The Baltimore Ravens had a busy offseason, mainly highlighted by a brand-new coaching staff. Without a doubt, the early signs are that Lamar Jackson has hit it off with new head coach Jesse Minter and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Furthermore, Doyle is primed to focus more on the passing game and explosive plays, which should help Lamar.
However, the Ravens' offense around Jackson isn't without its questions. Most notably: Do the upgrades to the guard position negate the concerns about the center position, and does Lamar have enough weapons in the passing game?
The offensive line and wide receiver depth are concerns for the Baltimore Ravens
After losing Tyler Linderbaum to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Ravens were left with a gaping hole at the center position, and they didn't address this need by landing a proven starter. Instead, two unproven players, Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn, are competing for the starting job.
Maybe one of these players proves to be a hidden gem, and this concern isn't as grave as it seems. There's a strong chance that the center position makes life difficult for Jackson, though, and this could prove to be costly.
Last year, we saw the Ravens' lackluster protection put Jackson in harm's way, and this could unfortunately be the case again due to the unproven center room.
Now, the Ravens did upgrade their guard room by drafting Vega Ioane and signing John Simpson. Still, it's worth wondering whether these upgrades will be enough to negate the concerns with the center position.
Furthermore, it's worth wondering how much of an upgrade Simpson is and whether Ioane can truly be a game-changing player as a rookie.
The Ravens' lack of an established No. 2 receiver alongside Zay Flowers was another key concern heading into the offseason. And it's not something the Ravens addressed in a traditional sense. Sure, drafting Ja'Kobi Lane in the third-round and Elijah Sarratt in the fourth-round helps. Nevertheless, it's a gamble to bank on these rookies to be impactful players from day one.
A breakout season from Devontez Walker or a bounce-back season from Rashod Bateman could help fill this void. Doyle's system could help maximize these receivers.
While there's a clear path to this issue being solved, there's also a world where Lamar not having a dependable WR other than Flowers causes problems for the Ravens.
Regular season success isn't enough for the Ravens
Listen, I'm generally optimistic about the Ravens' season outlook and offseason. I've defended the proposition of banking on youth in the receiver room, though the center position is highly concerning to me.
The good news is that Jackson has proven he can overcome less-than-ideal team context before. As such, even if these concerns remain, there's no doubt in my mind that Jackson can have a stellar season and the Ravens can win a lot of regular season games.
That's cool and all, but the Ravens' focus is winning a Super Bowl. Rightfully so, this is the standard the Ravens will be judged by. And in high-leverage situations, these flaws might not give Lamar enough support to succeed.
In the playoffs is when the rubber will truly meet the road, and we'll know if the Ravens did enough to maximize the offense around Jackson this offseason.
Add us as a preferred source on Google