Last Year:

Record: 8-8

Offense: 21.4 (21st)

Defense: 20.1 (9th)

Offseason: 

Key Acquisitions: WR. Jeremy Maclin, CB. Brandon Carr, S. Tony Jefferson

Key Losses: WR. Steve Smith, OT. Ricky Wagner, C. Jeremy Zuttah, DT. Lawrence Guy, DE. Timmy Jernigan, LB. Elvis Dumervil, LB. Zach Orr,

 Breakdown

Offense:

The Ravens were a mediocre offense a year ago and did not add much to improve things. They had a good O-line last season but after losing two starters they figure to take a step back in 2017 up front unless some of the younger unproven guys step up and produce. The two guys they do not have to worry about are RG Marshall Yanda, who is the best guard in the NFL, and their first round pick from a year ago Ronnie Stanley who thrived at LT in his rookie season. John Urschel will get his first opportunity to enter camp as a starter at center. He has been forced into action due to injury in past seasons and shown potential and should at least be average. The weak links are Alex Lewis and James Hurst. The team has hope for Lewis who struggled when called upon at tackle last season but will be moving to LG this year which is his more natural position. Hurst was also called upon a few games to start at tackle last year and he too struggled. The former undrafted free agent from North Carolina simply lacks the talent to be a starting tackle in the NFL and the Ravens most likely will have issues with that position all year. We could see Yanda moved out to RT and fourth round pick Nico Siragusa ultimately moved into the lineup in an effort to get the best five guys on the field if Hurst is as bad as he was last year. With the retirement of Steve Smith and Dennis Pitta’s career pretty much being ended at the hand of another severe injury the Ravens took a hit in the receiving corps. However, they will have a chance to replace both if a couple of new comers pan out. They picked up Jeremy Maclin, who is a former pro bowl receiver, and they got TE Ben Watson last offseason, who missed the entire 2016 season with an achilies injury, still looking to make his debut for the club. Maclin’s play fell of last year but some of that was in part due to a groin injury that caused him to miss four games. Maclin is only 29 years old and if he stays healthy should have no trouble bouncing back and playing at a high level again. Pitta was very productive at TE and now it will be up to Watson to fill those shoes which he was ultimately signed to do as the Ravens signed him to be the top TE a year ago in free agency. Last seen Watson had 74 receptions, over 800 yards receiving, and six TDs back in 2015 for the Saints and if he can play at that level again the Ravens will be fine at that position. Mike Wallace was also picked up in free agency a year ago and he played well having a career resurgence going for over 1,000 yards receiving for the first time since 2011. Breshad Perriman, the team’s first round pick in 2015, will be the number three guy and if nothing else if very fast and athletic. He has shown flashes but has yet to prove he is a consistent threat at receiver. In year three the Ravens need more from him. Terrence West will return as the starting RB. He was decent last year but with a less talented line in front of him will have to be even better this year. The team also picked up all-around playmaker Danny Woodhead who can run it or catch and even line up as a receiver. At QB is Joe Flacco who will be entering his 10th season. He has been around for a while and at this point he simply is what he is. He has a big arm and is not without talent but his playoff credentials not withstanding there is a reason Flacco has never been selected to one single pro bowl in his career. He simply is not a great QB in the regular season and I do not expect that to change.

Defense:

The Ravens defense sort of over achieved last season finishing top 10 in points allowed and could end up doing it again in 2017. Lets start up front where if nothing else the Ravens have no shortage of big run stopping interior guys for their 3-4 defense. It all starts with Brandon Williams who is the best nose tackle in the NFL and well worth the big new contract he recently signed. He is an elite run stopper and one of the strongest players in the NFL. The team lost two very productive interior guys in Timmy Jernigan and Lawrence Guy but have a good pipeline of young guys ready to step in and take their place. The Ravens have a laundry list of guys looking to compete for those two defensive end spots. At the top of that list is Michael Pierce who thoroughly impressed as a rotational guy last season. He was a dominant run defender when given the opportunity and showed flashes of untapped potential as a pass rusher as well. I expect him to win one of those starting end jobs. The other guys are Brent Urban, Bronson Kaufusi, Carl Davis, Chris Wormley, and Willie Henry. What combination ultimately ends up being the Ravens starting three is anyone’s guess but Urban currently has the upper hand as he has played more than any of the other guys and was solid stopping the run last season. On the edge Terrell Suggs is back to hold down one of the OLB spots as his career winds down. At 34, though not the player he used to be, Suggs was still very productive and led the team with eight sacks last year. Like the DE position the Ravens will also have a lot of guys competing for the other starting OLB spot. The guys who are currently favored are Matt Judon and Za’Darius Smith who have both showed flashes of starter potential so far in their young careers. However, the Ravens also drafted two OLBs in Tyus Bowser, their second round pick, and Tim Williams, who is a first round talent that fell to the third round due to off the field issues. All four of these guys will be vying for playing time in training camp and during the preseason. Even though Judon and Smith have the experience edge I believe both Williams and Bowser are slightly more talented and Williams could end up being the best pure pass rusher on the team. The Ravens will have big shoes to fill with the loss of Zach Orr in the middle who was voted second team all pro a year ago but left the team after deciding to retire due to a career threatening injury. It will help that CJ Mosely will be back at the other LB spot. Mosely played really well in his own right having the best season of his young career and could be on his way to becoming an all-pro player as well. The question is who fills the void at the other LB spot. The current favorite is Kamalei Correa who was the team’s second round pick in last year’s draft. He is a very versatile player with the skills to play both off line or on the edge and by all accounts it is his job to lose. The Ravens secondary will have a chance to be even better with a few new additions. At corner Jimmy Smith is the top guy and the Ravens have to be hoping he can get back to the pro bowl caliber level he played at in 2014. He at least played a lot better last season than he did in 2015 but he has the potential to be even better. He has the size and athletic ability to be one of the top corners in the game. The Ravens picked up Brandon Carr to play opposite Smith. Carr is no star player but he is an above average corner that is consistent and seems to never get hurt. The Ravens drafted one of the best corners in the draft with their first round selection in Marlon Humphrey who most likely will have every opportunity to land the slot role or maybe even beat out Carr. The Ravens have made a strong effort in back to back offseasons to get really good at safety. They hit a home run in signing Eric Weddle in free agency last offseason. He was the best safety in the NFL last year and they are hoping for similar success with the signing of Tony Jefferson this offseason who will start next to Weddle. The team also brought back Lardarius Webb who’s role will be that of an all-around defensive back providing depth at both corner and safety and just playing wherever needed. Overall the Ravens should be formidable again defensively. The defensive line has a lot of run stoppers and though there is no stand out ace on the edge there are a lot of young guys with potential and the Ravens might be able to get it done by committee. The linebacker position will be decent as long as Mosely continues to play well but if Correa also has a good year the Ravens will have a very good overall front seven. The secondary is the strongest position group on the defense. They could have one of the top safety duos in the league with the pickup of Jefferson and they have a lot of depth at corner. The Ravens defense is not littered with star players but they do have a lot of capable bodies and are one of the deepest defenses in the league. I expect them to be pretty good on this side of the ball again in 2017.