Ravens News 7/21: OLB Battle and more

Three questions each AFC North team must answer before start of 2022 season: QBs in the spotlight - Jordan Dajani

WR rotation

The Ravens traded Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals on opening night of the 2022 NFL Draft, and haven’t made a move to replace him. It’s possible Baltimore could add a veteran like T.Y. Hilton, Julio Jones or Will Fuller, but would anyone be surprised if the Ravens marched forward with what they currently have? Rashod Bateman appears to be the new No. 1, although he caught just 46 passes for 515 yards and one touchdowns in 12 games played in his rookie season. Everyone is expecting a big jump in 2022, but will that be enough for this offense? Baltimore has a couple of other young wideouts like Devin Duvernay and James Proche II, but it remains to be seen if they will be legitimate contributors, and how the depth chart shakes out.

One reason the Ravens probably aren’t too worried about their wide receiving corps is because of Mark Andrews. His 1,361 receiving yards and 107 receptions in 2021 led all tight ends, as he set the Ravens’ franchise record for most receiving yards in a single season. Baltimore also drafted two tight ends in the fourth round of the draft in Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely, and they should both play a role in Greg Roman’s scheme when it comes to catching the football. Keep an eye on how the Ravens use the tight end position this year.

Who will be your NFL team’s MVP in 2022? - Jeff Zrebiec

Baltimore Ravens

As long as Lamar Jackson stays reasonably healthy in 2022, there’s really no other answer. Given his contract status, Jackson will be arguably the most scrutinized player in the sport heading into Week 1. However, he seems to thrive off the questions and in proving people wrong. Jackson is said to have worked extremely hard this offseason on his fundamentals and those who know him best expect him to have a major bounce-back year. It certainly should help him that the Ravens solidified their offensive line this offseason and figure to be much healthier on the offensive side of the ball.

Ravens Offense Getting Back to ‘Revolutionary’ Ways? - Todd Karpovich

The Ravens were going to “revolutionize” the NFL with their offense in 2019.

Indeed, they had one of the league’s most prolific attacks that season.

The Ravens finished with 3,296 yards rushing — the most by any team in NFL history during a season.

They also became the first team in NFL history to average at least 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing per game in the same season.

Baltimore ranked first in the league with 33.2 points per game.

The goal is to get back to that type of dominance.

“He’s extremely motivated, extremely hungry,” tight end Mark Andrews said about Jackson. “We’ll be ready to go, and I’m confident that he’s going to be ready and show everybody what he’s got, and what type of hunger he’s got right now.”

2022 Offensive Line Tiers - Ross Tucker

ABOVE AVERAGE

Above-average lines have a chance to be elite but typically have one question, whether that is a position that is still up in the air or the health of a key component or two.

The Ravens, meanwhile, have all kinds of depth after the myriad injuries they suffered a year ago, including along the offensive line. If Ronnie Stanley plays at left tackle the way he did before his injury this should be a really good group, although I am very curious to see how first round pick Tyler Linderbaum fits into their scheme at center.

Training Camp Competition: Outside Linebacker - Clifton Brown

Best Battle

Hayes and Biegel will compete to secure a place in the outside linebacker rotation. Hayes is getting a fresh start after an injury-plagued rookie season and looked good during minicamps, showing explosive burst off the edge. Biegel was signed in May after playing five games with the Dolphins last year. A fourth-round pick in 2017, Biegel missed the 2020 season with a torn Achilles, but he’s starting training camp healthy. The Ravens will welcome any outside linebackers that add punch to the pass rush, especially with the timetable for Ojabo’s return uncertain. Hayes and Biegel could also add value by contributing on special teams.

Under the Radar

Houston could be leaned on more heavily this season, especially early in the year if Bowser is sidelined. He had 4 ½ sacks in 2021, but that number is misleading. He led the Ravens with 17 quarterback hits and played 61% of the defensive snaps. Houston is a proven pass rusher, with 102 career sacks, including seven seasons with at least eight sacks. With Bowser and Ojabo both coming back from injuries, Houston is an important piece of the pass rush puzzle.