Besides Lamar Jackson, Who Could Determine Ravens' Super Bowl Fate?
The conversation begins with Lamar Jackson when discussing the players who will most affect the Ravens' Super Bowl chances, but it doesn't end there.
The Baltimore Sun’s Childs Walker identified 10 players other than Jackson who might determine Baltimore's playoff fate. Here's a look at three:
S Marcus Williams
"Williams has played just 21 of a possible 34 games since the Ravens signed him to a $70 million deal before the 2022 season and was hampered by the pectoral injury he suffered in Week 1 even when he did start last season. The Ravens still had the league's best pass defense — they allowed 4.7 yards per attempt and forced 31 turnovers — in part because Geno Stone stepped in for Williams on the back end, leaving Kyle Hamilton free to rove.
"Give Williams credit as well for remaining effective in coverage when he could not hit or chase the ball with his usual abandon. He's a tough, dedicated player. But with Stone in Cincinnati, the Ravens will need more from their highest-priced safety, whose ability to disrupt deep shots should work hand in glove with Hamilton's do-it-all game wrecking. The Ravens added a proven No. 3 at the position in veteran Eddie Jackson, but in an ideal world, Williams and Hamilton would play almost every snap for first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr."
OLB David Ojabo
"The Ravens tried to steal a first-round talent with a second-round pick, but Ojabo has played just five games in two years and is still recuperating from the knee surgery that wiped out most of his 2023 season. He's expected to be full-go a few weeks into training camp, and the Ravens hope to finally see what they have in the former Michigan standout.
"They squeezed terrific production out of their edge group last year because late additions Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy exceeded expectations. Van Noy is back, Clowney is not. They also picked up Odafe Oweh's fifth-year option, indicating they believe he's still a player on the rise. That leaves Oweh's high school pal, Ojabo, as the wild card. He has the physical tools to replace a chunk of Clowney's production, at least as a pass rusher. But with just one standout college season under his belt, he would have been a developmental prospect even if he had gone into the 2022 draft healthy. Instead, he's had most of his first two years wiped out by serious injuries. The Ravens have to pray this is the year his terrible luck turns, because they need him."
WR Rashod Bateman
"Other than [Lamar Jackson], there's no more debated player on the roster than Bateman, the 2021 first-round draft pick who's still searching for NFL success. Some fans couldn't believe the Ravens extended him based on 93 catches in three seasons. Others can't stop wondering why Jackson won't throw him the ball when he's open all the time. [Head Coach] John Harbaugh and [General Manager] Eric DeCosta have said they expect a splendid season from Bateman. Jackson and [Offensive Coordinator] Todd Monken have said he needs to be targeted more frequently.
"He was the most dynamic playmaker on the field the last day of mandatory minicamp, 24 hours after he seemed underused and disengaged in the team's penultimate workout. He's been a standout so far in training camp. Which Bateman will we see this season? He's healthy, and with Odell Beckham Jr. out of the picture, he won't have to fight to get on the field with 2023 first-round pick Zay Flowers. No receiver on the roster is better at creating separation off the line of scrimmage. Bateman's time is here."
Sean McVay on Facing 2023 Ravens Defense: 'You Felt Like You Were Playing Against 13 Players'
Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay is widely regarded as an offensive genius, so he knows about game-planning for opposing defenses. He talked recently about the daunting challenge the Ravens defense presented when his team played in Baltimore last year.
"I thought they did a great job of playing coverage where you're like, 'I don't know what the hell I'm going against,' because of the way they're teaching guys," McVay said on “The Athletic Football Show” podcast. "They teach an understanding of how route concepts distribute and how you don't have to work as hard throughout the course of the down to allow things to be able to progress.
"You felt like you were playing against 13 players sometimes. … Overall, I thought they were such a well-coordinated and well-executed defense, from the players to the coaches."
The Rams offense put up the second-most points (29) and yards (410) against the Ravens defense last season in the Week 14 meeting, which Baltimore won, 37-31, in overtime. However, the Ravens held the Rams to nine second-half points and forced a three-and-out on Los Angeles' lone overtime possession. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford played one of his best games that day, despite being under heavy pressure.
McVay praised then-Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald — who now as the Seattle Seahawks head coach will face McVay's Rams twice a season — and singled out three Ravens players he was especially impressed with.
"Kyle Hamilton I think is one of the ultimate chess pieces. I love that guy. He and I went to the same high school. I think he's such a baller," McVay said. "And obviously Roquan [Smith] does such a great job with his communication, his command. I thought Patrick Queen was excellent."
Even though the Ravens lost several coaches and players in addition to Macdonald and Queen, their defense again is expected to be one of the league’s best under Orr.
Keaton Mitchell, Trenton Simpson Ranked Among Top Under-the-Radar Players
ESPN's Aaron Schatz ranked the top 25 under-the radar players who could make an impact this season and beyond.
The rankings consisted of players who were drafted in the third round or later (or signed as an undrafted free agent) between 2021 and 2023 and have not gotten consistent playing time.
Here's a look at the two Ravens who made the list:
5. Keaton Mitchell, RB
Age: 22 | 2023 UDFA | 135 offensive snaps
"Mitchell exploded in Week 9 last season, when he took a late-game handoff and sped 40 yards past a group of Seahawks defenders for an easy touchdown, capping an incredible nine-carry, 138-yard performance. But we weren't too surprised. Mitchell was one of the highest-rated running backs in the class of 2023 based on our BackCAST projection system. Perhaps NFL teams let him go undrafted because they were concerned about his size (5-foot-7, 179 pounds).
"The Ravens are grateful they did. Mitchell had 59.5% DVOA on 47 carries, setting a new record for a running back with a minimum of 40 carries in a season. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in Week 15, prematurely ending his rookie season. Coach John Harbaugh said in a May press conference that Mitchell's return was 'not around the corner,' but the Ravens are optimistic that he will return at some point during the 2024 season to play lightning to Derrick Henry's thunder."
6. Trenton Simpson, LB
Age: 23 | Drafted: 2023, Pick: 86 | 46 defensive snaps
"This is entirely projection for a player who didn't play much defense as a rookie. Simpson only played 20 snaps before Week 18, when Baltimore sat a number of starters in preparation for the playoffs. However, the Ravens front office has a good track record of proactively drafting players to eventually take over for departing free agents. They used a third-round pick on Simpson with the knowledge that Patrick Queen's contract would be coming to an end after the 2023 season. Now Simpson will take over for Queen in the middle of the Baltimore defense next to Roquan Smith.
"Simpson is fast and bends well. He showed explosiveness when used as a blitzer at Clemson and when he took down Mason Rudolph for his first NFL sack in Week 18. NFL Next Gen Stats gave him an athleticism score that ranked third among linebackers who attended the 2023 combine. Scouting reports dinged him for his inability to get off blocks, especially against offensive linemen, so he'll need to improve that as he seeks to become an NFL star."
Travis Jones Is Ravens' Breakout Player to Watch
Another under-the-radar young player who could make a significant impact for the Ravens is defensive tackle Travis Jones, who was named Baltimore's breakout player to watch by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
"Last year's breakout player was defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who recorded a career-high 13 sacks. No one will suggest that Jones will put up double-digit sacks, but he could overtake Michael Pierce as the team's starting nose tackle," Hensley wrote. "In the spring, Jones reported in exceptional shape and lined up with the starters while Pierce sat out team drills. A third-round pick in 2022, Jones seems ready to step up and help out a run defense that allowed 4.5 yards per carry last season, which was the second worst in the franchise's 28-year history."
The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec has been impressed with what he's seen from Jones at training camp.
"Once or twice a practice, third-year defensive tackle Travis Jones gets penetration and winds up in the face of the quarterback or running back," Zrebiec wrote. "For all the talk about Baltimore not replacing Jadeveon Clowney's 9 1/2 sacks and potentially not doing enough to maintain its pass rush, team officials believe Travis Jones can help in that area. He has just 2 1/2 sacks in two seasons, but he flashes some pass-rush ability in practice. It just hasn't necessarily translated to the games yet.
"With starting nose tackle Michael Pierce entering his age-31 season and having battled some injuries in the past, Travis Jones could see an uptick in snaps in 2024. Getting him on the field and not taxing Pierce, particularly early in the season, is a win-win for the Ravens."
Lamar Jackson Named 'Prospective Sports Icon'
ESPN followed up its rankings of the top 100 athletes from the 21st century by naming 25 athletes who didn't make the cut but are the most likely to be included if the outlet does another list in 2050.
Jackson was among the "next group of prospective icons across the sports landscape."
"Jackson has established himself as the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history and one of the league's top playmakers," Hensley wrote. "He became the youngest two-time NFL Most Valuable Player since the merger, winning the award again last season at the age of 27. Beating defenses with his arm as well as his legs, Jackson has produced a 58-19 record (.753), which is the best mark by a quarterback with at least 50 starts since 2018."
Ravens legends Ray Lewis (No. 61) and Ed Reed (No. 99) made the top 100 rankings. The Hall of Famers also were included on ESPN’s list of the top 25 NFL players since 2000, with Lewis at No. 8 and Reed at No. 11. Fellow Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden was the top player among the five who just missed making the list.
Quick Hits
Yesterday's Most Read: Late for Work: The Key to the Ravens Reaching the Super Bowl
- Madubuike is No. 61 on the NFL’s Top 100 Players list. Former Raven Queen is No. 64. Nos. 61-100 have been revealed thus far. The countdown continues through Aug. 2.
