Ebony Bird
FanSided

Building the all-decade Baltimore Ravens team 2010-2019

By Richard Bradshaw

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 18: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 18: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 18: Inside Linebacker C.J. Mosley #57 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on November 18, 2018, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 18: Inside Linebacker C.J. Mosley #57 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on November 18, 2018, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Linebackers: C.J. Mosley, Daryl Smith, Patrick Onwuasor

No, you won’t find Ray Lewis on this list, as he was in the twilight of his career and was clearly declining each year. And spoiler alert: Ed Reed did not make it for the safeties, either.

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We start with 2014 first-round pick C.J. Mosley. Mosley was far from perfect at the linebacker spot, but he gave the Baltimore Ravens a legitimate three-down linebacker who stuffed the run, made plays in coverage, and shined when it mattered most. Mosley was snubbed of the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, but he did make it to the Pro Bowl four times in five seasons to go along with Second-Team All-Pro nods in each of those four years.

Daryl Smith was a terrific Free Agency signing for the Ravens following Ray Lewis’s retirement in the 2013 offseason. Even at 31-years old at the time of signing with the team, Smith was ultra-productive. The savvy veteran recorded 371 tackles, nine sacks, seven forced fumbles, and five interceptions in just three seasons. Smith was one of the many examples of the Ravens ability to find quality veterans in Free Agency.

I debated back and forth with the third spot between Patrick Onwuasor and Jameel McClain but ultimately went with “Peanut” Onwuasor. Onwuasor was an undrafted free agent back in 2016 out of Portland State and went on to carve out a significant role with the Ravens. Onwuasor forced turnovers, made tackles, and brought some swagger to a Baltimore Ravens defense that thrived when he played.

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