Who Leads Ravens In Sacks Next Season?

The Baltimore Ravens top priority this off season, so far, has been revamping the defensive line. With the addition of Chris Canty, Marcus Spears and Elvis Dumervil it is obvious the team is trying to improve their run defense and pass rushing pr5owess this season.

The two players that are most likely to lead Baltimore in sacks are Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. Suggs is the Ravens current sack machine and is one season removed from a Defensive Player Of The Year award. Dumervil registered a career high 17 sacks the last time he was coached by "Wink" Martindale, a number Suggs has never reached as a pro, he has also registered double digit sacks in almost every year of his career.

There are also a couple of outside candidates to bring pass rushing pressure this season if defenses are focusing in on stopping Suggs and Dumervil week in and week out. DE Pernel McPhee had a great rookie campaign but struggled last season as he dealt with injuries and reduced playing time. Also, DT Haloti Ngata has not had a healthy season in some time and could provide a great inside pass rush if teams concentrate their pass protection to the corners with the new dynamic duo out there. We have yet to see what the Ravens are looking to do with last seasons first over all pick Courtney Upshaw this season. Will the second year OLB continue of more a run defender with Dumervil now a Raven or will he be asked to contribute as a pass rusher as well. For that matter, what do the Ravens expect from veteran defensive lineman Chris Canty. He is also a player that has shown the ability to get the the quarterback although his talents were much overlooked in New York where the Giants seem to breed pass rushers.

The Ravens may also look for a young pass rusher to groom in the draft. Now that they have two outstanding pass rushers to help develop any young player they would bring in, that player would be in an almost perfect situation.