Draft grades don’t imply a lot a 12 months after the draft, and so they imply even much less solely days after the draft. However with the Ravens eyeing a return to the playoffs, and making ready to construct a roster across the looming megadeal for quarterback Lamar Jackson, it was laborious to not be impressed not solely by the amount of the 2022 draft class they assembled (11 gamers) but additionally the standard.
From Thursday to Saturday, the Ravens earned excessive marks. In Owings Mills, there have been excessive hopes. “I feel it was an excellent weekend for us,” basic supervisor Eric DeCosta mentioned after the Ravens’ ultimate decide Saturday.
It was higher for some than for others. Right here’s a take a look at whom the draft helped and whom it harm.
Winners
Mike Macdonald: Within the three-plus months since he was employed away from Michigan, the Ravens have spent massive on their protection. In free company, they signed security Marcus Williams and defensive deal with Michael Pierce to multiyear offers and re-signed beginning defensive finish Calais Campbell and inside linebacker Josh Bynes. Within the draft, they landed an instant-impact security (Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton), a possible Professional Bowl edge rusher (Michigan’s David Ojabo) and an inside pass-rushing presence (Connecticut’s Travis Jones), plus much-needed cornerback depth.
There are nonetheless weaknesses to handle at inside and outdoors linebacker, however Macdonald ought to enter coaching camp with no less than an elite security group. His predecessor, Don “Wink” Martindale, set a excessive bar in his first three years because the Ravens’ defensive coordinator earlier than a parade of accidents upended the 2021 season. With higher well being, Macdonald’s protection has the makings of one other top-10 unit.
Greg Roman: The Ravens’ offensive coordinator doesn’t want a squadron of elite extensive receivers to be blissful. Simply give him a cohesive offensive line, a bunch of productive tight ends and a quarterback as proficient as Jackson, and Roman ought to discover his consolation zone. Even with out high extensive receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, traded away Thursday evening to the Arizona Cardinals, the Ravens have extra of the form of personnel that Roman can optimize higher than most.
High middle prospect Tyler Linderbaum, who thrived in Iowa’s zone-running schemes, will diversify a operating recreation that struggled at occasions final season. Minnesota’s Daniel Faalele has the facility to displace edge defenders as successfully as offensive deal with Orlando Brown Jr. did in Baltimore. And Arizona State’s Charlie Kolar and Coastal Carolina’s Isaiah Probably give Jackson two extra intriguing tight ends to focus on over the center. Roman likes an offense that may get “medieval” on opponents, and the Ravens’ 2022 offense now seems much better suited to that.
Patrick Queen: The third-year inside linebacker needed to shoot down rumors that he was on the transfer Friday afternoon (“cease taking part in,” he tweeted), however that proved pointless by Saturday afternoon. In a defense-heavy draft, the Ravens addressed each place however inside linebacker. Queen and Bynes stay the favorites to start out at weak-side linebacker and center linebacker subsequent season, respectively.
Queen’s relationship with Macdonald, his former inside linebackers coach, ought to assist him as he seeks higher consistency. The 2020 first-round decide’s subsequent step: establishing himself as a three-down defender. If Queen’s struggles in protection proceed, the Ravens might drop Hamilton or security Chuck Clark into the field on passing downs.
Returning extensive receivers: On the draft’s first evening, the Ravens traded away Brown. On the draft’s ultimate day, they had been a decide away from drafting a large receiver within the fourth spherical, solely so as to add a second tight finish, Probably, after the Pittsburgh Steelers picked Memphis’ Calvin Austin III.
“We like our receivers,” DeCosta mentioned after the draft. Now, barring a major free-agent addition, they need to get each alternative to point out why. Rashod Bateman was already projected to start out after a promising rookie 12 months, however the Ravens will want Devin Duvernay (272 receiving yards in 2021), James Proche II (202 yards) and Tylan Wallace (23 yards) to step up. Even when Roman prefers heavier personnel packages this 12 months, there needs to be loads of snaps and targets to go round.
Small faculties: Final 12 months, amid the uncertainty of a coronavirus-warped school soccer season, Ravens officers determined to primarily goal prospects from Energy 5 convention groups. 4 of their eight picks performed within the Massive Ten. Three others got here from the Atlantic Coast Convention, Massive 12 Convention and Southeastern Convention. Defensive again Brandon Stephens was the lone exception — and he’d began his profession at UCLA earlier than ending it at American Athletic Convention member Southern Methodist.
This 12 months, the Ravens confirmed a higher willingness to guess on gamers from off the crushed path. Within the third spherical, they took Jones, a star for the Huskies, previously AAC pushovers who now compete as independents. Within the fourth, they drafted Probably, who’d dominated within the Solar Belt Convention, and Houston cornerback Damarion Williams, one other AAC standout.
Losers
Sam Koch: Fourth-round decide Jordan Stout, the highest-drafted punter in a decade (No. 130 general), reminds Ravens officers of Koch — his holding capacity, his effectivity, his leg power, his accuracy. The Penn State product can also be cheaper than the 39-year-old Koch; the Ravens’ longest-tenured participant has the third-highest wage cap hit amongst punters this season ($3.2 million).
Coach John Harbaugh mentioned Saturday that Stout will study from Koch in Baltimore, and “then we’ll simply see the place it goes.” However the writing appears to be on the wall. “When you have an opportunity to repair a place for 10 years with a punter about to be 40,” DeCosta instructed NBC Sports activities on Saturday, “you’ve acquired to think about that strongly.”
Chuck Clark: Clark hasn’t missed a defensive snap over the previous two seasons. He’s a locker room chief and a trusted on-field communicator. He’s on a team-friendly deal via 2023. Teammates turned his blunt cameo on the Ravens’ Week 18 postgame information convention — “As respectfully as I can say as doable, simply watch how we bounce again” — right into a rallying cry for this offseason.
Now, although, Clark’s position in Baltimore is unsure. With the arrival of Williams and Hamilton, together with Brandon Stephens’ flexibility as a nickel security, what number of snaps are there for Clark? Even when he stays a starter, Clark possible gained’t play each down and, in consequence, must surrender the inexperienced dot because the protection’s signal-caller.
Justice Hill: The Ravens will hold no less than three operating backs on their season-opening roster, and the unsure restoration timetables for J.Okay. Dobbins and Gus Edwards might open a spot for Hill. However the fourth-year speedster is getting back from his personal season-ending damage, a torn Achilles tendon. After three quiet seasons, sixth-round decide Tyler Badie, together with returners Ty’Son Williams and Nate McCrary, ought to put up a combat on the roster bubble.
Hill’s finest hopes might lie together with his particular groups capacity. He completed sixth on the workforce in particular groups snaps in 2020, impressing together with his capacity on protection models. But when Hill’s rehabilitation limits his velocity and acceleration, he might wrestle to face out.
Ja’Wuan James: The Ravens realized final 12 months that you may by no means have too many competent tackles. However even when James returns to full power — he’s appeared in simply three video games since 2019 and missed final season with a torn Achilles tendon — he may very well be the odd man out in a considerably stabilized deal with room.
The Ravens stay hopeful that left deal with Ronnie Stanley, after two straight season-ending ankle accidents, can be prepared for the 2022 opener. Patrick Mekari, who stepped in final season as a swing deal with, can now return to his reserve position, with Linderbaum anticipated to start out at middle and Morgan Moses at proper deal with. Faalele’s roster spot is safe, barring a critical damage. With Tyre Phillips’ expertise at deal with, James might grow to be expendable.
Ravens’ downfield passing: Over the Ravens’ first eight video games final 12 months, Brown’s common goal depth was 14.5 yards downfield. Jackson’s stretch of absences in the end harm Brown’s involvement downfield — his common depth of goal by season’s finish was right down to 11.5 yards, based on the NFL’s Subsequent Gen Stats — however his position over these first two months was essential. Solely six extensive receivers completed above 14.5 air yards per goal final season.
Now the Ravens must discover a new deep risk (or two) for his or her array of play-action drop-backs. Duvernay has nice velocity and dynamic after-the-catch capacity, however he didn’t have a catch longer than 39 yards as a rookie or 21 yards final season. Bateman can separate from cornerbacks on vertical routes, however he gained’t get the identical consideration from safeties that Brown did. Proche and Wallace, in the meantime, challenge extra as possession receivers.
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