Baltimore Ravens Depth Chart 2019 Ravens Depth Chart

Preseason Analysis: Ravens Starters Will Be Tested

What to expect from Lamar Jackson in Year 2?

Lamar Jackson’s rookie season was fairly impressive as he replaced Joe Flacco, a once beloved quarterback who won the Ravens a Super Bowl, and became the talk in Baltimore. He threw for 1,201 yards and 6 TDs though became known as a dominant dual threat QB. On the ground, he ran for 695 yards and 5 TDs and has the makings of the next Cam Newton. Though the Ravens did go 10-6 last year, the incumbent Flacco wasn’t to thank as Jackson actually led the team to a 6-1 personal record in his 7 starts. 

This year, I’d expect Jackson to be similarly impressive in his game after now being accustomed to NFL defenses. He should hopefully become more accurate after completing only 58.2% of his passes though his legs will surely help mitigate some of that. If he can manage to become a more accurate passer, Jackson will become known as the next big dual threat quarterback and has a chance to enter the top 15-20 range of QBs.  

Losing multiple key pieces

As mentioned earlier, Baltimore decided to save their bank this summer in free agency and that might end up hurting them. However, while they did let a bunch of talent go, deciding to keep them would’ve likely forced an overpay that might hurt the team even more. Among those to go wer C.J. Mosley, Eric Weddle, Terrell Suggs, and Za’Darius Smith. While very productive and capable leaders for this Ravens team, these guys were fairly expensive to keep around and letting them go was a hard, but smart choice.

Mosley was a defensive quarterback at the linebacking spot but when the Jets decided to offer him a 5 year, $85 million contract it was time to let him go. The same goes for Smith who inked a 4 year, $66 million contract with the Packers. He too was a great player but with that much money tied to a new contract, the Ravens let him depart. Terrell Suggs wasn’t too expensive but for an aging player and a position they could replace at the draft, $7 million was just too much for Baltimore. The only different case goes to Weddle who signed for 2 years at $10.5 million. That’s not too much for a productive safety who seemingly never depreciates his value. However, Baltimore did spend a bit of money at the safety spot and having two pricey players at the same position didn’t make sense. 

What does Earl Thomas bring to the team?

Enter Earl Thomas who signed a 4 year, $55 million contrat to join the Ravens after spending his entire career with the Seahawks. He’ll bring a fierce mentality to baltimore as a safety known for breaking up passes and securing several interceptions per season. He’s a leader in the locker room and as a veteran, will bring a great attitude for the younger guys to follow. 

After falling out of Seattle’s favor, Thomas gets a fresh start in Baltimore and will be a great addition for the Ravens. When healthy, he’s regarded as one of the best at his position. While it might take time to learn the new defense, there’s no doubt Thomas is up for that challenge and as one of the premiere defenders in the league, he’ll quickly adjust. He’ll likely move around all over the field and be a threat to quarterbacks just like he was with Seattle.