Ravens News 7/9: Sustained Productivity

Ranking the Ravens’ best players in 2024: Who’s in the top 20?

Jonas Shaffer, The Baltimore Banner

16. DL Michael Pierce

Before suffering a torn biceps in Week 3 of the 2022 season, Pierce had looked like one of the NFL’s best nose tackles. Back at full strength, he looked the part again for stretches of last season. Pierce’s 25 run stops — tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense — led the Ravens and ranked 15th among all interior defensive linemen, according to PFF. His strength and durability, a question mark in recent years, helped fortify a defense that could bottle up ground games even when it was playing with light boxes upfront.

Pierce (one sack, three quarterback hits) also showed surprising punch as a pass rusher in 2023. Over the season’s first 10 weeks, he had 23 pressures and a 12.3% win rate, according to PFF, which ranked 22nd and 23rd, respectively, among qualifying linemen. Even if Pierce loses snaps to Travis Jones, a lighter workload could help him sustain his productivity in his age-32 season.

12. OLB Odafe Oweh

The good news: Oweh is primed for a breakout season. Despite missing four games with an ankle injury last year, Oweh finished 32nd in the NFL in pressures among edge rushers, according to PFF. His pressure rate, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, ranked ahead of those of the Minnesota Vikings’ Danielle Hunter (now with the Houston Texans), the Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchison and the Chicago Bears’ Montez Sweat, all of whom had at least 11.5 sacks.

The bad news: Although pressures are more predictive of sacks than sacks themselves, takedowns have been elusive throughout Oweh’s career. The 2021 first-round pick had just five sacks in 2023, matching a career high, and his sack rate ranked 44th among qualifying edge rushers. Still, the physically gifted Oweh is in good hands with pass rush coach Chuck Smith. With a boost in confidence from the Ravens’ offseason pickup of his fifth-year option, Oweh could easily double his sack numbers this year.

Training Camp Competition: Safety

Clifton Brown, BaltimoreRavens.com

Projected Starters

The Ravens have arguably the best safety duo in the league. Hamilton became an All-Pro in just his second season, emerging as the NFL’s most versatile safety. His ability to impact the game at all three levels will continue to be a key component of Baltimore’s defense under new coordinator Zach Orr. Williams has 20 career interceptions, and his sideline-to-sideline range discourages quarterbacks from taking deep shots. If he stays healthy, Williams’ third season with the Ravens could be his best.

Best Battle

After Geno Stone’s departure to Cincinnati, the battle for the No. 3 safety role will be a compelling storyline this summer. Washington may be the favorite heading into camp, but he’ll face competition from Kane, Brade and Toles. The Ravens could also sign a veteran free agent such as Jamal Adams, who visited Baltimore in May, or Justin Simmons, who may be attracted by the chance to play for a Super Bowl contender.

Davante Adams, T.J. Watt, Ja’Marr Chase and one non-quarterback MVP for every NFL team

Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic

Baltimore Ravens

Derrick Henry, running back

Lamar Jackson has never had a dynamic force in the backfield like Henry, the 30-year-old who comes to Baltimore with a penchant for inflicting punishment on defenders and breaking long runs. Assuming Henry has a seamless transition into the Ravens offense, he should open up space for Jackson and create favorable matchups for the team’s wide receivers and tight ends. Like Roquan Smith on the defensive side, Henry is a force multiplier. If he becomes the piece that helps the Ravens get past Kansas City and to the Super Bowl, he’ll go down as one of the better free-agent signings in team history.

Ranking top 20 linebackers for 2024 NFL season: 49ers’ Fred Warner tops impressive list

Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports

2. Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens

Smith was a very good linebacker with the Bears, but man, he’s evolved into a different animal with the Ravens. His 158 combined tackles last year were the most by a Raven since Ray Lewis in 2003, even though it was Smith’s lowest tackle total since 2020! In Week 10 against the Browns, Smith recorded a whopping 21 combined tackles, which set a career-high. Then, in the AFC Championship loss to the Chiefs, Smith led his team in tackles with 16. He earned his fourth-straight All-Pro selection, and second-straight Pro Bowl bid after helping the Ravens defense become the first unit all-time to lead or co-lead the NFL in scoring defense, sacks and takeaways.

2025 NFL Draft: One offensive player to watch for all 32 NFL teams

Trevor Sikkema, PFF

BALTIMORE RAVENS: T KELVIN BANKS JR., TEXAS

The Ravens moved on from Morgan Moses this past offseason, leaving a vacancy at right tackle (perhaps to be filled by rookie Roger Rosengarten). Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is under contract for just one more season, will be 31 years old next offseason and has dealt with injuries over the past four seasons.

Offensive tackle will likely be high on Baltimore’s priority list for 2025. Kelvin Banks Jr. is still raw in his technique but is an incredible athlete for the position. He has all the tools to be a starting-caliber left tackle.