Baltimore Ravens: 3 biggest needs based on 2018 season examples

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 07: Michael Crabtree #15 of the Baltimore Ravens is unable to make the catch in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 07: Michael Crabtree #15 of the Baltimore Ravens is unable to make the catch in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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BALTIMORE, MD – OCTOBER 21: Free Safety Eric Weddle #32 of the Baltimore Ravens stands on the field in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 21, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – OCTOBER 21: Free Safety Eric Weddle #32 of the Baltimore Ravens stands on the field in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 21, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Need #2. A Free Safety with Range:

Eric Weddle is a very popular Ravens player, and he should be. It’s not knocking Weddle down to suggest that relying on a 33 year old safety who has lost a bit of a step is not a good business plan. There is no getting around the fact that the Ravens need a free safety with range. One just has to look at Baltimore’s interception numbers for most of the season, to note that this team doesn’t have a ball hawk back there.

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The biggest problem game for this need was the Ravens 27-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Ravens had the Chiefs on a 4th & 9. Pat Mahomes and Tyreek Hill made a huge play down the field. While it was an incredible play, Weddle was nowhere near the neighborhood of stopping this play. Weddle had a rough day. Mahomes lofted a couple of passes that should have been picked and would have been if the Ravens had a safety in better position. Weddle is awesome at a lot of things, but Travis Kelce did abuse him in that game.

Weddle went from having six interceptions in 2017 to having none in 2018. He had four interceptions in 2016. This is a very noticeable drop off in production. In two years he had 10 picks and this year he had zilch. Weddle may have been a Pro Bowl player for the Ravens, but his production merited it last year instead of this one.

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