POLL: Who is the most underrated Raven?

Every team in the NFL has between a handful and a bevy of players who are either unheralded or not recognized to the extent they deserve to be for the contributions to their respective side of primary the ball’s success. The Baltimore Ravens have several such players who are starters, backups and key role players who fall into this category but only one can be the most underrated.

Here is a case for six players deserving of the mantle of the most underrated on the Ravens 2024 roster.

CB Brandon Stephens

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When the Ravens originally drafted him in the bottom of the third round in the 2021 NFL Draft out of SMU, they projected him as a free safety which is what he played exclusively as a rookie and made his first 11 career starts at. Fast forward to 2024 and the fourth-year pro is now heading into the final year of his rookie deal coming off a breakout 2023 season in which he emerged as one of the under-the-radar lockdown corners in the league.

Some believe he is arguably the team’s top player at the position with three-time Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey coming off an injury-riddled season. Last season he appeared in 16 games, made every start and recorded 74 total tackles including two for a loss, a career-high 11 pass breakups and the first two interceptions of his career. Stephens only gave up two touchdowns all of 2023 and the first didn’t occur until garbage time of a Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in which the Ravens still wound up winning by double digits. The former converted college running back likely won’t stay underrated for much longer if he can replicate or build off his success from last year in 2024 as he would be one of the top free agents among all positions in next year’s impending class.

OL Patrick Mekari

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While the five-year veteran has yet to enter a season as a full-time starter and has only started 39 of 77 career games including postseason play, he has been an integral piece of the Ravens offensive line nonetheless since he made the team as an undrafted free agent out of the University of California in 2019. Mekari possesses the rare positional versatility to play all five positions at a solid to well above average level which provides the team tremendous value when it comes to roster construction and a strategic advantage if an injury were to arise at any in the offensive trenches. He starting experience at center, guard and both tackle spots.

Last season, he served as the Ravens’ primary swing tackle, appeared in all 17 games, made seven starts between left and right sides and by the end of the year and into the playoffs was regularly platooning with former All-Pro blindside protector Ronnie Stanley. In the games he was called upon, Mekari more than held his own against some of the top edge rushers in the league of which there are several in the AFC North.

Even if Mekari does only go on to start a handful of games as needed this upcoming season, the role he plays as a universal break class in case of injury option will continue to make him one of the most underrated players on the team.

FB Patrick Ricard

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In most instances, it’s hard for a four-time Pro Bowler to be viewed as underrated but when it comes to the seven-year veteran and everything he brings to the tables at fullback position, it can still apply. Not only is he a devastating blocker in the run game who helped pave the way for Gus Edwards to record a career-high and team-leading 13 rushing touchdowns in the league’s top rushing attack in 2023 but he is also essentially an extra offensive lineman with how well he performs in pass protection. He is capable of picking up and stonewalling blitzers at the point of attack as well as a guard and can mirror edge rushers as well as a replacement-level tackle.

While Ricard doesn’t present the same dynamic pass-catching threat at the position as former Raven and eight-time Pro Bowler Kyle Juszczyk, his ability to contribute as a pass catcher is an often slept-on aspect of his game. In 2023, he recorded five receptions on seven targets for 52 receiving yards, one touchdown and a career-long catch and run of 28 yards.

NT Michael Pierce

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The seven-year veteran went from having his salary reduced by $2 million and the final year of his contract voided in March 2023 to being signed to a two two-year extension worth $7.5 million this past January because of how well he played last season. After struggling with injuries the previous two years, Pierce appeared in and started every game for the Ravens in 2023 and had arguably the best season of his career. The former 2016 undrafted free agent recorded 42 total tackles including two for a loss, three quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, two pass deflections and a sack.

In addition to being a stalwart run defender, Pierce continues to show improved pass-rush ability. Sack totals rarely indicate the totality of a rusher’s impact on a game, especially among interior defensive linemen. Pierce’s 2023 season is a shining example as he was highly disruptive with how consistently he generated pressure and got in the opposing quarterback’s faces. He’ll likely never garner enough sacks to contend for a Pro Bowl or First Team All Pro bid but being a dominant force in the middle of an elite defense makes him one of the better underrated presences on the team.

WR Nelson Agholor

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The former first-rounder is heading into his 10th season and finds himself as the elder statesman and veteran leader of a young and talented group of wideouts. After being the first yet less notable of the two veteran additions the Ravens brought in to revamp their depth chart at the position last offseason, Agholor was the one who was brought back over three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr. With him, they are still getting a viable complementary contributor in the passing game and invaluable mentorship for the likes of Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman who are the two projected starters as well as exciting rookie Devontez Walker.

In 2023, Agholor finished in the top five on the team in targets (45), receptions (35), receiving yards (381) and touchdowns (four). Although he only averaged 10.9 yards per catch, the 31-year-old showed explosive run-after-the-catch ability, he also has a good feel for zone coverage as well as what depth he needs to get to move the chains. The chemistry between him and two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson was strong especially on broken and extended plays.

CB Arthur Maulet

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The seven-year veteran went from being a long shot to make the roster after suffering a soft tissue injury shortly after joining the team in training camp to seizing the opportunity to have a career year as a key contributor on the best defense in the league in 2023. Maulet was able to parlay arguably the best year of his career into a two-year deal to stay in Baltimore where he is slated to continue splitting time with 2023 First Team All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton in the slot assuming the the Ravens are able to sign a comparable replacement for Geno Stone or promote one from within.

In 2023, he appeared in 14 games and recorded three starts, 37 total tackles including five for a loss, an interception, a career-high three quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries and tied both his career highs in sacks with two and pass deflections with five. Maulet quietly yet firmly established himself as one of the best nickel corners in the league last year and is expected to continue having a similar impact moving forward.