Baltimore Ravens must think about roster depth this offseason

There are several positions that the Baltimore Ravens have taken care of from top to bottom. Other positions the Ravens have to worry about the quality of their depth:

One area the Baltimore Ravens have to think about this offseason is the depth of their roster. There are some positions that the Ravens have locked in place. For example the Ravens are set at quarterback and have one of the best backups in the league. They have an overload at tight end and are looking good at cornerback whether or not Jimmy Smith or Brandon Carr come back. Other positions are looking a little thin.

One position group the Ravens have to improve the depth of is the offensive line. With Matt Skura recovering from a major injury the Ravens may go into the season with Patrick Mekari as their only center. James Hurst is suspended for the first four games of the season and he’s not a great option any way you look at it. If Ronnie Stanley or Orlando Brown Jr. get hurt, the Ravens don’t have a good option at offensive tackle. On top of this, Marshal Yanda may retire this offseason and the Ravens still haven’t been informed of his decision.

The good news for the offensive line is that the Ravens are good at drafting at this position group. They have found quality players for the offensive line in all three days of the NFL Draft. The Ravens have to hope that Ben Powers is a viable starter at some point in the near future and they have to improve the depth at offensive tackle.

The Ravens are also rather lean at the wide receiver position. We don’t really know what to expect from Miles Boykin in his second season. Marquise Brown is a star in the making and Willie Snead is a decent option. Outside of that, the Ravens have nothing at the position. Chris Moore and Seth Roberts could likely find new teams this offseason. The Ravens need to retool the position.

The future at inside linebacker seems incredibly thin. The Ravens have two free agents at this position group in Patrick Onwuasor and Josh Bynes. Like the wide receiver position, this is a spot the Ravens really need to find upgrades. It’s starting to look like L.J. Fort and players to be named later. It’s a huge need for the defense.

The safety position is a little thinned out. There is no more Tony Jefferson and Anthony Levine Sr. is a free agent. It’s Earl Thomas III, Chuck Clark and De’Shon Elliott as the main ingredients at free and strong safety. Jordan Richards is really more of a special teams player than a part of the defense. The Ravens may want to add another option in the back end of the defense. If the Ravens let Brandon Carr go, they have one less viable option here.

We’re focused on big names and we’re focused on starters. Depth matters. Don’t forget about that during free agency and especially during the NFL Draft. It’s also important to remember that the Ravens have plenty of players who have worked their way up from backups and special teams players. Chuck Clark is a prime example of that. The Ravens need to be focused on the whole depth chart, not just the flashy pieces to the puzzle.