Baltimore Ravens: 5 under-the-radar players who will contribute in 2020

With the uncertainties that lie ahead of the 2020 season, click to see five under the radar Baltimore Ravens who could contribute in bigger ways.

With a team as deep as the Baltimore Ravens are, it can be easy to overlook certain key contributors.

In a normal year, when a team like the Ravens are coming off a 13-3 season, its fanbase will focus on their team’s marketable star players. Of course, Ravens fans will be excited as can be for Lamar Jackson, Hollywood Brown, and Mark Andrews to run out of the tunnel at M&T Bank Stadium next Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

However, with the physicality and injuries that come with the game of football and the uncertainty of how COVID-19 will affect the NFL and its players this upcoming season, it is important for Ravens fans to know some under the radar players who may have the chance to make significant contributions this season.

Let’s take a look at five Baltimore Ravens who could come up big this upcoming season.

Anthony Levine, Sr.:

Anthony Levine is one of Baltimore’s longest-tenured players. “Co Cap” as his teammates call him, has been a favorite in the locker room since he joined the Ravens in 2012. Levine has only played sparingly in his career at safety – only three starts – but his familiarity with the organization and Wink Martindale’s defense could lead him to more playing time with the lack of depth at safety this year after the Earl Thomas release.

Levine is also big enough to step into the box as a linebacker if necessary and has become a special teams ace for the Ravens over the past few years, part of which has led him to stick around this long. Since Levine is now 33 years old and is on a one-year deal, he too, knows he will have to stand out to stay with Baltimore in the future.

Gus Edwards:

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Gus Edwards is entering his third season with the Ravens after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers. Edwards came on to the scene with an impressive stretch of games towards the end of the 2018 season after Lamar Jackson took over at quarterback. Edwards followed up his 2018 season with another solid campaign last year, despite being the third rushing option after Jackson and Mark Ingram.

Edwards racked up 711-yards on the ground and averaged 5.3 yards per carry, quite the mark for a backup. He has consistently impressed me with his abilities to run north and south, especially when working with Jackson on read-option plays. Edwards is headed for restricted free agency after this year, so another good year for him could lead to a significant payday elsewhere.

Jihad Ward:

Jihad Ward is classified as an outside linebacker, but truthfully putting a position on him discredits his versatility to the Baltimore’s defense. Ward can lineup as an outside linebacker coming off the edge or can get in the trenches as an outside or interior defensive end. He showed flashes of how disruptive he can be in games against San Fransisco and Buffalo last season.

Ward is a former second-round pick by the Oakland Raiders, who signed with Baltimore midway through the season last year. Although he has not lived up to his initial expectations, Ward seems to have found a home as a rotational piece on the Ravens’ defense and could play a big role this year if Jaylon Ferguson or Tyus Bowser struggle.

Devin Duvernay:

The Baltimore Ravens took Devin Duvernay in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft, but it is likely he might get early playing time because of how consistently good his hands were at Texas.

According to Pro Football Focus:

With some uncertainty in the wide receiver room after Hollywood Brown and Miles Boykin, Duvernay should have an opportunity to carve out a role for himself, especially on third downs in the slot.

Tyre Phillips:

Another rookie on the list, Tyre Phillips is a massive 6-foot-5, 345-lbs. offensive lineman from Mississippi State. Earlier in camp, it seemed like D.J. Fluker would serve as the right guard replacing Marshal Yanda and Phillips would be the swing tackle or backup guard, but The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec had an update this week:

If Phillips is starting at right guard on Sunday, he will have a tall task. Obviously nobody is asking him to replace a Hall of Famer from his first snap, but Phillips will need to perform well early if the Baltimore Ravens want to emulate the success they had last year against a talented Cleveland defensive line. It should also speak volumes that the Ravens are rolling with him from week one over a veteran like Fluker.