Ravens 2023: The New Season is Here!

The blog has awakened now that the new season is here!  Let’s jump right in with some quick Ravens thoughts.

David Ojabo and the Pass Rush

Yikes!  I can’t mince any words here.  Ojabo looked awful.  Not only was there no explosion, I don’t think there was any evidence of lift-off.  If you want to see textbook examples of a player who could not get off of a block just rewind any pass rush attempt by Ojabo in the pre-season.  His spin move – which he demonstrated frequently and to great effect at Michigan – disappeared.  A powerful punch and extension?  Nope.  Hand fighting?  Maybe there was a bit of thumb wrestling that I missed.  This was all massively disappointing.  It was so bad that Ojabo was on the field for a play or two in the fourth quarter of last night’s game.  He was no better in the running game.

This all spells very big trouble for the Ravens defense.  I mean very big.  Where, exactly, is the pass rush going to come from?  We’d better hope that Odafe Oweh has turned into Sizzle Junior.  Jadaveon Clowney is a solid player who will hold the edge in a traditional Ravens-way, but he’s not Justin Houston rushing the quarterback.  Who knows when Tyus Bowser will be ready.  We don’t really know what happened to his knee (it’s easier to get a leak out of the Justice Department than to get one out of the Ravens).

Is there a veteran free agent to sign?  Kyle Van Noy must really have nothing left in the tank for the Ravens not to have at least tried him.  This is looking rough.

Tavius Robinson?  I’ll get to the rookie class in a minute.

The Pass Rush: What to Do

There’s really not much that can be done on the edge at this point.  When – and whether – Ojabo improves we can’t know, but he’s got a long way to go.  There’s no one else on the roster (at least for opening day) who can make a difference.  So how will Mike Macdonald deal with this problem?

I suspect we are going to see a lot more of Kyle Hamilton lined up in the slot position near the line like we saw last year.  We know how effective he was there, and given the obvious pass rush challenges moving Hamilton primarily to the back end makes little sense.  Blitzes from the interior linebackers could also be more prominent, and we could see more of Patrick Queen on third down firing towards the quarterback.  Stunt plays might also be more frequent.  Macdonald is going to have to scheme things here – like in the Rex Ryan days – to get enough pressure to help those corners.

The Cornerbacks

Speaking of which, what exactly do the Ravens have at the corner positions?  The simple answer is, we just don’t know.  With Marlon Humphrey out (for how long?) this likely means that it will be Rock Ya-Sin and – dare I say – Jalyn Armour-Davis as the starting corners.  Yikes again!  Not to worry, maybe Ronald Darby will be ready.  I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit worried about matchups in the week two Bengals game!  The Ravens are fortunate they will face two rookie quarterbacks in the first three weeks of the season.

There are a lot of bodies to pick from back there, but not a lot of quality.  Now I’m not going to question the Zay Flowers’ first round selection.  The kid looks great and there’s a lot to be excited about.  But the price of adding this slot receiver for the 2023 season was foregoing a cornerback selection at the top of the draft.  As we sit here today, this is a very big price to pay on the 2023 Ravens defense.

Ar’Darius Washington is a player I’ve liked from the moment the Ravens signed him as an undrafted free agent.  In my book he’s worked his way into playing time at the slot corner position.  He’s smart, very competitive, quick enough, and a strong blitzer.  Washington has really developed and he’s going to help the team now.

Of all or the other corners who were given a chance during the preseason, no one (meaning, none) made a real impression.  Sure, there was a play or two from Jeremy Lucien and Tae Hayes.  Yes, we can site one or two plays from Kevon Seymour, but we know what we have in Seymour.  Even Amour-Davis made a play in the Bucs game.  But there are no diamonds in the rough here.  I think I’d rather see Daryl Worley at the corner position than most of these guys (though we won’t).

Kyu Kelly?  I’ll get to the rookie class in a minute.

How Many Inside Linebackers Can One Team Keep?

The maximum just shouldn’t be more than five.  Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen, of course.  Malik Harrison in all likelihood.  Trenton Simpson (did I say I’ll get to the rookie class in a minute?) is a lock.  Of the rest, Del’Shawn Phillips can actually take the field if you need him; he’s a pretty good athlete.

Please don’t tell me Kristian Welch can make this team just to play special teams.  Josh Ross?  Not over an extra offensive lineman.  To the practice squad with either or both of these guys, but not on the 53-man roster.

The Drafted Rookie Class?

Let’s quickly pour through the 2023 draft class.

Zay Flowers will be an impact player very quickly if he stays healthy.  This kid can be a real difference maker.  A few comments about the offense are below.  But the rest of this draft class is a complete wipe-out for 2023.  I hated most of these selections when they were made.  Sadly, I saw nothing to change my mind so far.

Trenton Simpson

Simpson has no idea what he’s doing to this point.  2023 is a red-shirt season for him.  He looked fast (though smaller than I thought) and there’s little doubt the Ravens drafted him to take Queen’s place next year.  But you just can’t put him on the field this year.  He’s not NFL-ready.

Tavius Robinson

You can see the wheels spinning in Robinson’s head when he’s required to diagnose anything on the field.  He’s hesitant and uncertain.  Now Robinson looks the part, but I did not see any outstanding trait to crow about.  There’s an awful lot of work to do here to turn Robinson into an NFL player.  I don’t see him having an impact on the edge in 2023, barring a miracle.  He’s likely a better fit on the inside on passing downs, but Robinson has not mastered any of the nuances of an interior pass rusher.

Kyu Kelly

There was nothing about Kelly’s game that I liked watching his tape before the draft.  He didn’t impress me at the Senior Bowl.  And he didn’t impress me at all in the preseason.  He was beaten consistently, and in every way imaginable.  Frankly, he wouldn’t make the team if I was coaching (I have no delusions!).

Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu

What was all of the excitement about Sala being a starter?  Forget about it, he’s not THAT effective yet.  This is a sit and learn season for Sala.  While he might turn out to be the best value selection in this class (although we’ll wait until Andrew Vorhees plays next year to make that judgment), I just can’t see him playing over John Simpson.  And the Ravens made that official today.

That’s it for the draft class.  Eric DeCosta didn’t get the 2023 Ravens much help on draft day.

The Undrafted Free Agents

Now I love Keaton Mitchell for what he brings.  This kid must make the team.  Watching his tape before the draft, I thought he could have been selected as early as the fourth round.  Mitchell brings tremendous value as an undrafted player and produced exactly what showed up on his college films.  The Ravens don’t have a weapon like him, and they would be foolish to try to get him through waivers.

A few other players caught my eye, but not for the 53-man going into the season.  Malik Hamm brought a real spin-move to the party, and though he struggled to get off of blocks on the edge, there’s enough to work with here to get him onto the practice squad.  A year in the weight room and some hard work and Hamm might work his way onto an NFL team.

Tashawn Manning has some ability at the guard position.  For me, he’s a definite for the practice squad.  As I mentioned earlier, Jeremy Lucien splashed some good play.  I think he offers more right now than Kyu Kelly, but the Ravens rarely cut drafted rookies.  Nevertheless, I’d prefer Lucien over Kelly on the 53-man roster, failing which I’d be shocked if Lucien wasn’t on the practice squad.

Then there’s Travis Vokolek, who came out of nowhere to make a serious impression.  This is a big man with strong hands and good power.  He can’t make the 53-man team but only because of the quality of the first three tight ends on the team.  Will he go unclaimed by the rest of the league?  He shouldn’t.  But he’d be a lock for my practice squad if he clears waivers.

Trey Botts (interior defensive lineman) flashed a bit, enough to warrant a practice squad inclusion.  Kelle Sanders (edge defender) displayed some speed and determination in the Bucs game, perhaps enough to get to the practice squad (though he’s not a lock).  Sean Ryan (wide receiver) showed some ability but that touchdown drop didn’t help his chances.  Owen Wright showed some pop and straight-line speed.  He’s also a reasonable candidate for the practice squad.

Jeremiah Moon, in his second go around, should also land on the practice squad.

Ben Cleveland

I was a fan of Cleveland’s early on.  The Ravens were really trying to salvage something out of Cleveland by trying him at right tackle to see whether he offers any position versatility.  Yes, Cleveland was beaten badly by Jalen Carter in the Eagles game on a pass rush down at the guard position.  But I thought Cleveland was fairly effective at guard in the run game through all three games, and he made some very nice blocks last night against the Bucs.  He struggled on a few occasions at guard in pass protection, while at other times he was very effective.  At the tackle position he has a harder time getting his feet and hips aligned in pass protect; he leans and reaches a bit too much.

Would I cut Cleveland at this point?  No.  He’s done enough to be on the 53-man.  Remember, the Ravens have three offensive linemen starters who are 30 or older, and Cleveland is decent insurance against the unthinkable.  In that sense he’s more valuable than any fifth interior linebacker.  Could the Ravens trade Cleveland?  There is likely a market for him, albeit in the sixth round area, but I’d prefer to keep the insurance.

Backup Quarterback

If I had to win a game in 2023 without Lamar Jackson – in Todd Monken’s offense – I’d rather have Josh Johnson than Tyler Huntley.  The Ravens have a bunch of weapons this year, and I believe Johnson is better equipped to get the ball to those weapons than Huntley.  That’s my humble opinion.

Now with that out of the way, I don’t see the Ravens keeping Johnson over Huntley.  Will the Ravens keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster?  Not after they turned over the keys to Fort Knox to Mr. Jackson.  Will another team call on Johnson to their active roster?  They should.  But if they don’t, Johnson should clearly be on the practice squad.

Anthony Brown?  This kid panicked on a ton of plays during the preseason, ducking his head and running at the first breakdown of his pass protection.  Brown has some athletic ability, and he will make the practice squad if Johnson doesn’t.  But Brown has a lot more work to do to be an NFL-caliber quarterback.

The Running Backs

This shouldn’t be difficult.  The first three backs are set, and I’m hoping that, once and for all, Justice Hill gets some carries and catches each week.  He has the best burst of the top three backs and good hands too.

Keaton Mitchell over Melvin Gordon is an easy answer.  Whether Gordon wants to go to the practice squad is up to him, and he would be very good insurance.  But Mitchell just has to be on this team.  Can you see him on third down passing situations coming out of the backfield as the receivers and tight ends clear out?  It’s going to be very difficult for any linebacker to stay with Mitchell in the flat or underneath.

A Comment or Two on the New Season Offense

We didn’t see any hint of the offense to come other than a few plays from Flowers, plays that make one salivate.  But you just have to be very excited about what’s possible this year.  The receiver room is loaded, the tight end room is loaded, the running back room is loaded, and the offensive line is one of the better groups in the league.  Barring major injuries, this is the most potent group – by far – that the Ravens have ever fielded.

Fans bemoan Lamar’s lack of consistent accuracy, and rightly so.  He will continue to miss open targets because he just hasn’t improved his mechanics (based on reports from training camp).  We will just have to live with that.  But how far he can take this offense – and the ceiling is very high – will depend on how well he grasps the mental concepts in Monken’s scheme.  Monken was wise not allowing Lamar to wear his wrist band during camp; make him know the plays without looking.  Can Lamar elevate his understanding of concepts?  Can he recognize schemes on his first scan of a defense and make the necessary adjustments before the ball is snapped?

I believe, based on personnel alone, the Ravens should be a top five offense in the league in this new season, if not higher.  And it will need to be, as we sit here today, because the defense has obvious holes.  Lamar got his massive paycheck.  Can he fully deliver?