Lamar Jackson Is No. 1 in PFF's Top 101 Players Rankings
Pro Football Focus concluded its countdown of the Top 101 Players of 2024, and two Ravens landed in the top five.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson took the No. 1 spot and running back Derrick Henry was No. 5.
"Jackson produced his best season as a passer in 2024 en route to leading all quarterbacks with a 94.9 overall grade," the PFF staff wrote. "He is the first quarterback in PFF history to record a 90.0-plus passing grade and rushing grade in the same season. As a passer, he set new career bests with a 6.3% big-time throw rate and a 1.6% turnover-worthy play rate. On the ground, he led all quarterbacks with 1,035 rushing yards and 40 explosive runs, postseason included. This version of Jackson is simply unstoppable."
Two other quarterbacks made the top 10: the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow (No. 4) and Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen (No. 6), who beat out Jackson for league MVP.
Henry was the top running back on the list, five spots ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles' Saquon Barkley, who won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.
"Henry reinforced himself as an opposing defense's worst nightmare after joining Lamar Jackson in Baltimore's backfield," the PFF staff wrote. "He led the NFL with a 93.5 rushing grade and 88 missed tackles forced. He quickly became key to the Ravens' offensive operation, as they were undefeated in the 11 games in which he ran for at least 90 yards. It seems almost unfair that at 30 years old, Henry is the first running back since 2012 to average at least 6.0 yards per carry across at least 150 carries."
Safety Kyle Hamilton came in at No. 14. The Ravens and Super Bowl champion Eagles were the only teams with three players in the top 15.
"Hamilton is the glue that holds the Ravens' secondary together, and he proved it once again in 2024 with an elite 90.1 overall grade," the PFF staff wrote. "He was the only defensive player in the NFL to earn at least an 85.0 grade in both run defense and coverage. On top of that, he added 12 pressures and two sacks as a blitzer, cementing his status as the league's best all-around safety."
The other Ravens who made the rankings were cornerback Marlon Humphrey (No. 61), center Tyler Linderbaum (No. 69), tight end Mark Andrews (No. 75), and wide receiver Zay Flowers (No. 95).
Ravens Have Talent to 'Do Something Truly Special' Next Season
The Ravens have been one of the NFL's winningest teams in the Jackson era, and one pundit believes they can soar to new heights next season.
Pro Football & Sports Network’s Kyle Soppe’s bold prediction for the 2025 Ravens is that they will be undefeated into December and be the NFL's top overall seed.
Soppe cited the combination of an explosive offense led by Jackson and Henry and a defense that was trending up during the latter part of this past season as his reasons for being bullish on Baltimore.
"The bold claim might not be as bold as it sounds," Soppe wrote. "If you include the playoffs, the Jaguars and Bears were the only teams in 2024 with more losses in games decided by five points or less (Baltimore had five), and that doesn't include a seven-point loss [to the Kansas City Chiefs] at Arrowhead where they were an Isaiah Likely toenail away from sending things to overtime.
"A difficult schedule awaits Baltimore (the AFC North is always hotly contested and they face the NFC North), but this team is talented enough to do something truly special if the defensive film from late last season carries over to this regular season."
The Ravens have nine games next season against teams that made the playoffs in 2024.
Pundit Says Ravens Should Double Up at Cornerback in Offseason
The Ravens have long believed that a team can never have too many cornerbacks. ESPN's Aaron Schatz apparently agrees with that philosophy.
Schatz urged the Ravens to use both free agency and the draft to add depth at the position.
"Free agent cornerback Brandon Stephens was the weak link in the 2024 Ravens' secondary, so Baltimore can upgrade its defensive backfield by finding a solid veteran to play alongside Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey," Schatz wrote. "Better yet, the Ravens should double up at the position.
"With so many good receivers among the top AFC contenders, it's important to have depth in case of injury. The Ravens should use one of their early-round draft picks on a cornerback who can start fourth on the depth chart and then move up as he improves."
Three Young Players Who Need to Show Growth in 2025
While the Ravens will look to bolster their roster in free agency and the draft, Baltimore Positive’s Luke Jones said improvement from within is essential.
Jones named several young players who need to show growth in 2025. Here's a look at three:
ILB Trenton Simpson
"The 2023 third-round pick out of Clemson had his moments starting the first 13 games, but his playing time began to dwindle in late November and evaporated after the bye week with Simpson seeing a total of 15 defensive snaps over the final six games including the playoffs. … Veteran role players Malik Harrison and Chris Board eventually began splitting the weak-side job. With Harrison and Board scheduled to become free agents, the athletic Simpson must learn from his struggles and solidify a starting role as the Ravens try to address some premium positions this offseason."
G Andrew Vorhees
"Had Vorhees never suffered an ankle injury on the final drive of the Week 3 win at Dallas, you wonder if the Ravens would have stuck with him instead of pivoting to Patrick Mekari at left guard and ultimately sticking with that alignment for the remainder of the season. The 2024 campaign wasn't what he anticipated after rehabbing a serious knee injury for his entire rookie year, but Vorhees, 26, turned in his best performance filling in for a sick Mekari in Week 18, which was a positive way to head into his offseason."
WR Devontez Walker
"No matter how much you might like the starting wide receiver duo of Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, the Week 18 knee injury to Flowers emphasized the need for more quality depth, especially with veterans Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace set to become free agents. Walker is the only other wide receiver currently under contract who wasn't on last year's practice squad, so the Ravens will be counting on the 6-foot-1, 198-pound North Carolina product to improve his route-running ability to become a viable No. 3 or No. 4 option."
Rams Free-Agent Left Tackle Named Viable Option if Ronnie Stanley Isn't Re-Signed
If the Ravens are unable to re-sign left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who is expected to be highly sought after in free agency, USA Today’s Jacob Camenker said the team should target Los Angeles Rams pending free agent Alaric Jackson.
"Jackson has been a solid left tackle for the Rams for the last couple of seasons and would represent a younger, healthier alternative to Stanley," Camenker wrote. "He may also be cheaper than Stanley, which will be important to the cap-strapped Ravens."
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra included Jackson on his list of free agents who could be underpriced.
"I worry that the market for offensive linemen will be rife with overpays, but Jackson could slip into the underpaid category," Patra wrote. "A former undrafted free agent, Jackson proved to be a rock on Matthew Stafford's left side over the past two seasons.
"While he might not be an All-Pro, Jackson is steady as both a run-blocker and pass-protector. His 22 QB pressures allowed in 2024 matched the likes of Dion Dawkins in Buffalo, per Pro Football Focus. Jackson's positive run-blocking from the left side also aided L.A.'s vital rushing attack. If my choices are to spend around $15 million for a still-developing 26-year-old blind-side blocker or $20 million-plus for an over-30 injury-prone option, give me the former."
