Around this time of year, most football fans are beginning to get excited for the opening of free agency followed by the NFL Draft. Free agency begins in early March and the draft follows at the end of April. Fans look at their favorite team and then try to figure out which players the team needs to go for to fill the voids left by players who are leaving for free agency, retiring or to improve their current positions.
In some cases, those voids can be filled from within, by looking at the roster of players already on the team, but previously playing reserve roles if even that. The NFL is full of great stories about players who toiled in obscurity until they got their break and then became starters and even superstars. That list includes Brett Favre, Steve Young, and yes, even Tom Brady. The Baltimore Ravens are no different and due to impending retirements, free agency and the need to improve certain areas, might already have the solution somewhere on their current roster.
At left guard, Ben Grubbs might leave for a big contract elsewhere. Could 2nd year lineman Jah Reid slide over from his natural right side and make the transition, already having a decent idea of the team's blocking schemes? At outside linebacker, the Ravens may choose not to re-sign veteran Jarret Johnson and could look in many directions to fill his spot, be it Sergio Kindle, Albert McClellan, Paul Kruger or even little-known Michael McAdoo.
Adding another wide receiver has been mentioned and before the team goes out a spends big bucks on a veteran free agent or even spends a valuable draft pick, perhaps they should give Tandon Doss a chance to prove he was worthy of a 4th round pick just last year.
The point is, that despite the deep class of prospects in this year's draft, and even with what could be bargains on the free agent market, the team may have 22 main starters, but there are 53 guys on this roster who were good enough to be given uniforms to wear and earned those spots because of the skills they proved they had when they were in the same position that this year's draft class stands right now. Which of them will step up and claim a starting spot and perhaps even make us fans forget whose spot they took in the first place?