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NFL Draft: Baltimore Ravens Must Improve The Offense

By Chris Schisler

Jan 1, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mike Wallace (17) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 27-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mike Wallace (17) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 27-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Ravens must improve the offense in the NFL Draft. They really don’t have a choice.

The Baltimore Ravens talent is all concentrated on the defense. Signing Tony Jefferson and giving big money to Brandon Williams behooves the Ravens defense. The Ravens defense was already pretty strong. In the 2016 season the Ravens had one of the top defenses in the NFL.

Dean Pees finished the season with his defense ranked seventh overall. Without much pass rush and injuries to Jimmy Smith hampering the secondary, the Ravens were still able to rank ninth in pass defense. Jefferson, Eric Weddle, Smith and Tavon Young… that secondary is starting to sound good. Add a free agent cornerback and draft a pass rusher and you’ll see a dominant defense. They could even do it the other way around.

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While the Ravens defense has a clear concentration of star power, the offense is in need of a tune up. Kenneth Dixon has a world of potential but he is facing a four game suspension for PED use. Danny Woodhead will help the Ravens, but the Ravens are lacking play-makers.

Stats are usually pretty telling. The Ravens ranked 21st in points per game, 17th in yards per game, 12th in passing yards per game and 28th in rushing yards per game. These are less than exciting numbers. This offense was problematic and because Joe Flacco threw the ball over 600 times, the passing numbers are inflated.

The Ravens have to focus on offense in the draft. That doesn’t mean that Ozzie Newsome and company should ignore a top flight cornerback or an exciting pass rusher in the first round. It simply means that the Ravens have to come out of the draft with a weapon or two for Joe Flacco.

Possible Targets At Wide Receiver and Round They Should Be Drafted:

  • John Ross (Round 1): Ross is a lightning bolt of a receiver from Washington. With his size being his only concern and his ability to go up and get the football as something that cancels that out, Ross could be a game changer.
  • JuJu Smith-Schuster (Round 2): Smith-Schuster is speedy wide receiver from USC. In my opinion he is a Torrey Smith like player, though I think he has way more upside. Smith-Schuster can make the tough catches. He’s one of my favorite players in this draft.
  • Zay Jones (Round 2): Jones was off the charts productive at East Carolina. He can make the circus catches, and it was hard not to get excited about him when I watched the Senior Bowl. Jones has talent and in the second round, he’s a great value.

Next: Baltimore Ravens: 3 Positions That Still Need To Be Addressed

Baltimore has invested in Flacco. The Ravens need to invest in the offense around him too. The Ravens offensive roster isn’t good enough. They have pieces to the puzzle. Mike Wallace is a good receiver but he isn’t a number one target. Dennis Pitta is reliable but he isn’t flashy. The Ravens need at wide receiver is substantial. Right tackle is another position that could use some love after the departure or Rick Wagner. The bottom line is that the defense is going to be good. The offense still needs help.

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