of instances. Faalele made progress over the summer season, however he’s the definition of a developmental prospect.
The fringe
- C Trystan Colon
- ILB Malik Harrison
- TE Josh Oliver
- S Geno Stone
- WR Tylan Wallace
- ILB Kristian Welch
Harrison may show to be too good for this tier and would possibly get some probabilities on the surface given the Ravens’ lack of depth there. But he didn’t step ahead from yr one to yr two and will grow to be an afterthought if he doesn’t construct on his constructive moments from the preseason.
Wallace excited followers as a possible draft steal final yr, however he has not satisfied the Ravens he must be on the sphere regardless of their lack of star energy at broad receiver. Welch is a special-teams stalwart. Colon is buried on the depth chart.
Oliver was essentially the most shocking participant to stay on the roster after his undistinguished efficiency final yr and within the preseason.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com