Can Elvis Dumervil once again produce big numbers?

Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil has gone on record to say he and Terrell Suggs plan to re-take the sack crown. The two veterans do not lack lofty expectations. Suggs' situation is hard to predict. He has yet to hit the field in what will soon be a calendar year.

Dumervil on the other hand, played all 16 games last season, posting a total of six sacks. In his case however, six sacks do not tell the entire story. He did not disappear. In the road games against the Browns and the Cardinals, Dumervil was the Ravens only source of pressure. When clear passing opportunities arose - especially in the second half of the season - Dumervil was present.

The total of six sacks speaks for the lack of pieces around him. Not only did the loss of Terrell Suggs affect the Ravens pass-rush, it could also be argued that the loss of Pernell McPhee was even bigger.

Dumervil does not possess an inside move. He makes his living abusing the slower-footed right tackles around the edge, jumping snaps and getting around them with either a rip move or a speed-to-power bull rush.

McPhee being gone gave quarterbacks a place to step up in. Dumervil did not possess the ability to counter that fact. Suggs will be back. He will have to be accounted for. The Ravens also drafted Bronson Kaufusi and Kentucky's Za'Darius Smith is going into his second year.  Inside pressure will be better than it was in the prior year.

Bearing that in mind, it is a safe assumption to think that Dumervil will, in fact, bring his production up from six sacks to around 10.