Ravens defense looks and feels faster already

The Ravens' youthful defense is teeming with speed and that turbo has Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees hyped. The youngsters, Terrence Brooks, Matt Elam, C.J. Mosley, Arthur Brown and Timmy Jernigan look blazing quick on the field during organized training activities.

Sure the pads are off and even I'm fast in shorts, but Pees is wise enough to discern between the two.

I really do believe that we’ve gotten faster...It sure looks like it, anyhow. I’m really hopeful of that. I think it’s going to show that it’s true.

Ravens' team writer Ryan Mink says that Mosley, who is approximately 20 pounds heavier than Ray Rice, is shadowing the star running back's every move, keeping up with him step-for-step. That's what I'd like to call sticking on somebody like white on ... Rice. Terrence Brooks ran the 40-yard dash at the combine and clocked in a 4.42-second reading. He'll need every split second to keep up with the rapido tempo (for you musicians out there), of players like Antonio Brown and A.J. Green. The fresh acquisition of Dominique Franks adds to the testament of the Ravens' need for speed also, the defensive back from Atlanta runs a 4.46 40-yard dash.

The Ravens will take all the speed they can get after a disappointing 8-8 season where the defense had difficulty getting off the field on third downs and occasionally helped gift opponents easy points. While finishing the year strong and ending eight in points per game allowed, extra speed will only help the Ravens do better in 2014.