The Baltimore Ravens were the best team in the NFL during the 2019 regular season. While the playoffs were a different matter for Baltimore, they enter the 2020 season as one of the favorites to win Super Bowl LV. So it should come as no shock the Ravens are near the top of the power rankings ahead of Week 1’s showdown against the Cleveland Browns.
Nate Davis of USA TODAY Sports placed Baltimore at No. 2 on his first power rankings of the 2020 regular season.
While the Kansas City Chiefs are rightfully at the top of the power rankings list due to winning Super Bowl LIV, the Ravens have made a serious case themselves. With the disappointing loss to the Tennessee Titans still in their minds, Baltimore went out and remedied their biggest problem this offseason.
Before free agency even opened up, the Ravens had pulled off a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to land defensive end Calais Campbell. Baltimore would eventually sign defensive tackle Derek Wolfe after a deal with Michael Brockers fell through. Further gains to the defensive line came through the 2020 NFL Draft, with Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington Jr. adding much-needed youth to the unit.
Offensively, the Ravens are largely the same as they were last year, though they’re trying to replace the recently-retired Marshal Yanda at right guard. But a motivated and in-shape D.J. Fluker looks to be a solid answer to Baltimore’s problems. With rookie wide receivers Devin Duvernay and James Proche added to help reigning MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back J.K. Dobbins brought in through the 2020 NFL Draft, the Ravens’ offense has the makings to be even better than last year’s record-setting unit.
With the Ravens recently jettisoning safety Earl Thomas from the roster following his fight with fellow safety Chuck Clark, Davis wondered if Baltimore actually got better. All eyes will be on Thomas’ replacement, DeShon Elliott, to see if that’s the case or if the Ravens should have swallowed the bitter pill and kept the Pro Bowl safety.
With the very first live-action football in months coming this week, we’ll see exactly where Baltimore and the rest of the league stands.
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