AFC North division round-up: July 2019 edition
Baltimore Ravens:
The Baltimore Ravens had an improbable run to the playoffs in 2018 after starting the season 4-6. Joe Flacco was playing fine, but it appeared that the team was ready for a change-of-direction. Out comes rookie Lamar Jackson, who swung the team to a 6-1 record over the last seven games of the season. Jackson nearly went undefeated, but still earned the Ravens the AFC North title and the team’s first post-season berth since 2014.
It was a long wait, but the faith that Jackson gave the fan-base was truly special. Unfortunately, it ended in the first round of the playoffs, as the Los Angeles Chargers stopped Baltimore after figuring out how to stop Jackson and company.
What did the Baltimore Ravens do to remain relevant in the AFC North this off-season?
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For starters, the team traded Flacco to the Denver Broncos, signaling the team’s confidence and commitment to Jackson moving forward. The Ravens also added players to bring out the strengths of Jackson in the off-season in players like Mark Ingram and Marquise Brown.
While the Ravens did lose a ton on defense, they did add future Hall of Fame safety Earl Thomas to complete perhaps the NFL’s best secondary. All in all, it appears that the Baltimore Ravens plan to compete once again for the AFC North crown.
Thus far in Training Camp, it appears that their investments on offense, especially in rookie receiver Miles Boykin, could pay massive dividends. Right now, it’s wait-and-see for the Ravens, as there are a ton of new faces on the team starring in important roles. The preseason will be vital to seeing how everything translates, but there’s a lot of optimism in Charm City entering August.