Mink: Besides part two of the offensive line rebuild, I count on bettering the Ravens protection to be the level of focus this offseason. If Baltimore’s protection can attain the identical heights as the offense … be careful.
I feel that begins with tightening up the secondary. Adding Chuck Pagano as a senior secondary coach is a giant transfer in that course, however the Ravens will wish to give him some new items too.
Here’s how I might rank the defensive wants:
- Safety
- Outside linebacker
- Cornerback
- Inside linebacker
- Defensive line
The Kyle Hamilton-Ar’Darius Washington mixture was good down the stretch final yr, however the Ravens ideally need each of these gamers in versatile roles. Baltimore has two openings to fill at security with out Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson and the Ravens are certainly trying to trigger extra turnovers.
At outdoors linebacker, the Ravens had the second-most sacks in the league final yr, there isn’t any motive to imagine that Kyle Van Noy will decline, Odafe Oweh may develop into a monster, and there are different younger gamers poised to take the subsequent step. With that mentioned, one other game-changing cross rusher may put this protection over the high.
The Ravens have two returning starters at cornerback in Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins, however the depth behind them is questionable with Brandon Stephens and Tre’Davious White set to hit free company. Next up outdoors can be Jalyn Armour-Davis, who has struggled to remain wholesome. Baltimore wants so as to add extra youth and maybe convey again (or in) a veteran, which might additionally enable Humphrey to stay a flexible inside/outdoors weapon.
Inside linebackers Malik Harrison and Chris Board are pending free brokers. While the Ravens count on Trenton Simpson to take the subsequent step and return as a starter, he’ll must earn it, they usually want depth. Brent Urban is a pending free agent once more and it stays to be seen what Michael Pierce’s future can be, so the line of defense could have to be addressed as nicely.
