Matt Vensel of The Baltimore Sun posted a piece (http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-06-06/sports/bal-sportsblitz-ravens-breakouts0606_1_ravens-defense-lardarius-webb-ed-dickson) this week, based on his interview with Matt Williamson of ESPN’s Scout’s Inc.

I agree with Vensel that two of Williamson’s picks as breakout candidates (Webb, and Dickson) were not surprising selections. The pick of McKinney over Cody was not one I agree with.

Thinking about the youth of the roster has me considering just how open is the Ravens window as a legitimate contender? With playoff appearances the three previous seasons, inclusive of four road playoff victories – it is obvious that Baltimore is a team built to win now. Frankly, every move made last off-season was made with the Super Bowl in-mind. The Ravens were not shy of telling everyone that was the goal.

Until Ray Lewis ever decides to hang-up his spikes (the 35 year-old stated in April that he can’t see himself playing past 37) , he is going to remain the face of this Franchise. I think because of that, and his advancing age, there is a tendency among football fans to think time is running out for the Ravens.  I think Reed’s health issues, and the inability of the Ravens receivers to gain separation last year only added to that way of thinking.

I think if you look at the youth that is in place on the roster, there is reason to believe the Ravens can remain a perennial contender for the foreseeable future. That level of optimism probably has to start with the leadership in-place in the Baltimore Front Office. They have shown an ability to regularly replenish the roster through the draft, and aggressively plug holes through Free Agency. Getting past the Front Office though, my optimism for this team going forward on the field beings with Joe Flacco. We’ve spoken previously about a contract extension for Flacco (https://baltimoresportsandlife.com/?p=2373) which I ultimately think will occur. If Flacco never improves at-all from what we saw last season, the Ravens still have a cornerstone in place at the game’s most important position. If by calling more of his own plays this coming year, you see his leadership further increase; the Ravens will absolutely have everything they could want in place at the QB position. The 26 year old Flacco is going into his 4th year in the league. With an extension, you will have had the long-term answer in place for over a decade. If you have productivity, and stability at the QB position, you annually will have a chance.

What type of skill-position talent will be surrounded around Flacco? Last year Ray Rice saw his Yards Per Carry drop from 5.3 in ’09, to 4.0. I think that had less to do about Rice, and more about the blocking in-front of him. Rice still had 1,220 yards rushing with 63 receptions for 556 more yards. Like Flacco, Rice is going into his 4th season. Like Flacco, I believe Rice will receive an extension prior to becoming a Free Agent. The one question with Rice is that at 5’8, he is a smaller back, and you wonder how many carries he has left. You can find  lots of productive RB’s, but it is hard to find backs that are capable of breaking through coverage and hitting home-runs. I think the Ravens may look to limit his carries as the years progress, but I think he will remain a force over the next 3-4 seasons. At FB, McClain could be back as a Restricted FA. With the assumption that McGahee is going to be released, I would think the Ravens could sell McClain on receiving additional carries.

I’m a huge Todd Heap fan. I believe he has been unfairly characterized as an injury prone player. As his career winds down, he has played in 45 of the previous 48 regular season games. Last year was interesting as he averaged 15 yards per reception, considerably above his 11.8 yard career average. I could see him coming back in ’12, but I would not be surprised if ’11 was his last season. The Ravens planned for that last year with the drafting of the aforementioned Ed Dickson, and Dennis Pitta. Pitta has a chance of being a regular contributor as a 2nd TE. Dickson’s athleticism is off the charts, and can not be taught. He is going to be a mismatch that can exploit defenses for years. Hopefully he soaks-up everything he can from Heap (similar to the lessons Heap received from Sharpe).

Anquan Boldin spent a lot of the 2nd half last year unproductive. Why that happended is a question for me as the Ravens head into 2011. That said, Boldin is signed through 2013.  My guess of part of the reason Boldin was a non-factor in the 2nd half, was that defenses had a lot of guys in the box to limit Rice, and that the Ravens lacked a deep threat in the receiving core. With both Mason, and Houshmandzadeh on the field next to Boldin, Baltimore offense was running a lot shorter routes (also because of the lack of blocking up-front). With those shorter routes, it was my sense that Flacco was most comfortable with Mason – the receiver he had the most experience with.  I assume Flacco and Boldin will be more familiar with each other this year. I also think this will be Mason’s last year. So, for at-least two more years after ’11, you will have a Number 1 caliber WR in place.

To give the Baltimore offense that stretch the field threat at the wideout position, the Ravens drafted Torrey Smith. I’m not expecting Smith to be asked much more than ‘Go Deep’ in his Rookie season, but that will change as time goes on. Smith has a great work-ethic, and I think by his second year will be a vastly superior route runner – to go along with his size and speed. The Ravens (and Flacco) are very excited by their selection of Tandon Doss. Doss is going to make this team, and contribute immediately this year via Special Teams. If the Ravens can go into ’12 comfortable with Doss as their 3rd WR, that will be a big boost to the offense.

So again, you are looking at building around Rice, Boldin, Dickson, Smith, Pitta, and Doss as your skill-position talent behind Flacco over the next several years. Potentially McClain could be added to that list. That is a pretty strong group to move forward with, before they are augmented with anything else.

Of course I’m always of the belief that football is won and lost in the trenches. Birk is about done, and Center is going to have to be addressed in the near-term. I think Oher is a better RT than LT, but his physicality makes him valuable at either position. He’s still in the fold for at-least the next 3 years, and will remain a player you feel good about.  Ben Grubbs recently had ankle surgery for the second time in the past three years. He has never missed a game due to injury in his career though. He is yet another player that is a Free Agent in ’12.  I don’t think he is an elite LG, but I get the sense he is in the upper 1/3 of the league. Just 27, it would be my preferance for the Ravens to get him extended.

I think Marshall Yanda was ridicously overrated at RT last year, but he was also better than I expected him to be. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King had Yanda on his All-Pro team. Coach Harbaugh is on the record as saying Yanda is one of his favorite players. I’ll certainly concede the obvious that both King, and Harbaugh know more than I do. It is my thinking that Yanda was ok (not great) against speed rushers from the outside, and that the move of Yanda to RT, Oher to LT, and Chester to RG was part of the reason that Rice’s yards per carry fell. While I’d like Gaither to be part of this team long-term, I do not see that as something likely to happen. The Ravens want to extend Yanda, the question will be do they pay him as a Tackle, or as a RG? If you can extend him at RG money, I’m in favor of that. If it is at RT money, I would consider parting ways with Yanda. The Ravens have drafted Jah Reid, and believe his future is at RT. If Reid is the future (maybe immediate future) for the Ravens at RT, you can’t overspend on Yanda to be the RG.

What about the Defense?

Franchised earlier this winter, a contract extension for DT Haloti Ngata will be the first priority of the Ravens when the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed. I have 100% confidence this will occur. If you do build team in the trenches, the Ravens D-line will be built around one of the most talented players in the League.  I’m extremely excited by the news (http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/2011/06/06/cody-resurfaces-looking-slim-fit/) of Cody being in better shape. I picture Cody as Pro-Bowl caliber talent, especially playing next to Ngata. If Cody can play every down type snaps, that Ngata/Cody tandem will be very disruptive in the middle. They can eliminate the run, and collapse the pocket.

Considering the contract extension Suggs received after the 2009 season, I don’t think there was anything better about last year; than seeing Suggs’ dominance after the Bye, and into the Playoffs. Now going into his 9th season, those 11 sacks were the most since the 12 he had his Rookie year. I hope Coach Pagano puts Suggs in straight seek and destroy type missions.

I’m still interested to see what he will do this year, but I think I’ve given up on Tavares Gooden becoming a force at LB.  You are never going to draft another Ray Lewis, but I think the Ravens will have to upgrade MLB over Ellerbe, and McClain. I’d expect that to be a priortity for Baltimore in the draft next year.  Jarret Johnson has been strong at OLB for a long time. Like Suggs he is also entering his 9th year in the league. He battled injuries in ’10, it will bear watching how much he shows left in the tank this year. What is hurting the defense’s prospects a bit long-term, is the lack of production from OLB/DE Paul Kruger (2nd round ’09), and the fact that Sergio Kindle (2nd round ’10) may never touch the field.  (Fox Sports’ Adam Caplan reported 5/26 that it is realistic to think Kindle will miss another full season.)

I would like to see the Ravens find a way to utilize Kruger as a pass-rusher this year. If Kindle ever contributes, you probably have to look at that as a bonus at this point.

Ed Reed is signed through ’12. While not playing a full-season last year, he led the league in picks. While not as physical as he once was, he remains a presence which all QB’s have to account for. Within the last year, Reed has talked of retiring and also wanting a long-term extension. I think he continues to make plays these next two seasons, and at that point goes year-to-year.  The Ravens made their long-term investment in the Secondary with the drafting of Jimmy Smith. He has yet to play a game, but the expectation is a shut-down physical corner capable of playing on an Island. That is a good position to start from. Some have suggested that Webb could one day be moved to Safety. I personally think he might be a bit undersized for that. I see a guy with excellent ball skills, that played well last year coming off the leg injury. I expect he will be even better this coming year. If Smith is your Number 1 corner the next 5 years, I think Webb has the chance to be one of the League’s best Number 2 corners.

Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times has reported that Foxworth may have to take a pay cut. I can see that happenning, but hope he stays around through the rest of his contract (through ’12). Foxworth is not an elite Corner, but he has good speed and cover skills, and superior leadership abilities. If he winds-up being a Nickleback for several years, he can really help. You could argue that he would be too expensive as a Nickleback, but my feeling is that you need at-least 3 CB’s you feel good about. I have similar thoughts on Josh Wilson as well. Depending on the results of the new CBA – Wilson could be a Restricted FA and be back for ’11.  Between himself and Foxworth, the Ravens should make it a priority to keep at-least one of them around for next several years.

Above we stated that Rice, Boldin, Dickson, Smith, Pitta, and Doss represnts the skill-position talent behind Flacco over the next several years, and stated our feeling that is a pretty strong group to move forward with. The Defensive core will be led by Ngata, Cody, Suggs, Smith, and Webb.

Looking over the next several years, the Ravens are definitively going to have to address MLB, OLB/DE, C, and Safety. All-in-all though, Baltimore has done a good job of acquiring the players necessary to have an extended run of success.

Chris Stoner
Chris Stoner

Owner

Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.

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