Fundamentally sound play on special teams has been a core aspect of the Baltimore Ravens’ strategy over the years, and their 2022 campaign was no different. Though Lamar Jackson’s injury near the end of the season derailed the momentum that Baltimore had built earlier in the year, the Ravens’ special teams unit stepped up in a big way while the offense operated with backup quarterbacks, and helped keep the team in the playoff picture.
Over the course of 2022, kicker Justin Tucker missed just six field goal attempts and one extra point. He led the team in scoring by a wide margin, ending the season with over eight points scored per game, which was under six points more per game than running back Kenyan Drake, who managed two and a half per game.
On the other end of the special teams operation, punter Jordan Stout racked up 2,618 punting yards on 57 punts, good for an average of 45.9 air yards. Though the raw numbers seem impressive on the surface, his air yards per punt average was only good for 25th place across the league’s punters, which leaves plenty of room for improvement in 2023.
His coverage team allowed just 155 return yards on punts throughout the season, which ranked fifth in the league among punters who started 16 or more games over the course of their teams’ schedules.
Tucker’s job is secure as ever heading into next season, and his reputation as one of the NFL’s top kickers remains intact. Stout, on the other hand, may see his role challenged by competition if Baltimore decides to bring in another leg during training camp, and if he can’t show signs of improvement over the course of next season, could face major competition for his job.
Long snapper Nick Moore impressed as well, getting a bid to the 2023 Pro Bowl Games. He has performed admirably ever since stepping in for Morgan Cox a few seasons ago, and is one of the most consistent players at his position.
Punt and kick returns are also a big aspect of special teams, and Pro Bowl returner Devin Duvernay didn’t disappoint, showing his electricity in both aspects. He is one of the best return specialists in the league, and showed it on plenty of occasions before going down with a season-ending injury.
