Rating each Ravens’ place group post-draft

The Baltimore Ravens concluded the 2023 draft having chosen six rookie prospects. That’s their second smallest draft class in franchise historical past, tied with 2009 whereas trailing solely 1999, after they drafted 4 gamers.

Nonetheless, whereas the quantity of their draft was decrease, the Ravens nonetheless added expertise to numerous totally different areas on their roster, supplementing a few of their strikes in free company. Whereas there nonetheless could be acquisitions to come back, let’s check out how their place teams stack up at present.

NFL: Baltimore Ravens at Las Vegas Raiders

1) Quarterback

Depth chart: Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Anthony Brown Jr.

Having locked up Jackson to a long-term deal and retained Huntley for a minimum of 2023, the Ravens return their quarterback duo from the previous two seasons. Jackson is likely one of the league’s finest and Huntley has, at a minimal, confirmed to be a backup able to successful video games. Brown Jr. confirmed some stage of promise as a UDFA third-string final yr.

2) Offensive line

Depth chart: Ronnie Stanley, Ben Cleveland, Tyler Linderbaum, Kevin Zeitler, Morgan Moses, Patrick Mekari, Daniel Faalele, John Simpson, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Andre Vorhees

The Ravens added two offensive lineman over the weekend in Aumavae-Laulu and Vorhees. The latter will sit out 2023 as he recovers from a torn ACL, whereas the previous is probably not a right away issue within the front-five rotation. Regardless, this nonetheless profiles as one of many higher offensive traces within the league and deepest place teams on the roster.

Ronnie Stanley started to regain high-level type in his return final yr. Zeitler has been a Prime-10 offensive guard for 2 straight years. Moses is a strong veteran starter at proper deal with, and Linderbaum might make a second-year leap after a robust rookie season. The wild card is the left guard place, the place the Ravens need to substitute the departed Ben Powers.

Barring one other exterior transfer, it is going to be stuffed internally between Cleveland, Simpson, Mekari, or Aumavae-Laulu. Given how Powers carried out final season, a marginal downgrade a minimum of is probably going. Nonetheless, whoever emerges will nonetheless be the fifth finest starter within the lineup, which means the Ravens are in fine condition total up entrance.

NFL: Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens

3) Inside linebacker

Depth chart: Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen, Trenton Simpson, Malik Harrison, Kristian Welch, Josh Ross, Del’Shawn Phillips

The Ravens surprisingly added one other inside linebacker within the draft, taking Simpson within the third spherical. This sparked speedy commerce hypothesis relating to Queen. The Ravens declined Queen’s fifth-year possibility this week for 2024 however barring a forthcoming commerce, he’ll nonetheless be within the combine this coming season.

How Mike Macdonald chooses to combine Simpson into the lineup with Smith and Queen will probably be attention-grabbing to see. Regardless, he provides expertise and flexibility to a top-end duo on the place that includes an All-Professional expertise in Smith. Malik Harrison has had some good spot moments by means of three seasons too and is a strong depth piece.

Whether or not there’s any room for particular groups contributors like Welch, Phillips, or Ross on the lively roster stays to be seen. All three had been enjoying snaps in 2022, although, so the Ravens are evidently fairly deep at this place group now.

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

4) Tight finish

Depth chart: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Seemingly, Charlie Kolar, Patrick Ricard (FB)

Baltimore made no tight finish additions within the draft regardless of dropping Josh Oliver throughout free company. Oliver performed some helpful rotational snaps in 2022, however his manufacturing shouldn’t be tough to interchange. That’s as a result of Kolar will enter the 2023 cycle wholesome after spending a lot of his rookie season on injured reserve.

Seemingly was the group’s fourth main receiver final season and has upside to enhance, whereas Andrews stays an elite tight finish within the NFL. Lumping Ricard into the combo as a hybrid tight finish/fullback makes this one of many deepest rooms within the league.

NFL: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

5) Security

Depth chart: Marcus Williams, Kyle Hamilton, Geno Stone, Ar’Darius Washington

The Ravens traded longtime starter Chuck Clark to the New York Jets and didn’t add one other security within the draft. Clark was a helpful veteran who performed 100% of the group’s defensive snaps in every of the previous three seasons.

The onus shifts to Hamilton to step into his beginning function at robust security. Thankfully, Hamilton had a formidable rookie season and graded out as probably the greatest safeties and first-year gamers total in 2023.

An underrated transfer was retaining Stone, whose confirmed to be an impression participant when on the sphere. Stone carried out admirably in an prolonged beginning function final season when Williams was injured. Now, Williams will probably be again at full well being as one of many league’s premier free safeties. That’s a robust threesome supplemented by Washington, a succesful No. 4.

6) Vast receiver

Depth chart: Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers, Nelson Agholor, Devin Duvernay, Tylan Wallace, James Proche

Simply probably the most improved place group on the Ravens’ roster is vast receiver. Drafting Flowers in Spherical 1 was rounds out a new-look group that includes free agent signees Beckham Jr. and Agholor. These three, becoming a member of Bateman and Duvernay, give the Ravens a deep, versatile 1-5 group on the depth chart.

A part of the explanation why they aren’t ranked greater is the damage concern issue. Bateman has performed two incomplete seasons by means of two years, Beckham Jr. has not performed because the finish of 2021, and Duvernay is coming off an season-ending damage additionally.

So, whereas gifted on-paper, there’s nonetheless a stage of proof wanted to be seen with this receiving core. Wallace and Proche at the moment are pushed to the underside of the depth chart the place they’ll possible discover themselves on the roster bubble as particular groups contributors.

7) Defensive position

Depth chart: Michael Pierce, Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington, Travis Jones, Brent City

One other place the Ravens didn’t add to was defensive position. Shedding Calais Campbell in free company was vital however to what prolong stays to be seen. Even so, the Ravens are nonetheless fairly deep right here with a mix of veterans (Pierce and City) and ascending younger gamers (Madubuike, Washington, and Jones).

Anticipated enchancment from the latter trio would assist compensate for Campbell’s departure and probably assist elevate this group from final season. Pierce’s return is a possible X-factor. He missed primarily all of 2022 after struggling a torn biceps damage firstly of the season. What he’s in a position to present as a run defender and pass-rusher in his age-30 marketing campaign might transfer the needle.

The Ravens additionally introduced again City, who rounds out the group as a helpful rotational piece who performed almost 300 defensive snaps final yr and 86 snaps on particular groups.

8) Cornerback

Depth chart: Marlon Humphrey, Rock Ya-Sin, Brandon Stephens, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Damarion Williams, Kyu Blu Kelly, Trayvon Mullen, Daryl Worley

The Ravens waited till the fifth spherical of the draft to deal with perhaps their largest want on the cornerback place. Blu Kelly is a pleasant developmental prospect and he can battle with different younger cornerbacks on the depth chart for snaps. Nonetheless, the Ravens wanted one other starter-caliber nook who might step in reverse Marlon Humphrey.

They stuffed that through free company by signing Rock Ya-Sin only a few following the conclusion of the draft. Ya-Sin, 26, is a strong veteran whose an improve over different corners on the roster not named Humphrey. It nonetheless wouldn’t damage for the Ravens so as to add one other established participant into the combo given their poor damage luck on the place yr after yr.

Armour-Davis and “Pepe” Williams had been up-and-down of their rookie years and didn’t see the sphere for lengthy stretches at a time. Stephens is a strong rotational piece however has not been probably the most constant protection participant by means of two seasons. The Ravens re-signed Mullen and Worley in free company, however asking them to be something greater than depth is a stretch.

Humphrey is an elite expertise and Ya-Sin is a strong starter. After that, the Ravens will want inner improvement from their returning children to raise this group total.

9) Edge rusher

Depth chart: Odafe Oweh, Tyus Bowser, David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson, Daelin Hayes, Jeremiah Moon

Edge rusher might rank under cornerback as a result of the Ravens’ don’t have a Humphrey-level expertise on this room. Their most surefire gamers at edge rusher are at present Bowser, who final yr was working his approach again from a torn achilles, and Oweh, who’s coming off a so-so sophomore season.

After that, David Ojabo and Tavius Robinson are the one roster locks. Robinson was simply drafted within the fourth spherical and profiles as a right away contributor within the rotation, however how a lot of an early-impact he can have is unknown.

The X-factor is actually what the Ravens get from Ojabo, who is actually coming into his personal rookie season in 2023. Ojabo returned late in 2022 from his personal torn achilles however performed very sparingly down the stretch. If he’s the first-round high quality expertise he was coming into the 2022 draft cycle, the ceiling (and ground) of this group will increase considerably.

It’s actually doable, if not going, the Ravens add one other veteran piece into the combo as properly. Re-signing both Justin Houston or Jason Pierre-Paul look like reasonable eventualities and both can be useful, particularly the previous and his 9.5 sacks from final season.