Baltimore Ravens: Rebuilding Or Rebounding?
The Baltimore Ravens went 5-11 in 2015. The question that lies in front of them now is about their future. Do the Ravens have to think long-term and begin to rebuild the team this offseason? Or do they simply need to focus on rebounding, bouncing back from a bad season? The answer is a little bit of both.
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The foundation for the team is pretty much set in stone. The franchise quarterback (Joe Flacco), his favorite target (Steve Smith Sr.) and the defensive leader (Terrell Suggs) will be coming back after injuries ended their 2015 campaign. John Harbaugh is an experienced head coach and he has a ton of talent around him.
We have to remember that the Ravens had 20 players end up on injured reserve in the 2015 regular season. The Ravens also lost a good amount of close games. Even when they were dismantled by the injury bug, this team was competitive in most of their battles. If the Ravens can compete in the season from hell, just imagine what they can do if things go right…if anything goes right.
The Ravens are not many pieces away from being contenders in the AFC. With a strong offseason, the Ravens could very well put themselves back on the path to the AFC playoffs. So in part the answer is that a full rebuild is not necessary. With less injuries and a little more depth the Ravens bounce back into promise could happen right away.
The Ravens may be sitting prettier than their 5-11 record suggests, but they must be thinking about the big picture. It isn’t just about being good in 2016 but starting another streak of years competing in the playoffs.
The team needs a long-term solution at the wide receiver position for example. Nobody knows what to expect from Breshad Perriman and this will be the final act in the career of Smith Sr., the Ravens only target being worthy of being called a number one receiver. A superstar is clearly needed in this part of the roster.
Pass rushers are also something the Ravens could use down the line. The Ravens pass rushing combination of Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil will not last forever. Suggs is coming off his second major leg injury and has been taking the rough NFL life since 2003. The Ravens need an answer at the outside linebacker position even if it doesn’t have to solve the equation in 2016.
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The Ravens didn’t become one of the NFL’s most consistent teams by thinking only of the year in front of them. Ozzie Newsome has always had a multi-year plan to go off of. The Ravens need to continue to rebuild towards the future as they try to rebound immediately.