Ravens News 7/18: Safety Plan

5 Questions: How Does the Defense Shape Up Under Zach Orr?

Clifton Brown, BaltimoreRavens.com

How will Orr adjust to calling plays against the league’s best quarterbacks and play callers?

Orr has never called plays in his coaching career, but he’s stoked for the opportunity. He’s spent years watching film and practicing what it would be like to call plays.

He’s been studying quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow for years, looking for tendencies and charting what coverages and formations give them the most problems. Orr has seen experienced play callers like Kansas City Head Coach Andy Reid, who the Ravens will face in Week 1, keep defenses off balance with deception, execution, and sometimes trickery.

Nick Rallis of the Arizona Cardinals (29 years old) is the only defensive coordinator younger than Orr, 32, but Orr has always embraced new challenges. Training camp and preseason games will give Orr more reps to prepare for his role as a rookie play caller.

“I’ve seen it done, I’ve been a part of it, and what makes me confident is my preparation that I’m going to put in,” Orr said. “I’m going to prepare my butt off, and that’s where your confidence comes in with anything you do. When you’re not confident that you can do a job, that means you haven’t prepared. If you prepare the right way, like you’re supposed to prepare, you’re going to be confident. And I plan on preparing the right way.”

6 storylines to watch heading into Ravens training camp

Giana Han, The Baltimore Banner

Who is the safety plan for the safeties?

Marcus Williams dealt with multiple injuries, including a serious pectoral injury last year. Kyle Hamilton dealt with a knee injury last season and had an operation on his elbow during OTAs, causing him to sit out. If either one of them deals with injury once the regular season starts, the Ravens need to have a plan, since they no longer have Geno Stone.

Through minicamp, a number of players had extra opportunities with Hamilton out. More often than not, Ar’Darius Washington was the benefactor, patrolling the field alongside Williams. But the 2021 undrafted free agent, who has struggled with injuries, has competition in a 2024 seventh-round pick, Sanoussi Kane, and two local undrafted rookies, Beau Brade and Jordan Toles.

Kane looked good, playing with intensity and picking off a few passes, although he didn’t line up often against the first-team offense. Toles, a Morgan State player, was mostly quiet, although he had a few standout practices. Brade, who went to River Hill in Howard County followed by the University of Maryland, was limited by an injury through OTAs before returning for minicamp.

Ravens’ defense better or worse? A position-by-position breakdown

Jamison Hensley, ESPN

Outside linebackers

Additions: Adisa Isaac, Joe Evans

Losses: Jadeveon Clowney, Tyus Bowser, Jeremiah Moon

Returnees: Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo, Malik Harrison, Tavius Robinson, Malik Hamm

Better, worse or the same: Worse

The Ravens are going to miss the constant pressure provided by Clowney, who finished second on the team with 9.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hits. Baltimore returns Oweh and Van Noy, who combined for 14 sacks and 21 quarterback hits. Isaac, the most productive pass-rusher at Penn State last season, should provide much-needed depth after being drafted in the third round. The biggest boost could come from Ojabo, a former second-round pick who was limited to five games in two years due to injuries.

Ravens position group rankings: Questions surround offensive line, wide receivers

Brian Wacker, The Baltimore Sun

Wide receiver

Flowers was one of the best rookie receivers in the NFL last season. His 396 yards yards after the catch ranked 15th among all receivers, per PFF, and his 19 missed tackles forced were the third-most among rookie receivers since 2006. His 77 catches and 858 receiving yards led the Ravens and his five touchdown catches were tops among the team’s receivers.

Beyond Flowers, however, there are question marks.

Rashod Bateman has occasionally flashed over his three seasons in Baltimore, but he has yet to deliver on his full potential either because of injuries his first two seasons or a lack of on-field chemistry with Jackson, something that was evident last year. The Ravens signed Bateman to a two-year extension — something the receiver said he was even surprised by — but his 56 targets in 2023 paled in comparison with the 108 Flowers got. Odell Beckham Jr. moving on to the Miami Dolphins should at least result in more targets for Bateman, among others.

The Ravens also brought back dependable veteran Nelson Agholor, who had 35 catches, including four touchdowns, last season, but at this point the 31-year-old is a complementary piece. After those three, there’s uncertainty. Rookie Devontez Walker, Deonte Harty, Tylan Wallace, Keith Kirkwood, Sean Ryan and converted quarterback Malik Cunningham all battling for snaps and the remaining likely three spots on the final 53-man roster.

Projecting Baltimore Ravens’ 53-man roster and key decisions that await after the preseason

Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic

Offensive line (10)

Who makes the cut?: Ronnie Stanley, Tyler Linderbaum, Patrick Mekari, Josh Jones, Andrew Vorhees, Daniel Faalele, Ben Cleveland, Roger Rosengarten, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Nick Samac

On the bubble: TyKeem Doss, Tashawn Manning

Long shots: Corey Bullock, Darrian Dalcourt, Julian Pearl, Darrell Simpson

Biggest question: Who will start at left guard, right guard and right tackle? When the Ravens have those answers, the rest of the roster decisions involving the offensive line should fall into place.

Fact to consider: Josh Jones has played every position but center in his career. He’s the wild card. He could start at left or right guard or right tackle if younger options don’t seize jobs at those spots, or he could be the top reserve at both guard positions.

Outlook: There are few certainties here beyond Stanley and Linderbaum starting and Mekari, Jones, Vorhees and Rosengarten joining them as roster locks. Once the season begins, it’s tough to add adequate offensive linemen. Ones with upside traditionally don’t pass through waivers. It makes sense to roster as many linemen as possible, so keeping 10 is definitely in play. Not bringing in an established veteran starter bodes well for Faalele, Cleveland and Aumavae-Laulu, but it’s tough to call any of those three roster locks. The numbers game does work in their favor, at least for now. Faalele is a candidate to start at right guard and right tackle. Cleveland and Aumavae-Laulu are in the mix at right guard. Samac, a rookie seventh-round center, is competing for a backup role. The sense is that Cleveland, Aumavae-Laulu, Samac, Doss and Manning are competing for two or three spots.