Baltimore Ravens 2023 Preview: The Super Bowl Contender No One Is Talking About

After a disappointing season in Baltimore, you wouldn’t think this season would be much better. However, the Ravens are in a position to make a run for the Super Bowl, as this offense should take a massive step up. Alongside the Receiver acquisitions, Todd Monken could dramatically improve this offense. Additionally, the DC, Mike MacDonald, will have a full year under his belt and should be even better. The difficulty of this conference puts a significant obstacle in their path to success. Although, if injuries don’t derail the season, they have a legitimate chance.

The Baltimore front office did an exceptional job of retaining the talent here. Resigning Lamar was 100% the right decision. They’ve structured this offense around him and have depended on his ability to win them games. Without him, they would’ve been stuck at square one again, which is not a place you want to be. Signing Odell Beckham Jr. was probably a massive part of him staying. You’d rather pay someone an extra few million if it meant Lamar staying. Regardless, he’ll be the team’s best Receiver and should help elevate this offense. Baltimore also resigned Trayvon Mullen and Geno Stone, two role players. Drafting Zay Flowers was massive, as he has the potential to be a true X-Receiver. There were some significant losses, such as Ben Powers and Marcus Peters, but altogether the Ravens improved.

I watched all-22 footage on every team and reconciled it with advanced stats such as PFF. Based on film and stats, I develop grades for every position by using a formula that takes into account every player on the depth chart. Shout out to TFG for inspiring this kind of content. Please use code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.

Key

Grading scale: 20-100.

(+): The player is expected to improve.

Player Tiers:

Team Overview

Coaching Staff

John Harbaugh has been under some scrutiny as of late. He has this phenomenal roster, yet he can’t make it to the conference round. That said, injuries have hindered this team, and luck is a huge part of it. I think Harbaugh is still well deserving of his job, but when will this team take the next step up? He’s a CEO-style head coach who doesn’t call plays on either side. It could be easy to think he does nothing, but he has a massive part in the game plan and preparation. Next to Pittsburgh and New England, this is one of the best cultures in football. The development they get out of their young players is remarkable. There’s a reason Harbaugh won Coach of the Year, and he’ll continue to elevate the roster talent.

After firing Greg Roman, Todd Monken was brought in from Georgia to call plays. Monken was among the best OC options this past off-season, and he’s a perfect fit for this offense. Roman was heavily criticized for limiting this offense schematically, and Monken will open things up much more. Monken was the OC for Georgia’s back-to-back championship games. He runs a mostly pass-heavy offense and heavily uses motion and play-action. His running scheme is very balanced, as we see wide-zone runs, toss-cracks, pulling guards, and even toss-sweeps. He loves to take play-action shots in the passing game, as 15% of Stetson Bennet’s passes were deep. In addition to the wide variety of runs he uses, he gets his QB involved in the run game, which is huge for this team. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lamar have his best season yet in this scheme. Look out for Monken to get head coaching interviews in the future.

Mike MacDonald was hired to replace Wink Martindale last year. He had a rough start to the season, but things started to come together mid-way through the year. We had no idea what kind of scheme he would run as a first-time play-caller. Now that we’ve seen him call plays for one season, it’s clear this is a 3-4 front with primarily a single high secondary. He called plays very aggressively for a first-time play-caller. While he only blitzed 21% of the time, he was very aggressive, calling blitzes on third down. On third down, they often zero blitzed; on short yardage situations, they would bring run blitzes. They were also 14th in stunts and twists. Coverage-wise, you see a lot of match coverage and cover three. There’s a moderate amount of pure man, but it’s primarily zone coverage with man principles. After a full year under his belt, I expect MacDonald to continue to excel.

Ravens Offense

Overall Offense – 84.5 (6)

The Raven’s offense is in for a massive year if they stay healthy. Jackson looked like a new QB out there when he played last season. Gaining weight clearly helped him feel more confident and poised in the pocket. The next big step I want to see from Lamar is to take his processor from good to great. Turnover-worthy mistakes have been a killer for Baltimore, and if that can change, this offense will be unstoppable. As a runner, Lamar’s ability remains unparalleled. Beckham Jr. hasn’t played in a while, but he was a highly effective Receiver last time we saw him. He’s still a crafty route runner with reliable hands and should be a decent number-one option. 

Zay Flowers the listed Slot, but I’d bet we see him on the perimeter a bit. His upside is unique as his quickness and change of direction ability are world-class. He also has exceptional ball-tracking ability. Rashod Bateman, who’s on PUP, should flourish when he returns. He didn’t look bad as the number-one guy and will have a much easier role this year. The depth isn’t good or bad. Devin Duvernay is an underrated Receiver who’s also an excellent returner.

Mark Andrews has been a quietly dominant player for quite some time. He isn’t just a near thousand-yard receiving Tight End as he blocks his butt off too. Isaiah Likely had an impressive rookie campaign as well. I thought he’d just be a Receiving Tight End, but he significantly developed as a blocker. Charlie Kolar is another intriguing Tight End with incredible athleticism. Look for him to break out if he gets playing time.

The backs here are nothing special, but paired with Lamar, make for a daunting rushing attack. J.K. Dobbins looked like an ascending stud in year one but, unfortunately, dramatically tore his ACL. He hasn’t looked quite as explosive but is still a dependable guy to churn out short yards. Gus Edwards is an imposing back but lacks athletism. Melvin Gordon was also brought in, although he’s mostly washed. The weapons here all mesh well together, and I’m excited to see these upgrades in action.

The O-Line in Baltimore has been in fantastic shape for years now. Most of that is because of Ronnie Stanley, an elite pass-protector. He’s had trouble staying healthy, but you can’t deny he’s a dramatic game-changer while in. Read “Ranking The Top Ten Tackles In The NFL – 2023” for a detailed breakdown of Stanley. Furthermore, the other Tackle spot is at least set for now. Morgan Mosses is a big-bodied Tackle with an excellent anchor. He also had a massive year as a run blocker in 2022.

Kevin Zeitler is coming off a stellar year in pass-pro. He’s never been the best athlete but gets by with exceptional technique and hand placement. At the other Guard spot will likely be Ben Cleveland. He isn’t the listed starter but has proven much more than Aumavae-Laulu has. I had questions about Tyler Linderbaum in a gap-heavy scheme, but he killed it as a run blocker for a rookie. He just needs to continue to improve in pass-pro. With good weapons and a borderline elite O-Line, Lamar will have very conducive circumstances.

Ravens Defense

Overall Defense – 81.3 (13)

What we saw from this defense toward the end of the year will continue into this year. It’s practically the same defense that will continue to grow. Marlon Humphrey is an elite player in this scheme. He has the physicality and technique to press while having refined mirroring ability. Humphrey was lockdown against some opponents and will continue to thrive in this scheme. Picking up Rock Ya-Sin was wise, as he can be a solid number two. He played excellently in a similar system, so look for him to have an impressive year. The Slot is a question mark, although I expect Kyle Hamilton to play in the Slot a bit. Brandon Stephens, while a solid run defender, is still very unproven. Numerous other players can play the Dime role, at least. Kyu Blue Kelly could get some meaningful reps and may be a valuable role player for Baltimore.

At safety, Marcus Williams is a vastly underrated player. In addition to being able to play single high competently, he is also a terrific tackler. Allowing zero TDs and having four picks show you what kind of player he is. Kyle Hamilton played in the Slot in 2022 but will play more box safety this year. I don’t expect him to regress, as it’s practically just as easy to play in the Nickell. His instincts and tackling ability go a long way in his position. Geno Stone is a serviceable third safety, as he can step in at SS when Hamilton goes to the Slot. This is one of the best secondaries in the NFL and will be a massive strength for this team.

Trading for Roquan Smith was a risky move but one that was necessary. This defense had the cake but needed the icing. Smith was the icing. He’s extraordinarily rangy and has elite coverage skills. Ever since trading for him, Patrick Queen decided it was time to step up. Queen looked competent playing next to Roquan, which was exciting to see. It’s a contract year, so look out for him to break out. Drafting Trenton Simpson allows them to move on from Queen if necessary. His upside is rare, although he needs to put it all together. He’s as raw as they come.

Moreover, while not a strength, the D-Line is good enough for this remarkable secondary to work. Odafe Oweh is a freakish athlete who surprised me as a rookie. I hope he takes that next step up, as the D-Line needs a star to rely on. David Ojabo will be fully healthy, and I have high hope for him. He was similar to Oweh coming out as he’s highly athletic but raw. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him quickly become a stud pass-rusher in this culture. Tyus Bowser will be a rotational EDGE on run-downs. He’s a good role player but doesn’t impact the pass rush much.

Justin Madubuike has shown improvement so far in his career. He’s an explosive pass rusher to rely on in the middle. Michael Pierce remains one of the few stud nose tackles in the league. He occupies double teams like it’s nothing. Additionally, the depth of the interior is adequate. As a general football fan, I’m excited to see this defense back in action.

Ravens Schedule

Total Win Projection – 10.8