The Baltimore Ravens went through an extremely injury riddled 2021 season that saw them go 8-9 and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2017. It seemed like players buried on the depth chart to begin training camp were getting starter-level snaps to end the season at almost every position, and multiple players who joined the organization right before or during the year were suddenly playing big roles.
Some of the key Baltimore players who missed significant time due to injuries included quarterback Lamar Jackson, running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, defensive lineman Derek Wolfe, cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters, and safety DeShon Elliott. That doesn’t include the countless others who missed a week or only a few games with ailments.
Heading into the 2022 offseason, it seemed like the team knew that they had to keep injuries in mind when addressing their needs in free agency. They signed durable players in safety Marcus Williams and offensive tackle Morgan Moses, as well as defensive line depth in Michael Pierce.
Now with the 2022 draft coming up at a rapid pace, there is a fair question as to how much the injuries that the team suffered in 2021 will impact the Ravens’ draft strategy for this year. While certain players such as Jackson and Humphrey should be at full strength by the time next season rolls around, there’s plenty of uncertainty surrounding others such as Dobbins, Edwards, Stanley, and Peters. Even outside linebacker Tyus Bowser factors into the equation, as he tore his achilles during Baltimore’s Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Stanley has played one game in roughly one and a half years, and is still trying to work his way back from the gruesome ankle injury that he suffered in 2020. Baltimore didn’t draft an offensive tackle in last year’s draft, which came as a shock to many. That isn’t expected to be the case this time around, and they very well might over-invest draft capital at the position to ensure that what happened in 2021 doesn’t happen again.
Both Dobbins and Edwards could still be recovering by the time training camp starts, and if that is the case they’ll need another quality running back to take snaps in their stead. There has been reported interest in Melvin Gordon II, but the Ravens could also look to the draft and take a running back in the mid-rounds.
At the moment, the Ravens need a lot of help at cornerback. They have star power in Humphrey and Peters, but not much else surrounding them. With uncertainty about how Peters will respond, Baltimore could look to take cornerbacks early and often.
Even at edge rusher the team could look to add more than usual, as they’ll have to bank on Bowser coming back at full strength if they under-invest during the draft after not adding anything at the position during free agency. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the team double down there as well with two of their 10 selections.
Overall, injuries could play a part in how Baltimore approaches their 2022 draft. However, it’s unlikely that they will let it overtake their draft strategy completely, as they should still look to balance filling needs with taking the best players available.
