The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best teams in football over the last few years for a reason.
They boast one of the most complete rosters in football with stars on both sides of the ball. And that goes for both the veterans and budding stars on the roster.
Not only do they have veteran mainstays like Marcus Peters or Calais Campbell who have been playing at a high level for a while now, but young stars like Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, and Marlon Humphrey headline an uber-talented crop of players.
As such, few teams around the NFL have as many household names as the Ravens do.
Even aside from the players already mentioned, the likes of Ronnie Stanley, Marquise Brown, and Brandon Williams are all notable names around league circles.
That’s not even including their specialists with Justin Tucker and Sam Koch (farewell Morgan Cox) being arguably the best at their respective positions for close to a decade now.
Yes, the Ravens have a talented roster with plenty of notable names. But in such a crowded roster, some players are bound to fly under the radar.
Be it because they play less glamorous positions, are buried behind others on the depth chart, or just haven’t received the national accolades that their teammates have, the following four Ravens are some of the best-kept secrets on the team.
Before the secret is out, let’s take a look at four players who deserve more national recognition.
4. Tyus Bowser, OLB. Baltimore Ravens
This piece is partially inspired by Bleacher Report’s list that detailed the “best-kept secret” on each NFL roster. And Baltimore’s representative in that article was outside linebacker Tyus Bowser.
Bowser is an excellent candidate and he certainly qualifies as a guy who isn’t known by many casual fans, but someone who plays an important role on Sundays.
And that role is only likely to increase this season.
A second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Bowser has been an important part of the Ravens’ outside linebacker rotation over the last four years, seeing his playing time increase in each season.
This past season, he was on the field for a career-high 50 percent of defensive snaps and while his sack numbers won’t blow you away, he’s been an effective and productive all-around linebacker.
Bowser may never be a perennial double-digit sack player. But his well-rounded skill set makes him a valuable part of Wink Martindale’s defense even if he isn’t a natural pass rusher like now-former teammate Yannick Ngakoue.
With the departure of Ngakoue and Matt Judon in the offseason, Bowser is primed for a much larger role in 2021 and could be set for a breakout campaign.
If that’s the case, he may not be a secret for too much longer.
3. Devin Duvernay, WR, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens made an effort to bolster the wide receiver position in the offseason signing Sammy Watkins in free agency and adding both Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace in the 2021 NFL Draft.
But none of those additions should preclude the Ravens from getting Devin Duvernay more involved in the offense.
A third-round pick in last year’s draft, Duvernay excelled on special teams as Baltimore’s primary kick returner even taking one 93 yards to the house for his first career NFL touchdown.
As the season went on, the Ravens began to use him more on offense, especially given their obvious deficiency at the wide receiver position.
Still, he finished with just 20 catches for 201 yards while adding an additional 70 yards on the ground, helped out by a 42-yard dash,
Duvernay is hardly a household name just yet, simply because he didn’t receive the opportunity to become one in 2020. But those who watched know just how explosive and dynamic he was every time he touched the ball.
The Ravens must do a better job of getting him touches in 2021. But until then, he’ll remain the Ravens’ secret weapon.
2. L.J. Fort, LB, Baltimore Ravens
L.J. Fort has had quite an interesting NFL journey. An undrafted free agent back in 2014, Fort bounced around between a number of different teams with stints in Cleveland, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, before landing with the Ravens in 2019.
Originally nothing more than a midseason pickup, Fort went on to start eight of 12 games for the Ravens in 2019 helping solidifying what was a struggling linebacker corps.
He returned in 2020, once again playing a vital role on both special teams and defense. In total, he played in 14 games, making eight starts, and finishing with a stellar Pro Football Focus grade of 71.5 which ranked as the ninth-best player at his position.
Fort was superb in 2020 and one of the best run-stoppers in football as he earned a PFF run-defense grade of 78.6 (top-five in the NFL).
He had a missed tackle percentage of just 8.6 percent, whereas fellow linebackers Patrick Queen and Chris Board had percentages of 16.5 percent and 22.5 percent respectively.
That’s why it was a bit surprising that the Ravens opted not to pick up his option in the offseason. Fortunately, he returned on a cheap one-year deal in April and should play a key role once again in 2021.
He’ll have to fend off Board and 2020 third-round pick Malik Harrison for playing time, but Fort remains one of the best run-stoppers on the roster and is a valuable special-teamer as well.
L.J. Fort is a very good player, even if few people outside of Baltimore are aware of who he is.
1. Bradley Bozeman, C, Baltimore Ravens
It feels weird to call Bradley Bozeman a “secret.” After all, the former Alabama standout is entering his third year as a full-time starter and is due a pretty sizable contract extension in the near future.
But such is the case with a former sixth-round pick playing one of the least glamorous positions in football.
Bozeman took over the starting left guard job in his second season and hasn’t looked back since. He’s posted consecutive solid PFF grades, allowed just two sacks, and was flagged only twice in 2020.
Combine that with his versatility and you have a rock-solid starter who hasn’t yet received his due praise.
It makes sense when you think about it, though.
Not only does Bozeman play along the interior offensive line, but he’s regularly been overshadowed by offensive line teammates such as Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown Jr.
It isn’t a surprise that few people around the league know who he is.
Bozeman will be sliding inside to his natural position at center in 2021 and the hope is that he could not only provide stability to the position after last season’s debacle, but that he could play the best football of his career as well.
Once Bozeman receives his second contract in the near future, the secret might be out. But for now, he might be the best-kept secret on the entire Ravens’ roster.