Where the rest of the NFL zigs, the Baltimore Ravens zag.
Capable of beating anyone and seizing a third Super Bowl trophy, yet swimming against industry currents, the tight end-loving, fullback-employing Ravens go into the 2022 season as the NFL’s most interesting team.
The Ravens do it their way, and they do it well. In 14 years under coach John Harbaugh, they’ve won 61% of their games and nine playoff berths. They took the Super Bowl contest nine years ago behind quarterback Joe Flacco, their likely opponent in this year’s Sept. 11 season opener against the New York Jets. Four drafts ago, they smartly invested the 32nd pick in quarterback Lamar Jackson and designed a run-heavy offense around him, after others wasted high picks on Sam Darnold (3rd) and Josh Rosen (10th).
Three predictions about the 2022 Ravens:
They’ll improve upon last year’s 8-9 record, because an injury tsunami, the likes of which NFL researchers hadn’t seen in decades, won’t blast them a second straight year.
Their passing game will frustrate critics such as Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, who recently said if the Ravens fail to develop a “sophisticated” passing offense, Jackson might be better off going elsewhere.
The ground will shake when play-caller Greg Roman orders a sweep behind 311-pound fullback Patrick Ricard; third tackle Daniel Faalele, a 6-8, 384-pound rookie; two tight ends and All-Pro tackle Ronnie Stanley.
Look for Jackson to rebound from his first unhealthy season. He has recovered from an ankle injury that sidelined him the final four-plus games. If the 25-year-old’s addition of 20 muscular pounds hasn’t overly slowed him, he’ll once again create passing lanes via his threat as an explosive runner.
In contrast to teams other than the Chiefs, the passing offense will run not through a receiver but a tight end, Mark Andrews. A complete performer, he played a career-high 75% of the offensive snaps last year and led the team in catches (107), receiving yards (1,361) and touchdowns (nine).
Andrews, per NFL analyst Warren Sharp, was the first tight end other than the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce to lead the position in scoring since 2015.
The Ravens may have found another dangerous tight end in Isaiah Likely. The rookie from Coastal Carolina excelled in practice sessions and preseason games.
Wide receiver once again seems an afterthought. The Ravens rank last — 32nd — in payroll spending at the position. Here are their rankings since 2019, when Jackson became the starter: 27th, 28th and 22nd.
There’s a lot to recommend the Ravens’ “inside-out” approach to constructing an offense. They rank sixth in line spending and fourth at tight end. They should control the middle of the field, a cornerstone to football success.
Excellent receivers can make a big difference, too. It’s hard to imagine the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals would’ve reached the recent Super Bowl without the dominance of receivers Cooper Kupp and Ja’Marr Chase, or that the Rams would’ve claimed their first Lombardi Trophy minus Kupp’s playmaking on L.A.'s final touchdown drive.
In April the Ravens traded their top receiver, erratic speedster Marquise Brown, to the Arizona Cardinals after he asked out. Brown sought to reunite with quarterback and fellow Oklahoma alum Kyler Murray.
The Ravens didn’t draft a replacement or sign a promising veteran, counting instead on a pair of their 2021 draftees, Rashod Bateman (first round, 27th overall) and Tylan Wallace (fourth round, 131), and 2020 selection Devin Duvernay (third round, 92) to evolve.
There’s still plenty of explosive potential to the offense, beginning with Jackson, but health questions abound.
Until the regular season, it won’t be clear if running back J.K. Dobbins has regained full burst in his comeback from the torn ACL sustained in last year’s final exhibition game. Dobbins averaged 6 yards per carry as a rookie two seasons ago.
Likewise, it may be awhile before the comebacks of Stanley (knee) and rookie center Tyler Lindbaum (foot) can be evaluated. The Ravens drafted Iowa’s Lindbaum 25th after dealing the 23rd pick, which they got for Brown.
Led by kicker Justin Tucker, he of the 91.1% career success rate on field goals and an NFL-record 66-yard conversion last year, the special teams appear headed to another positive season.
At a time when safety versatility and depth has become more crucial, the Ravens boast a promising trio in Marcus Williams (their priciest offseason addition, from the Saints), veteran Chuck Clark and rookie Kyle Hamilton, chosen 14th out of Notre Dame to head Baltimore’s 11-player draft class.
A full recovery from an Achilles injury by Tyus Bowser coupled with Odafe Oweh’s emergence last year and progress this summer, could give Baltimore one of the AFC’s better sets of edge defenders.
Pencil the Ravens for 10 wins and no worse than a wild-card spot in a rugged AFC. Different, in their case, means deceptively dangerous.
