With the talent they possess, the Baltimore Ravens should have a top-five defense next season.
During this offseason, much of the focus has been on fixing the offense for the Baltimore Ravens. We all know it was sub-par last year, but the reason the Ravens were still in it at the end of the year was that of the defense. Ironically, it was also the defense that cost them a spot in the playoffs on the infamous 4th & 12. However, don’t let that make you forget how good the unit can be this coming year.
Last year, the Ravens ranked sixth in points allowed, 10th in passing yards allowed, and 15th in rushing yards allowed. That is not bad by any means, but Baltimore has always been built on defense. The Ravens need those stats to be top five, top eight, and top 10, respectively. The team has spent more resources on building the defense than anything else, so they need to start seeing results.
One of the complaints is the defense faltering late in games. I think that problem was fixed with the hiring of Don Martindale as defensive coordinator. Martindale is known for his aggressiveness. He is even called by some the third Ryan brother. The Ryan’s are known for taking chances with blitzes and coverages, so we should see a lot of that with Martindale.
Dean Pees, the former Ravens defensive coordinator, was very conservative. That showed with opposing offenses’ ability to drive down the field and score late in games. The 2014 playoffs against New England, 2016 at Pittsburgh, 2017 at Pittsburgh and 2017 against Cincinnati are just a few examples of defense failing in big games. A lot of the blame can go on Pees.
Martindale is also getting plenty of talent back. The Ravens lost absolutely no starters from the defense last year. They are gaining players like Tavon Young and Bam Bradley from injury. Brent Urban, who started early in the year and looked poised for a breakout year before getting hurt, is also back on a one-year contract.
The defensive line should be a force again next year. The group has plenty of depth with defensive tackle Michael Pierce getting another year under his belt. The pass-rush should be improved with veterans like Terrell Suggs coming back and future starts like Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams looking to contribute. And the secondary should be fierce if Jimmy Smith’s rehab goes well. Smith and Marlon Humphrey would form one of the most fierce cornerback duos in the league. Eric Weddle and Tony Jefferson get another year together as they progressed immensely throughout 2017.
The only position where I think the unit could use an upgrade is at inside linebacker. C.J. Mosley is great, but they need to pair him with a better talent. The team was left in a bind with Zachary Orr’s sudden retirement, but Patrick Onwuasor filled in and did fine. However, there is no doubt the team should look for an upgrade. There will be plenty of options available through the draft.
The bottom line
Ozzie and the front office will have their work cut out improving the offense, but the defense should be fine. With plenty of talent coming back, this group has a chance to be a fierce unit. And with a capable offense, we should see this organization going back to playing Raven football.