'Lamar Effect' Has Helped Ravens Add Key Pieces to Championship-Level Roster
In Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins, the Ravens have the active leaders in career rushing and receiving yards, respectively.
Both of the five-time Pro Bowlers signed cost-effective deals and said the Ravens were their top choice when they hit free agency.
They also made it known that one of the main reasons they chose the Ravens was for the opportunity to play with two-time MVP Lamar Jackson.
Russell Street Report’s Ryan Jones referred to it as "The Lamar Effect."
"It goes beyond what he does on the field. It's about the trust he's earned from teammates, the humility he shows in leadership, and the belief players have in his ability to win it all," Jones wrote. "He's not just Baltimore's quarterback. He's the identity of the franchise. … He has become a gravitational force in the NFL.
"The respect he commands is evident not only in locker room soundbites and post-game interviews, but in contracts signed, veteran decisions, and the quiet 'why' behind Baltimore's roster continuity. The Ravens have managed to keep their championship window open not by overpaying for stars, but by building around a quarterback who makes people want to stay and want to win. That is rare in the NFL."
Jones noted that "The Lamar Effect" also played a role in Ronnie Stanley re-signing with the Ravens this offseason instead of hitting the open market, where he would have been the top left tackle available.
"The presence of Jackson is influencing player decisions across the roster," Jones wrote.
Jeff Zrebiec Looks at What's Next for Ravens This Offseason
It's been more than two weeks since the start of free agency, and the draft is four weeks away. The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec took stock of the Ravens at this point in the offseason and looked at what could happen next.
Here are two of his takeaways:
No gaping roster holes allows Ravens to stick to best-player-available approach in the draft.
"There are still areas that the Ravens need to add depth and starting competition. That's indisputable. Their numbers are too low along the offensive and defensive lines and in the secondary. Inside linebacker remains a major question mark. Adding a kick returner feels like a must, and a new kicker could become one, too.
"However, as they are currently constructed, the Ravens have no gaping roster holes. If they had to play a game Sunday, they could put out a respectable lineup. That would mean Andrew Vorhees starting at left guard, and that might happen anyway. That would mean Trenton Simpson back as a starting inside linebacker — that, too, remains a possibility. That would also mean Chidobe Awuzie, T.J. Tampa or Jalyn Armour-Davis as the No. 3 cornerback. The Ravens could live with that, especially if Awuzie is healthy. The starting safety alongside Kyle Hamilton remains a prominent question, but the Ravens are optimistic that Ar'Darius Washington will be back, and they do have young safeties Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade waiting in the wings."
May 2 is a key date for future roster additions.
"There will likely be another wave of free agency on May 2, because any free agent signed at that point will no longer count toward the compensatory formula. Anybody who knows anything about Baltimore's roster-building blueprint understands this is very much a deadline that the Ravens, who have gotten more compensatory picks than any team in football, circle on their calendars.
"In the past, the Ravens have hosted free agents before the draft with the idea of signing them after the compensatory deadline. They've also entered past drafts knowing they have a free-agent signing or two in their back pockets. That's certainly in play again this year. There are several 'true' unrestricted free agents still available who could help the Ravens. As long as they're in no rush to sign, Baltimore will likely be more aggressive to get things done a few days after the draft."
Mina Kimes Explains Why Ravens Should Add to Talented Secondary in Draft
Even though the Ravens have a talented secondary, which got deeper this week with the addition of veteran cornerback Awuzie, ESPN's Mina Kimes would like to see them add to the group in the draft.
"One thing I think is interesting for them is corner versus safety, because they have Kyle Hamilton who plays every position, Marlon Humphrey who can play outside [and] inside," Kimes said on her podcast. "What you want is just the ability to put them in the best positions in every game. So the more competent corners and safeties you have, the more positional flexibility you get from a matchup perspective.
"I like the idea of them continuing to throw resources at secondary, but not with any like, 'we have to get a guy to play outside' or 'we have to get a guy to play safety."
Two Positions Ravens Could Double Up on in Draft
Sports Illustrated’s Josh Reed identified which positions the Ravens could double up on in the draft. Here's a look at two of them:
Offensive line
"While the odds of them taking a tackle-only prospect in the first round are slim to none, they could still use a fairly high pick on a player with tackle-guard flexibility. That player could compete to replace Patrick Mekari at guard, serve as the swing tackle option and be an eventual successor at tackle toward the end of his rookie contract.
"Historically, the Ravens have been among the league's best when it comes to identifying and developing interior offensive line talent in the early, middle and even later rounds. There's a strong chance the Ravens could target a prospect like North Dakota State's Grey Zabel or Ohio State's Donovan Jackson in the first round. Georgia's Tate Ratledge and Texas' Cameron Williams could be options sometime on Day 2 or they could take a less-heralded or falling prospect early on Day 3 who could still compete for a starting job as a rookie."
Defensive line
"Following the recent retirement of veteran nose tackle Michael Pierce and given that 2022 third-rounder Travis Jones is heading into the final year of his rookie contract, the Ravens need immediate and long-term reinforcements along the interior of their defensive trenches. They are in need of another run-stuffer to help uphold what was the top rush defense in the league last year and could always use more juice when it comes to their interior pass rush. Thankfully, this year's class is loaded with defensive tackle prospects who specialize in both areas which makes this the most likely position for the Ravens to double up at."
All-Trade Mock Draft Has Ravens Moving Up to Select Offensive Lineman
Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano put a unique spin on his mock draft. His scenario had every team trading either up or down in the first round.
Vacchiano had the Ravens trading the 27th-overall pick for the Los Angeles Chargers' pick at No. 22, where Baltimore selected Zabel.
"Their interior line needs the most work, and this 6-6, 312-pounder is one that scouts seem to think might be better suited at guard," Vacchiano wrote. "So, they move up to get him before the Vikings (at No. 24) can take another offensive lineman off the board."
Quick Hits
Yesterday's Most Read: Late for Work: Five Ravens First-Round Picks Named Best of Decade at Their Draft Spot
- The Ravens were No. 12 in ESPN's Ben Solak's free-agency class rankings.
