The Ravens haven’t exactly been sack giants in a few years, but there’s good reason to think sacks will come aplenty in 2018.
Just who is going to lead the team in sacks this season?
Terrell Suggs finished first in 2017 with 11.0, but Matt Judon wasn’t too far behind with eight sacks of his own. After them was quite a drop off, though. Za’Darius Smith and Willie Henry each had 3.5 sacks and Tyus Bowser notched three more to the team total of 41. Even though Tim Williams didn’t record any sacks in 2017, there’s reason to believe he could become the team’s ace edge rusher in 2018.
Of those names, who can we expect to be the sack master in 2018? Each of the six we just named should have a legitimate claim to the crown and hopefully it will be a tight race between them all. Today, we take a look and break down the competition between them all and come to a somewhat definitive answer. Starting with:
Terrell Suggs:
T-Sizzle is one of the best sack artists of the last 15-years. His 125.5 career sacks place him 17th all-time and he still has time to get into the top 10. With 14.5 sacks, Suggs will pass Jason taylor for 7th all-time at 140 flat. That doesn’t seem attainable in one season, given Suggs age (turns 36-years old October 11th), but he could accomplish that over two-or-so seasons easily (barring injury).
As for 2018, there’s reason to expect Suggs to begin regressing. Suggs is way over the hill at this point in his career and a decline in production should be expected. Then again, we would’ve thought this after he tore his Achilles for the second time in 2015. Since then, he has 19.0 sacks.
2018 will be a big year for Suggs, or a drop-off year. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of in between here. I would expect Suggs to remain dominant, but perhaps be moved into more of a part-time role as the Ravens prepare for a future without him.
High: 12.0/Low: 5.0/Prediction: 8.5