Looking Forward:
With the Super Bowl behind us, teams are forced to move on from the 2022 season and look towards 2023. In a series of articles, we will recap the past season, and look at how teams are positioned at their skill positions for next September.
Baltimore Ravens
Projected Cap Space: -8.269 Million (Per Spotrac)
Upcoming Draft Picks: Round 1 (22), Round 3 (86), Round 4 (124), Round 5 (150), Round 6 (199)
The Ravens finished the 2022 season with an impressive 10-7 record, but bowed out of the playoffs with a first round loss to division rival Cincinnati Bengals. The mid season addition of Roquan Smith improved what was already a formidable defensive group, as the team rode the unit all season long.
Things aren’t as rosy on the offensive side, however. The Ravens are in a stalemate with franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is reportedly seeking the most amount of guaranteed money in NFL history on his next contract. The Ravens opted to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on their former first round pick, which guarantees Jackson $32 million this upcoming season, but grants him the ability to negotiate a contract with other franchises. The Ravens will have the rights to match any contract that Jackson signs, but if they decide to let him walk, they would receive two 1st round picks from the team he signs with. The draft capital and potential massive contract that would coincide with a team signing Jackson are making quarterback needy teams think twice about kicking the tires on the franchise quarterback.
Coaching:
Head coach John Harbaugh returns for his 16th season in Baltimore. He’s led the team to the playoffs in 10 of those seasons, with four division titles and a Super Bowl victory to his credit. Harbaugh made his name as a defensive coach, and his Ravens will always be built around that identity as Baltimore has made major acquisitions on the side of the ball during Harbaugh’s tenure. Harbaugh will likely continue that trend in 2023, after the massive signing of Roquan Smith. Look for the Ravens to add to their defense in the draft, even after making 5 defensive picks in 2022.
The offense for the Baltimore Ravens has the potential to look very different in 2023. Greg Roman stepped down as offensive coordinator after 4 seasons. While he was in charge of the offense during Lamar Jackson’s MVP season, after averaging a woeful 12.4 points in the final 5 games of the season, and having stars like JK Dobbins publicly questioning Roman’s playcalling, it was time for the Ravens to move on.
The Ravens probably couldn’t do much better than bringing in 2 time National Championship coach Todd Monken to replace Roman. After leading the Georgia Bulldogs to two straight titles, Monken was a wanted man, and eventually chose to sign in Baltimore. He’s known for running a more balanced offense, which is music to the ears of anyone involved in the Ravens pass game after years of slow, run heavy offenses under Roman. Monken is often credited with outcoaching his opponents, and defenses should be concerned with what he can concoct with Lamar Jackson (assuming he comes back) under centre. With Monken in place, the Ravens might finally put some of their resources into getting that elusive #1 receiver.
On the defensive side, the Ravens brought back a familiar face from 2022 in Mike Macdonald, who was part of the defensive coaching staff from 2014 – 2020, before leaving for a year to be the defensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines. Macdonald’s defense was 3rd in points against in 2022, allowing a paltry 18.5 points per contest. His defense was the reason the Ravens made the playoffs, as after Lamar Jackson went down with injury, the offense was non-existent. While the Ravens have some key free agents on defense, the extension of Roquan Smith gives MacDonald one of the best defensive chess pieces, and we can be sure that management will have no problem spending draft picks and/or cap space to keep MacDonald’s unit as one of the best in football.
Quarterback:
Lamar Jackson is still a Raven, however the non-exclusive tag opens up the possibility of the franchise moving on from their quarterback. GM Eric DeCosta stated after the franchise tag deadline closed that he intends to continue to negotiate with Jackson in good faith, with the goal being reaching a long term deal.
The Ravens went 8-4 in the games that Jackson started in 2022, and averaged roughly 25 points per game. That number was cut in half to 12.5 points per game in the weeks he was out. Without a true #1 receiver (or much consistency at the position at all), Lamar was the key cog in the Baltimore offense, and is looking to be paid accordingly.
The Ravens are negotiating from the stance that the massive contract that includes $230 million guaranteed signed by Deshaun Watson in Cleveland, despite his off-field issues, is an outlier. Yet unproven quarterbacks like Kyler Murray have also been able to cash in ($185 million guaranteed) while Jackson was still working off of his rookie contract. The injury risk is a real concern, as Jackson is as aggressive as they come in terms of rushing from the quarterback position, which explains his determination to have guaranteed money be a key component in his next deal. It also explains Baltimore’s hesitancy to include that in the contract. While Jackson would likely thrive in Monken’s offense, a relationship as fractured as this one is difficult to repair, and it’s possible that Baltimore will have a new QB1 in 2023.
After Jackson was injured, the offense was handed over to Tyler Huntley, who is a restricted free agent. Despite Huntley now inexplicably being able to write Pro Bowl Quarterback on his resume, he’s clearly not the answer for the Ravens offense. He has some dual threat ability, but isn’t the dynamic runner that Jackson is, as he averaged only 3.19 yards per carry. 24 year old undrafted quarterback Anthony Brown is the only quarterback who is securely under contract for 2023, and he is most certainly not the new face of the franchise.
Wide Receiver/Tight End:
The Ravens notoriously don’t spend assets on wide receivers, and 2022 was no exception. Free agent Demarcus Robinson was their big name addition, and will leave after 1 disappointing season in Baltimore. He only caught 48 of his 75 targets for a 64% catch rate, which is actually right around his career average, which should have been a sign to the Ravens that he wasn’t ready to be the guy before they made the offseason signing.
The Ravens do have two intriguing young receivers in Devin Duvernay and Rashod Bateman returning in 2023. Duvernay has the potential to be a do it all gadget player that most teams covet in today’s NFL. While he didn’t receive many targets, he has a 75% catch rate, is a capable runner on sweeps and trick plays, and he returns both kickoffs and punts for the club. While he likely won’t blossom into a true #1, he’s a talented young weapon who is entering the final year of his contract and will be looking to finally take the next step in his development.
Rashod Bateman’s season was hampered by injuries, and was eventually shut down to have surgery on his foot. The Ravens recently released a statement saying that things are trending in the right direction for Bateman, and they hope to have him back healthy in 2023. Bateman can really open up the offense as a deep play threat, as he’s averaged 13.11 yards per coach so far in his short career. If the 2021 first round pick can stay healthy, he’ll give Monken an element that this offense has long been missing. Bateman has publicly called out Ravens management for their handling of the Jackson contract situation, so if things continue the way they’re trending, there’s an off chance that the 23 year old could also be removed from the locker room.
One position on offense that the Ravens don’t have to be concerned about is at tight end. Mark Andrews is signed for the next 3 seasons after inking an extension in 2021. Andrews is undoubtedly in the upper tier of tight ends across the league. After catching 107 balls on 153 targets in 2021, Andrews’ numbers dipped in 2022 as he battled through injury and poor quarterback play. However, the Georgia Bulldogs have had consistent production from the tight end position with Monken as head coach, so he’s high on the list of bounce back candidates going into 2023.
Isaiah Likely also returns, giving the Ravens a dominant one two punch at the position. While Likely only topped 50% of offensive snaps twice in 2022, he ended the regular season with a 8 catch 103 yard game on 88% of offensive snaps. If Monken can get this young talent on the field with Andrews, they can make up for the lack of elite receiver talent. The depth continues with third stringer Charlie Kolar, a 4th round pick in 2022. While he struggled to get on the field, like Likely, he performed well with increased snaps in the final regular season game of the season.
Running Backs:
No team has gone through more injury struggles at one position than the Ravens have had at running back the past two seasons. Starter J.K. Dobbins missed 2021 with a torn ACL after injuring himself in preseason. He returned in week 3 of the 2022 season, only to reinjure the same knee and miss the next 8 weeks. Dobbins ended the season averaging an impressive 5.65 yards per carry, and looked to be returning to form as the season progressed. Dobbins voiced his frustration with his usage and play calling after the season, and considering his impressive numbers despite never topping 50% offensive snaps, he may have a point. He’ll look to carve out a leading role in 2023.
Much like his backfield partner, Gus Edwards also missed all of 2021 with a torn ACL suffered in preseason. He returned in week 7, finishing the 2022 season playing in 9 total games. Unlike his teammate, Edwards looked to be slowing down as the season progressed, finishing the year with his lowest usage of the season. Coming back from such devastating knee injuries is extremely difficult, and both these backs will be looking to strengthen their knees through rehab in the offseason and hope to finally form the dangerous 1A/B running back duo that management envisioned.
The Ravens are one of the few teams that still employ and utilize a fullback on a regular basis, with Patrick Ricard returning for his 7th year in Baltimore. Surprisingly he boasts the highest average snap count out of any of the Ravens running backs in 2022. While he doesn’t produce much numbers wise for the offense, with 2 more years left on his contract he’ll be leading whoever takes control of the running back room until 2024.
Third stringer Justice Hill showed well as a change of pace back, but he is a UFA this offseason. Baltimore will likely be looking to re-sign him, or grabbing another veteran back as an insurance policy behind Edwards and Dobbins. The Ravens also got next to nothing from their backfield in the passing game, so a pass catching specialist might be on the wish list as well.
Offensive Line:
The offensive line has always been a strength for the Ravens and 2022 was no different. Center Tyler Linderbaum fell into their laps at 25th overall in the 2022, and went on to play the 8th most offensive snaps league wide, and ranked 6th overall at the position per PFF. Kevin Zeitler had another standout year at guard, as did tackle Morgan Moses. Standout tackle Ronnie Stanley suffered an injury plagued season, but the young Patrick Mekari rated well when he did get the snaps.
Guard Ben Powell is a free agent, but the Ravens should be looking for an upgrade or seeing what they have in 24 year old Ben Cleveland rather than re-signing Powell. If this group stays healthy they have the potential to be one of the top units in the NFL yet again. While the Ravens are constantly adding to their offensive line depth, the young pieces will likely be tested sooner rather than later as the veterans continue their battle with father time.
Defense:
Baltimore found the new face of their defense in 2022 after trading for and extending linebacker Roquan Smith to the richest linebacker deal in NFL history. Adding Smith to the young athletic Patrick Queen gives the Ravens one of the more imposing linebacking units in the NFL. There will be changes in front and behind the linebackers though, as Baltimore faces some tough contractual decisions.
"Roquan thinks football all the time. He's our kinda guy."
Coach Harbaugh on how Roquan Smith acclimated so quickly to the team: pic.twitter.com/i5p6RvyNhd
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 1, 2023
UFA Justin Houston led the Ravens defensive line in sacks at 34 years old, and showed he still has a lot to give as a situational pass rusher. The Ravens could opt to let him walk and hope 24 year old Odafe Oweh continues to grow after only 8 sacks in his first two seasons combined. The Ravens also have a wild card in David Ojabo, who slipped to them in the 2nd round of the 2022 draft after an achilles injury. If he makes it back to his pre-injury form, he has all the tools to become an impact player.
Interior defensive lineman Michael Pierce suffered a torn biceps early in the season, but youngsters Broderick Washington (26), Justin Madabuike (25) and Travis Jones (23) showed well with increased workloads. Losing a player and leader like Justin Houston always hurts in the locker room, but the Ravens are loading up with the next wave, so they should be in good shape along the defensive line in 2023.
The defensive backfield looks like it will be going through an overhaul, as Marcus Peters and Kyle Fuller headline the cornerbacks heading to free agency. Fuller was a productive member of the defense, but he missed the entire 2022 season due to injury, so there’s a chance that the Ravens will re-sign him on a cheap one year prove it deal. Marlon Humphrey will be back as the CB1, and safety Kyle Hamilton will only improve on his impressive rookie season after the Ravens stole him at 14 in the 2022 draft. The Ravens will look to add a high end cornerback to play opposite of Humphrey in 2023.
The Baltimore Ravens historically have done almost everything right when it comes to building their rosters. They rarely have any holes on their depth chart as they’re fantastic at anticipating future needs and preemptively filling them. The one exception to this rule lately seems to be at wide receiver, where they continually play with fire with one of the weakest groups in the league at that position.
The Ravens may surprise us all and resolve the Jackson contract situation, but letting it linger this long looks to be a rare franchise blunder. Jackson has to feel hurt after giving the Ravens 5 great years on a relatively cheap contract and having to fight so hard for the contract he feels like he deserves, while Roquan Smith got paid weeks after joining the organization. That being said, the exclusive tag gives the Ravens more time to negotiate an extension with Jackson. Management has their work cut out for them this offseason, but, as always, it would be foolish to look past the Ravens and their vaunted defense in 2023.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @DevGallant
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.