The Baltimore Ravens will see their rookies appear at the Under Armour Performance Center for the very start of training camp, with the rest of the team set to report on July 28. As we look forward to seeing players on a practice field for the first time since their disappointing playoff loss, it’s time to look at what the Ravens might still need to live up to the expectations for 2020.
Initially, I sat down to think about what holes Baltimore currently has unfilled, as I do every year at various points of the offseason and the beginning of training camp. But it didn’t take long to realize the Ravens are absolutely stacked and enter camp with very few problem areas. Sure, Baltimore has a number of questions they’ll look to answer at training camp, including who will start at a handful of positions. Still, I wouldn’t necessarily classify most of those positions as being a hole.
Outside linebacker is really the only position that is still up in the air and might not have the number of quality starters Baltimore would like. Matthew Judon is the de facto starter at outside linebacker after signing his franchise tag tender this offseason. But opposite him is pretty questionable with Jaylon Ferguson and Tyus Bowser battling for a starting job and hopefully more production than what we saw in 2019. With the position being pretty lackluster last season, the Ravens largely ignoring it this offseason could come back and haunt them.
But every team has some questions and some positions where they’d love to be stronger. However, roster limits, salary cap restrictions, and the difficulty in just recruiting top players ensure that no one team is truly complete. So for Baltimore to have just one position where they might be weak is a pretty great spot to be at the end of July. Though training camp could bring injuries that create holes on Baltimore’s roster, it’s hard to complain about where they stand right now, both in the top talent they possess and the depth at key positions.
The Ravens revamped their defensive line, adding in Derek Wolfe and Calais Campbell. That should not only help solidify the run defense but also offer a little help to the pass rush and potentially free up Judon more. Baltimore completely gutted their inside linebacker unit, adding in Malik Harrison and Patrick Queen in the 2020 NFL Draft. The secondary continues to look amazing with cornerback Jimmy Smith coming back on a one-year deal to join Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters, along with Earl Thomas hopefully feeling a little more comfortable in his second season with the team. Offensively, Baltimore has kept things pretty much the same with 10 of 11 starters returning from last year’s league-leading scoring offense.
The Ravens enter training camp with some of the best odds to win Super Bowl LV and they look like one of the best teams in the league. Barring something dramatic happening, Baltimore looks primed to dominate again in 2020 and hopefully get over their playoff hump and back to the big game.
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