Baltimore Ravens ranked top-five team for 2024

Death, taxes, and the Baltimore Ravens tripping over themselves during the NFL playoffs. Some things are just Thanos-level 'inevitable.' For real though, this Ravens team has felt so close to contention without contending for too long. Last season's blunder against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game was the icing on the cake.

Welp, scratch last season. This is a new year. The preseason is over. The regular season arrives next week as the Ravens kick off against those pesky Chiefs Thursday, September 5, 2024.

The Ravens lost a few pieces this offseason. Most notably, Morgan Moses, Patrick Queen, Kevin Zeitler, and John Simpson need to be replaced. The Ravens lost 12 players from last year's team, but those losses won't derail this season's team. However, the team picked up some interesting pieces in free agency and through the draft to supplant the losses.

In a recent article written by Sayre Bedinger from NFL Spin Zone, the Ravens are ranked fourth in the league going into the 2024 NFL season. They sit behind the Detroit Lions (3rd), San Fransisco 49ers (2nd), and Kansas City Chiefs (1st).

"Derrick Henry joining this Ravens team was one of the most fun moves of the entire NFL offseason, but is that going to be enough to push this team over the Kansas City-sized hump in the playoffs?"

- Sayre Bedinger from NFL Spin Zone

Bedinger further notes that the Ravens are becoming the AFC's version of the Dallas Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys. Cue a Shaggy Rogers, "ZOINKS!" The Cowboys comparison is enough motivation to warrant a dire response from the Ravens. Can't be going around being compared to the 'Boys. Nah.

NFL Spin Zone gets the Ravens' power ranking correct

In his article, Bedinger raises the question, 'What do we need to see from the Ravens this season?' It's a valid question. The Ravens are seemingly perennially in the Super Bowl hunt but have not figured out how to come away with the title. Each year they perform well in the regular season only to let the fans down with an earlier than expected playoff run.

Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson will be back literally running the offense. He improved significantly as a passer in year one of the Todd Monken offensive coordinator era. It's a safe bet that he'll continue to improve. With a wide receiver room ready to take the next step, this offense will be multidimensional and equally unpredictable.

Many NFL analysts and fans might suggest the Texans, Eagles, Bengals, and Bills as teams that deserve to be ranked ahead of the Ravens, but why?

The Texans made splashy win-now moves this offseason, but everyone knows that games are won on the gridiron, not on paper. The Eagles were a dumpster fire by the end of last season and the Nick Sirianni/Jaylen Hurts marriage looks fragile. The Bengals need a healthy Joe Burrow to compete. The Bills roster was gutted this offseason, the receiver room is thin, and their running game has severe question marks.

Fourth place is a very reasonable spot for the Ravens. One could argue that they deserve to be top-three, leapfrogging the Lions, but it's splitting hairs. CBS Sports' Pete Prisco has seven Ravens and Lions in his NFL Top 100 Players of 2024 ranking. Regardless of where the Lions stand, seven players in the top 100 suggest crazy amounts of talent from this flock.

Led by Jackson, along with Derrick Henry, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, and Marlon Humphrey, this Ravens squad means business. While it's nice that they're getting the recognition they deserve, they will have to prove it this season with a Super Bowl run.

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