The NFL Draft answered a lot of questions for the Baltimore Ravens. The roster is always in a state of construction though, so numerous questions remain.
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Do the Ravens have enough depth at cornerback?
No.
The starters are set with Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith. When healthy, that’s actually an above-average duo. The depth is non-existent, though, and selection Tray Walker in the fourth round doesn’t change that.
The best bet to man the nickel corner spot should be Rashaan Melvin or Asa Jackson. Melvin played very well as a starter until Tom Brady picked on him repeatedly in the divisional round of the playoffs in what was one of the worst performances you’ll ever see from a cornerback: Melvin allowed 14 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns into his coverage. During the entire regular season, Melvin allowed just five catches for 67 yards.
Still, Melvin flashed the most talent of any depth cornerback on the roster, so as long as his confidence isn’t completely shot, he has a chance to play.
Jackson, on the other hand, struggled in just about every game he played in 2014, his first action as a pro. He gave up 25 catches on just 37 targets in his direction. Still young, Jackson has a chance to play better next year, but the Ravens shouldn’t count on him for much.
Projecting Walker to the pro game is difficult. There isn’t much tape on him out there, and the level of competition stood out as a big issue. Jackson State’s receivers look stuck in the mud compared to schools like Ohio State and Oregon. Still, he did flash good ball skills on this interception.
Most likely, Walker will be a developmental prospect who contributes early on special teams.
Finally, there is Anthony Levine, whose ball skills caused some issues last year. He is a sound tackler with good speed, though.
The Ravens could and should make another move to get a legitimate nickel cornerback. No secondary is complete without three starting caliber cornerbacks, and the Ravens only have two. That needs to change.
Who will line up across from Steve Smith?
Unlike cornerback, the Ravens’ depth is strong at wide receiver, with Kamar Aiken, Marlon Brown and Michael Campanaro all flashing skill last year behind Torrey Smith and Steve Smith. Add two draft picks to the position, and the Ravens definitely have the depth to weather the loss of Torrey. But unlike cornerback, the Ravens don’t have a clear-cut starter opposite their leader, Steve Smith.
Breshad Perriman, the Ravens’ first-round pick, would seem to be the obvious candidate. He’s the kind of big, athletic pass catcher offensive coordinator Marc Trestman likes, and the Ravens generally like to play their first-round draft picks early. He’s raw, though, and has a lot to prove with his routes and hands. He has the biggest upside, but he also has the biggest risk.
Kamar Aiken has the lowest upside of the group and the highest floor. He runs sharp routes and catches the ball consistently, but isn’t a big play threat.
Marlon Brown is the only receiver aside from Smith with starting experience. Though he is a big receiver at 6’5″, Brown actually plays like a smaller slot receiver. His routes are sharp with great burst in and out of them, yet he doesn’t catch a ton of jump balls.
Michael Campanaro is a dark-horse candidate who flashed a lot of potential last year. He looked faster than advertised last year and proved he could handle slot receiver duties right away. He’s probably not a contender to start on the outside, though.
Darren Waller will probably make the team, and that’s it. He isn’t a contender to start yet.
Can Maxx Williams start immediately at tight end?
Assuming no Dennis Pitta, Maxx Williams is by far the best receiving tight end on the roster. Whether that means he is ready to start, though, remains to be seen.
One thing is for certain, the Ravens can’t count on Crockett Gillmore to start. He just isn’t a big enough receiving threat. His speed isn’t going to threaten defenses, and he’s not polished enough to use his size quite yet. He’s a nice blocker and a great second option, but he will probably never be a difference maker as a starter.
The jump from college to the NFL can cause some surprises. Though Williams has a game that should translate, anything can happen. His blocking, good enough at Minnesota, could be an issue as he tries to take on bigger, faster and stronger edge players. His ability to get separation, never a strong suit to begin with, could be an issue in the pros.
I like Williams a lot, and I expect him to succeed. But the Ravens will count on him to start early, and he may not be up to the task yet. He and Gillmore will probably alternate early, with plenty of two tight end sets to boot.
Will Eugene Monroe rebound?
In 2013, the Ravens’ offensive line was abysmal with the exceptions of Marshal Yanda and Eugene Monroe. In 2014, it was the opposite: The entire line excelled except for Monroe, who struggled with injuries.
Monroe generated minimal push in the ground game and struggled with the better pass rushers he dealt with. He was better than rookie undrafted free agent James Hurst, obviously, but not by much.
If Monroe returns to his 2013 form and the rest of the offensive line maintains its performance from 2014, this could be the best offensive line in the league.
Will the Ravens pass rush be the same without Haloti Ngata and Pernell McPhee?
Having Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs on the edges, the Ravens should be set at the pass rush. That pair, combined with Pernell McPhee and Haloti Ngata, produced the best four-man rush in the NFL last year. McPhee and Ngata have since moved on, though, leaving the Ravens with questions about their pass rush.
Further, an injury to either Dumervil or Suggs would prove absolutely catastrophic to the team, as those two are the only proven pass rushers on the team.
There is hope, though. Brandon Williams flashed the ability to push the pocket that made Ngata so valuable last year, and Timmy Jernigan has a knack for slipping through offensive lines. Fourth-round draft pick Za’Darius Smith has a similar skillset to McPhee as well, with good size, strength and straight-line burst for a man his size. Smith probably will never be a great edge rusher, but like McPhee, he could excel rushing from a stand up position up the middle.
Any injury would expose this pass rush, which is a huge problem. Assuming perfect health, though, the Ravens will probably be fine.
Shawn began his writing career with Bleacher Report as a Ravens featured columnist and Breaking News Team writer. He moved on to write for Yahoo! and work on the Ravens Central Radio podcast. Most recently, he was an Editor at the Baltimore Wire. Shawn is a 2013 graduate of the Catholic University of America.