The Ravens reversed the trend of the season against the Buccaneers, getting out to a slow start but finishing extremely well. That strong finish was enough to earn a win which, coupled with a Bengals loss, leaves them in sole possession of first place in the AFC North. They’ll have a chance to defend that lead on Monday night against the Saints, so as they prepare for a trip to New Orleans, let’s take a look at some news surrounding the team.

Rookies Making Major Impact on Ravens

The Ravens have slowly been putting things together over the last few weeks, and according to Sports Illustrated’s Todd Karpovich, the improved play of many of the team’s rookies is a major reason why. Thursday night was a prime example of this, as center Tyler Linderbaum, tight end Isaiah Likely, and safety Kyle Hamilton all enjoyed standout performances. Karpovich notes that Linderbaum, who has been solid all year long, posted a team-high 91.3 PFF run-blocking grade. His ability to create holes, particularly when matched up against star linebacker Devin White, earned him recognition from many popular media outlets. Meanwhile, Likely finally got his chance to make an impact when Mark Andrews went down with an injury and he took full advantage. According to Karpovich, his six receptions, 77 receiving yards, and one touchdown were all season highs for the fourth-round pick. Finally, Hamilton, who was the Ravens first selection last May, posted his best performance to date, earning the highest PFF grade of any Baltimore defender. His ability to step up since Marcus Williams went down with an injury has been critical to the success of the secondary. Given that the Ravens were tied for the most selections in last spring’s NFL draft, it’s pleasing to see that the team is finally getting significant contributions from its rookie class.

Source: Ravens acquire LB Roquan Smith in trade with Bears

The Ravens fan base has been patiently awaiting a significant move from the front office for weeks, and Monday afternoon, the team finally made one happen. According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley and Courtney Cronin, the Ravens shipped their second and fifth round picks in next year’s draft as well as linebacker A.J. Klein to the Chicago Bears in exchange for linebacker Roquan Smith. Over the past few seasons, Smith has established himself as one of the league’s best coverage linebackers. He is a two-time second-team All-Pro and is on track for similar honors this year as he currently leads the league in total tackles. The one concerning part of this deal is that Smith is set to hit free agency in March and the Ravens are already going to have to commit a significant part of their available salary cap to a Lamar Jackson contract extension. If the Ravens are unable to re-sign him, they will have given up two picks for just over half a season of play. Fortunately, if he leaves, they will recoup a third or fourth round compensatory pick to soften the blow. As for the other AFC North teams, the Bengals and Browns stayed quiet at the deadline while the Steelers shipped wide receiver Chase Claypool to Chicago for a second round pick (not the same one the Ravens traded to them). 

Latest On Ravens’ Injury Situation

While the trade for Roquan Smith should quiet some of the criticism from Ravens fans, the team’s decision not to go after a wide receiver has left some frustrated, especially given the health of the offense. According to Adam La Rose of ProFootballRumors.com, the offense is  currently dealing with a slew of injuries, many of which are to skill position players. The running back room has been the most affected group as J.K. Dobbins was sent to the IR last week after he underwent surgery to help him regain full motion in his knee. In addition, Gus Edwards hurt his hamstring on Thursday night, and while he isn’t expected to be out long term, he could miss this Monday’s matchup against the Saints. Meanwhile, the pass-catching room took multiple blows when both Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman went down with injuries on Thursday. Both entered the game as questionable, and their respective decisions to suit up could now cost them even more time, especially in the case of Bateman, who head coach John Harbaugh said will be out multiple weeks. All of these injuries could put a lot of pressure on Lamar Jackson this weekend, but as La Rose notes, if the Ravens can make it through Monday, a much-needed bye week is waiting for them on the other side.

Ravens to activate OLBs Tyus Bowser and rookie David Ojabo

Fortunately, it isn’t all bad news on the Ravens injury front. According to Spencer Schultz of Baltimore Beatdown, the team is set to activate outside linebackers Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo prior to this weekend’s game against the Saints. Bowser is coming off the best season of his career in which he led the team with seven sacks. His return should bolster a pass rush that is already among the league’s best and is currently tied for fifth in total sacks. Ojabo, on the other hand, has yet to take a snap in the NFL. He was selected in the second-round of last year’s NFL Draft after an excellent 2021 campaign at the University of Michigan. The idea of adding another impressive first-year player into what is already emerging as an excellent rookie class is an exciting prospect for Ravens fans. However, Schultz reports that Harbaugh is going to express extra caution with Ojabo due to his lack of experience playing in the Ravens’ scheme. Given that both players are coming off of torn achilles, it’s reasonable to expect them to be eased back into action rather than immediately thrown into the fire. That being said, the quicker they can get up to speed, the quicker the Baltimore defense can begin to play to its full potential.

Mike Preston’s midseason report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 5-3 start

As we approach the halfway point of the 2022 NFL season, The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston took some time to assess each position group on the team. Given that the Ravens are in first place in the AFC North and in a great spot to make the playoffs, one would expect the roster to be graded fairly well. However, Preston was very critical of nearly every unit on the team. The only group to earn an “A” was special teams, which is almost inevitable when Justin Tucker is your kicker. Other than that, the highest grade was a “B”, given to both the offensive and defensive lines. Each of these units have suffered a slew of injuries so it’s nice to see them earn some respect for how they’ve performed despite difficult circumstances. Next up were the running backs, coaching staff, and quarterbacks, each of whom received a “B-“. The inconsistencies in playmaking out of the backfield and failure to close games in the fourth quarter give merit to this grade for the running backs and coaches, but it’s surprising to see the quarterbacks graded so lowly considering that Lamar Jackson is among the league’s top candidates for MVP. To close things out, the linebackers and wide receivers, undoubtedly the team’s two weakest units, received a C+ and a C respectively.

Luke Rollfinke
Luke Rollfinke

Luke Rollfinke is a student at Vanderbilt where he is pursuing a career in sports journalism. A recent graduate from the Friends School of Baltimore, Luke has spent his entire childhood in Charm City and is a devoted Orioles fan. In the past, he has written for SB Nation and has worked closely with Ravens columnist John Eisenberg. From nights at Camden Yards to Sunday afternoons watching NFL Redzone, Luke eats, sleeps, and breathes sports. He is excited to bring his perspective to BSL.

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