The Baltimore Ravens have undergone a number of major changes this offseason. A bunch of impact defensive players are gone. Baltimore continued to work on stockpiling weapons on offense through the draft and a little through free agency. A whole new offensive scheme is being installed. There are even a number of open starting jobs available that will begin getting sorted out when training camp kicks off in the middle of July.
Pro Football Focus and ESPN worked together to rank every expected starting lineup in the NFL. According to those rankings, the Ravens find themselves in the bottom half of the league at No. 17.
While Baltimore’s starting roster has some major question marks, the offensive line got serious praise. The combination of right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and right guard Marshal Yanda was labeled as the biggest strength on the Ravens’ roster and for good reason.
Yanda has had a Hall of Fame caliber career, which is rare for an offensive lineman. Even at 34 years old, Yanda is widely considered one of the best offensive linemen in the league. Meanwhile, Brown Jr. came on strong as a rookie and looks to be the future of the franchise up front. When he wasn’t pancaking players like Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, he was among the best pass-blocking tackles in the league.
However, it was the defense that caused the most concern during the rankings. With the departure of pass rushers Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith, it leaves a huge hole in Baltimore’s defense. While the Ravens have attempted to patch up the unit by signing Pernell McPhee and Shane Ray, alongside third-round draft pick Jaylon Ferguson, there’s very little in the way of proven production at outside linebacker.
The thing that could completely change Baltimore’s fortunes is quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ new offensive scheme under coordinator Greg Roman.
Jackson showed he was a dynamic threat on the ground last season, rushing 147 times for 695 yards and five touchdowns. With a bolstered rushing attack thanks to signing free-agent running back Mark Ingram this offseason, Baltimore looks to continue their dominance on the ground. But if Jackson can become a more efficient, accurate and consistent passer this season after spending the offseason working on his mechanics, the Ravens’ offense could be in for a serious uptick in production.
Time will tell just how serious Baltimore’s weaknesses are and if Jackson can take the next step forward as a passer. But as of right now, it seems as though plenty are sleeping on the Ravens in 2019.
