There is no clear cut answer to the question of which Ravens receiver should emerge as the No.3 option in the offense when the season starts. Although Devard Darling has logged the most playing time as the opposite foil to starters Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason, Demetrius Williams and Clarence Moore have also shown flashes of brilliance when they’ve had the chance to make plays in the passing game. All three have also proven to be effective run blockers.
At this point, Darling brings the most versatility to the table. He has the toughness to run inside routes, although he also tends to have lapses in concentration and drops easy passes. With Darling in the lineup, Mark Clayton can remain lined up on the outside along with Mason.
However, if the coaches decide to move Clayton to the slot position on third-down (a position he can thrive in this season) that would mean that the outside receiver taking Clayton’s spot needs to be an effective vertical threat. In that regard, Williams and Moore are better down-the-field options. Moore has the height, leaping ability and long arms to snag a jump ball. Williams has the body control, speed and acceleration to track down an under thrown or over thrown pass.
With Clayton and Mason having the ability to line up inside, the Ravens can showcase Williams and Moore’s talents as deep targets for McNair to turn to when he needs to complete a long pass in third-and-long situations.
In fact, while observers looked at the group of wideouts behind Mason and Clayton as unsettled group with no singular leader to be the slot man, it now appears to be a good thing that the coaches have three talented receivers who can line up in various positions when the Ravens use multiple receiver formations, as opposed to having just one solid third receiver…
Jamal Lewis’ preseason may have been cut short due to a hip injury, but he showed enough to prove that he is quite capable of reprising his role as a dominant back in the NFL. Although Lewis averaged a modest four yards per carry in two preseason starts, he did show great improvement in his footwork and timing when hitting the hole. Although Lewis still tends to shuffle his feet before accelerating through a gap, he shuffled his feet in order to let a block develop as opposed to dancing because he was indecisive.
Lewis showed good power and broke through tackles once he got past the first layer of defense. Against the Giants in particular, Lewis showed flashes of the power that he seemed to lack last year and the year before. He is clearly running harder and finishing off his runs better.
With Smith and Anderson in the backfield to provide insurance, Lewis’ pace as the feature back can be measured. Lewis simply cannot be a 30-to-40 carry back anymore. However, if he carries the ball around 20-to-25 times and around 10 carries are split between Anderson and Smith, the Ravens should have the formula to grind defenses down. All three backs are big, strong and able to move a pile. Of the group, Smith has the most speed and explosiveness. He is also the best receiving option.
It will be interesting to see how Jim Fassel works all three talented backs into the offensive rotation. But what is definitely clear is that Lewis appears ready to handle the responsibility as the lead back of the pack.
Drew Olson should earn the No.3 quarterback position behind Kyle Boller and Steve McNair. Not only has he outperformed Brian St. Pierre in the last two games, but he has shown more raw physical talent and potential.
Olson’s arm strength was questioned during the pre-draft workouts, but he puts more zip and velocity on his throws than initially advertised. In addition, Olsen generally makes the right decisions, seems to have good awareness and the presence to hang in the pocket even if it is collapsing around him.
The Ravens have lost two other developmental quarterbacks (Derrick Anderson and Josh Harris) to the Cleveland Browns over the past two seasons because they placed those quarterbacks on the practice squad. They should not make the same mistake with Olson. With Boller’s status in limbo following this season, and McNair’s years being numbered as an effective starter in the NFL, Olson could potentially be the future signal caller in Baltimore.
