Ebony Bird
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Baltimore Ravens: What’s On The Line In 2017

By Chris Schisler

Sep 25, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (R) talks to team owner Steve Bisciotti (L) prior to their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (R) talks to team owner Steve Bisciotti (L) prior to their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Ravens have a lot on the line as they head into the 2017 NFL Draft. The 2017 is judgement day for an organization that has missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.

The Baltimore Ravens have to win in 2017. If the Ravens fail to make the playoffs for a third straight season and a fourth time in five years, Steve Bisciotti would be forced to make changes. The Ravens just invested in making M&T Bank Stadium more of an experience. They raised ticket prices, now they have to raise the level of their performance. Fans will love the new video boards and escalators if their team is winning. The key is the Ravens have to win.

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John Harbaugh is on the hot seat. Many owners would have fired him by now. That’s just how the NFL works. Bisciotti is just as loyal as Harbaugh is. Harbaugh is his guy, but at some point he has to take the Ravens back to the success of his first five seasons. There was a time when Harbaugh was hard to complain about. A playoff win in each of his first five seasons, three trips to the AFC Championship Game and a Super Bowl win, these were accomplishments you couldn’t argue against.

The Ravens go into 2017 with essentially no changes from an organizational level. When 2017 kicks off, Harbaugh is the coach and his coordinators are coming back with him. Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta are still tasked with building the team. The Ravens are betting on themselves again and nobody has more chips than Ozzie Newsome.

Ozzie Newsome drafted most of the great players in Ravens history. He drafted Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden in the same draft. Over half of the historical 2000 defense was built in the NFL Draft. Who has drafted more Pro Bowl players than Newsome? Sure he has had some bad misses, but he has built a strong reputation.

The Bottom Line:

Newsome still knows what he’s doing. The free agent signings from the past few weeks will pay huge dividends for the Ravens. When the draft gets here, he has a chance to make the Ravens a very competitive team. The urgency the Ravens showed with free agent signings of Tony Jefferson, Brandon Williams, Brandon Carr and Danny Woodhead show you how important this offseason is.

Next: 2017 Baltimore Ravens: Top 5 Potential X-Factors

The NFL is a results oriented business. In 2017 everything could be on the line for a coach that has 85 regular season wins, a 10-5 playoff record and a Super Bowl ring. In 2017 everything could be on the line for a general manager who has built two Super Bowl winning teams. No matter what happens Harbaugh and Newsome are legends of the game. The fact that their jobs could and should be on the line going into the 2017 season, is a big deal.

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