Top 3 reasons Baltimore Ravens can make an NFL playoff run in 2023

1. Could the Baltimore Ravens defense peak at the right time?

The offense appears poised to make a run, but we all know that when the Baltimore Ravens are at their best, they have one of the best defenses in the NFL. In losing Calais Campbell, and Marcus Peters the team is losing veteran experience. However, they are gaining some youth.

When you look across the defensive line you will see Odafe Oweh, Broderick Washington, Justin Madubuike, and David Ojabo. All of those players will be in their second to fourth seasons in the NFL, and all of them are on rookie salary contracts. So, they are not big-time names yet, but all of them are ascending, and they could peak at the right time. Both Washington and Madubuike are playing for extensions and could have big years.

In the middle, the Ravens only had Roquan Smith for half of a season, and yet he made the All-Pro team. That is how good that half of a season was. So, now imagine a full off-season to get him in the mix.

Lastly, the secondary may have lost some talent, but they are surely deeper than before at cornerback. At safety, it is the second-year star Kyle Hamilton ready to make a case for being a breakout player.

So, the Ravens' defense may start out slow, and people may think that they fell off. However, like last season, things could get better as the year goes on. If all of those young players start to play their best at the right time there is plenty of star power to make this a difference-making unit.