The Ravens have concluded their 2023 season, and the focus now shifts to what’s shaping up to be a franchise-altering offseason for general manager Eric DeCosta.
Baltimore is 20th in the NFL in cap space, with $5 million available, and there will be critical decisions regarding several vital contributors and two All-Pros. And they’re spending about $120+ million plus on the offensive side of the football.
With the NFL Combine set to begin, we’re looking at ten takeaways from the Ravens 13-4 regular season.
Lamar Jackson can reach another gear
Lamar Jackson stumbled again in the playoffs this season.
Still, the All-Pro Ravens quarterback was again the best player in the NFL after being named the clear-cut winner of the Associated Press Most Valuable Player award at the NFL Honors program.
This season, Jackson threw for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 821 yards and five scores. He helped the Baltimore Ravens (14-4) finish with the best record in the league, leading them to the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a playoff win over the Houston Texans.
He’ll return for another offseason with OC Todd Monken, and watching his growth in 2023, the sky is the limit.
Ravens need a dynamic playmaker at RB
Keaton Mitchell was one of the highest-graded players on offense and finished his rookie year with 47 attempts for 396 yards and two touchdowns in 8 appearances with two starts.
Still, there’s a reason he went undrafted, and if the Ravens don’t re-sign JK Dobbins, they’ll need to add a home run hitter or Derrick Henry for 2024.
Baltimore needs a physical presence at WR
Zay Flowers is a dynamic playmaker and the young rookie carried the Ravens passing attack, logging 77 catches for 858 yards and 5 touchdowns on 108 targets.
Still, Baltimore needs to add a bigger, more physical presence at the position not named Rashod Bateman.
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta has taken a wide receiver in the first round in three of his five drafts, and Baltimore should look to add another weapon for Lamar Jackson.
Ravens are more than Mark Andrews at TE
Playing in relief of an injured Mark Andrews, Likely started 8 of 17 games in 2023, logging 30 catches for 411 yards and five touchdowns.
Baltimore won’t return to a primarily two-tight-end set, but Lamar Jackson has more than Andrews as a reliable weapon.
Ravens need a makeover on offensive line
Baltimore has three pending free agents: Kevin Zeitler, John Simpson, and Sam Mustipher.
Both starting guards are pending free agents and Baltimore could amass more salary cap space by moving on from both offensive tackles.
Kevin Zeitler wants to return, and the Ravens could look to give Sala Aumavae-Laulu, or Andrew Vorhees an opportunity.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley carries a 2024 salary-cap hit of $20+ million , while the Ravens would save $5.5 million by parting ways with Morgan Moses.
Jadeveon Clowney is a Raven
In a move that should have happened long before last summer, Jadeveon Clowney joined Baltimore as a late training camp addition and feasted against the opposition while embracing the blue-collar culture of the city.
Clowney finished the year as one of the highest-graded performers, logging a career-high nine sacks, nine tackles for loss, 51 hurries, and 71 QB pressures.
Patrick Queen made Roquan Better
The dynamic duo at linebacker will likely split up during free agency, but they were major studs during the 2023 regular season.
Queen and Smith combined for 291 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 11 QB hits, five sacks, 2 interceptions, and 14 passes defended.
The Ravens selected Trenton Simpson out of Oklahoma in the third round last year, and his most extensive playing time was in the regular-season finale against Pittsburgh.
Baltimore can also have depth issues if Malik Harrison and/or Del’Shawn Phillips don’t return.
The only three linebackers under contract for next year are Roquan Smith, Simpson, and Josh Ross.
Brandon Stephens is Baltimore's best cornerback
The Ravens drafted Kyu Blu Kelly in the fifth round last spring, and he was subsequently cut before catching on with the Washington Commanders.
Brandon Stephens is a natural safety but was the most consistent cornerback on the roster. Marlon Humphrey could have his contract restructured after an injury-plagued season,
With four pending free-agent cornerbacks, how will Baltimore address concerns with the depth at the position? The Ravens have Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion “Pepe” Williams are entering Year 3 without any real game experience. Armour-Davis has played just 78 defensive snaps in his first two seasons, and Williams played zero last year.
Justin Tucker is the GOAT
Tucker finished the regular season going 32 of 37 on field goal tries and 51 of 52 on extra points. He converted just one of five attempts from beyond 50 yards.
Tucker was nearly automatic from inside of 50 yards (96 percent).
Ravens will miss Geno Stone
Stone led the AFC with seven interceptions last season and played 82% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps in relief of an injured Marcus Williams.
Kyle Hamilton and Williams make up one of the NFL’s top safety duos, and Brandon Stephens could return to the position if Baltimore upgrades at cornerback.
If Stone departs, Ar’Darius Washington could be part of the rotation.
Betting on yourself is important
Lamar Jackson bet on himself last spring without an agent, while Geno Stone, Patrick Queen, and Justin Madubuike played out the final year of their contracts and will now sign lucrative contracts with someone.
