Ravens News 6/21: Two tight end sets, Flacco’s mobility and more

Projecting one future first-time Pro Bowler for each AFC team - Gil Brandt

BALTIMORE RAVENS: Brandon Williams, DT, sixth NFL season. Williams is strong, explosive and agile, very hard to block in the running game. When he’s healthy, Baltimore’s defense plays a lot better. He’s so good, in fact, that I’m surprised he hasn’t already earned a Pro Bowl nod. Of course, he does play at a stacked position, with many stellar defensive tackles in the league today. But this year, I think he’ll cut through the noise.

Williams is one of the top run stuffers in the entire NFL. However, he will likely have to boost his sack numbers to gain Pro Bowl recognition. In 2017, Geno Atkins, Jurrell Casey and Malik Jackson were the AFC’s Pro Bowl defensive tackles.

Joe Flacco Sees a Big Improvement in His Mobility This Year - Garrett Downing

“The thing that has really been showing up this camp and during these OTAs is just the movement – extending plays and stepping up in the pocket,” Flacco said at the conclusion of last week’s minicamp. “And not just stepping up in the pocket, but scrambling out and making plays on the run.”

“I probably placed a big emphasis on mobility, movement within the pocket, footwork timing,” Urban said. “But the ability to push up and slide, find passing lanes, buy time, all of that has been a big emphasis. I’m not sure that is was or wasn’t emphasized in the past, but that’s where I go pretty quickly.”

The addition of new quarterbacks coach James Urban, formerly of the Bengals and Eagles, could pay big dividends if he can help Joe Flacco improve his footwork and pocket pre.

2017 Offensive Personnel Analysis - Bryan Knowles

Baltimore led the NFL in both 12 and 22 personnel usage. All in all, they had 495 snaps with two tight ends on the field; Minnesota and Kansas City were the only other teams even over 300. Throw in the odd three-tight end set near the goal line, and the Ravens ended up with multiple tight ends on the field 55 percent of the time; no one else even hit 40 percent. And now, they’ve added Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews in the draft to bolster the position that much more. We know the Ravens have talked about experimenting with a two-quarterback set with Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson on the field together; what we didn’t know is if it’ll be Flacco, Jackson, and four tight ends. The ultimate big formation!

12 personnel includes two tight ends, two receivers and a running back, while 22 personnel features two tight ends and two running backs.