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The Baltimore Ravens were already one of the best teams in the NFL when the 2019 season concluded. But with the 2020 NFL Draft and free agency completed, the Ravens have ensured they sit at the top of the league once again.
Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire completed his latest NFL power rankings, putting each team in rank for where they stand this summer. Baltimore, unsurprisingly, sits at No. 2 behind the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The Ravens were the talk of the town last year after a dominant second half of the season. Their 14-2 record was tops in the league, their offense led the NFL in scoring, and records were shattered in the process. While last season didn’t end exactly the way Baltimore would have hoped, there’s even more hope that 2020 will be better.
Farrar specifically calls out the Ravens’ depth as being among the deepest in the NFL. Baltimore already had a stacked roster at several key spots last season but continued that philosophy this offseason, adding more talent to a few particularly weak positions.
The Ravens entered the offseason with a clear motive. Before free agency even began, Baltimore had already pulled off a trade for defensive end Calais Campbell, adding one of the best defensive linemen in the league to their already ferocious defense. Defensive tackle Derek Wolfe was added in free agency as well as the Ravens retaining several of their key contributors from last season. That alone would have been enough to make Baltimore better than they were last season but they went further in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Ravens’ 10-person draft class included two inside linebackers, Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison. Both are expected to get significant playing time, if not outright start this season, further improving a defense with very few holes. Wide receiver Devin Duvernay and James Proche add more consistent hands and speed to an offense that was already dangerous. Help on both offensive and defensive lines was also found, continuing to make Baltimore’s roster among the deepest in the league.
While he praised MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson for his work in the regular season, Farrar does point out his struggles in the postseason. With that being the Ravens’ biggest question mark right now, Baltimore is in a pretty good spot and that shows in the power rankings.
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