Winner: Defensive coordinator Don Martindale
The Ravens secured plenty of defensive talent in the 2020 draft. But what sets the guys they grabbed apart is just how versatile they all are. For Martindale, not only did he get great ball players, he got guys he can line up all over the field to further expand upon his complex defensive schemes.
Adding linebackers Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison gives the Ravens a potent one-two punch at inside linebacker. While the Ravens had to run a lot of dime looks last season due to a lack of middle linebacker depth, Queen and Harrison will allow the team to run more base and nickel looks, something that should benefit the team and maximize the ability of their defensive personnel.
They also added defensive tackles Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington Jr. Both will add to an absolutely stacked defensive line group, allowing them to find and keep the best players on the 53-man roster while rotating around with the starters to keep everyone fresh down the line. Madubuike can generate pressure on the quarterback and Washington is extremely versatile.
Let’s not forget about safety Geno Stone. He can play both inside the box and deep, giving arguably the best secondary in the NFL another playmaker that can be moved around.
Martindale got a lot of new pieces to play with on defense. After leading the 2019 Ravens to a great season defensively, 2020 should be even better.