Who Takes Pernell McPhee’s Spot?
The Ravens’ Defense is looking strong.
Over the past few years, Ozzie & Co. have done magnificent work patching up weaknesses and replacing defensive stalwarts. They’ve done it with exceptional drafting and shrewd free-agent acquisitions – their trademark approach to the offseason.
Last year, the Ravens drafted the highly touted LB C.J Mosley – he went on to become a Pro Bowler. They signed safety Will Hill, who turned up as the lone bright spot in an otherwise bleak secondary. They used a 2nd round draft pick to select Timmy Jernigan who will warrant Pro Bowl consideration in upcoming years.
Ray Lewis’ replacement. Check.
Ed Reed’s. Check.
Ngata’s. Check.
They shored up a struggling secondary and added valuable depth through the draft with the likes of DE Za’Darius Smith, NT Carl Davis, and CB Tray Walker.
With a flurry of new players stepping into critical roles, fans want to know, what will the defense look like in 2015?
Analyzing the Secondary
Everybody knows it: the Ravens demise last season was due to an atrocious secondary. The unit ranked in the bottom third of the field in almost every passing category.
- 23rd in passing yards allowed per game (248.7)
- 23rd in passing TDs (22)
- 25th in interceptions (11)
- 22nd in opponent’s completion percentage (64.2 %)
- 31st against the deep ball (passes more than 16 yards in the air)
The most telling statistic?
The Ravens ranked 4th in passing attempts by opponents with 595. Only the Broncos, Texans, and Bengals were thrown on more than the Ravens. The secondary was a blatant weakness and opponents knew it. In the end, Tom Brady took advantage…and deflated our hopes for another Super Bowl bid (Sorry, I just had to…).
Yet, one offseason can make all the difference.
This year, a trio of Ravens CBs are healthy: Jimmy Smith, Ladarius Webb, and Asa Jackson. Will Hill is being applauded for his progress by John Harbaugh and Dean Pees. Matt Elam is turning heads at practice. They signed a talented young safety in Kendrick Lewis, added veteran corners Kyle Arrington and Cassius Vaughn, and drafted a ridiculously rangy CB, Tray Walker, for depth.
With these key acquisitions, most of the Ravens’ secondary is already in place, even before training camp begins – barring the unexpected. Kendrick Lewis was signed to be the starting Free Safety and is proving in practice that he is worthy. The addition of Lewis will allow Hill to move to his more natural position of Strong Safety. Lewis and Hill complement each other well and should make for a formidable safety duo.
The Ravens will likely slide ex-Patriots CB Kyle Arrington into the slot-corner position, as Arrington was already regarded as one of the best slot corners in the NFL. Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb will be the Ravens top 2 corners, unless the latter regresses.
So, the only real question for the secondary is, who will be the Ravens’ Dime Back?
The “dime” is a position that is not necessarily worthy of the “starter” title but a critical one nonetheless, especially with today’s pass-happy NFL offenses.
Who’s competing? S Matt Elam, S Anthony Levine, S Brynden Trawick, S Anthony Levine, CB Cassius Vaughn, CB Tramain Jacobs, CB Rashaan Melvin.
In the end, I think Matt Elam will assume this role. The dime back position requires a level of versatility that Elam possesses. He has experience at both corner and safety, he can move into the box to defend the run, and he has the speed to pass rush off the edge.
Before pundits bash me on this predication, fans should recall the trials and tribulations of now-praised cornerback, Jimmy Smith. Smith struggled mightily in his first couple seasons, but gradually turned into a corner capable of shutting-down top receivers. With 2 full-seasons under his belt, Elam’s progression may (hopefully) be akin to that of Smith’s.
However, he certainly is not a lock for consistent playing time. Elam will need to show improved tackling, coverage awareness, and ball skills not just in practice, but in actual games, where he has often showed a lack of confidence. If anything, Elam does have one thing going for him — he is a former first round pick and the Ravens won’t be willing to give up on him just yet.
Who Takes Pernell McPhee’s Spot?
With McPhee cashing in on a big contract with the Bears, the Ravens have already begun exploring a few possible replacements. Unfortunately, behind the stellar duo of Suggs and Dumervil, there is relatively little experience and a group of mostly raw, unproven pass-rushers. Surely, Courtney Upshaw could fill the void, but he is best supporting the run and is not a true pass-rushing specialist.
More likely than not, this position will be decided after the preseason, where coaches can then evaluate full-tape on a player and get a true sense of their pass-rushing potential.
Who’s competing? Kapron Lewis-Moore, Brent Urban, Steven Means, Z’Darius Smith, Courtney Upshaw
Means is an intriguing option, earning high praise from both Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome. If these two have taken notice, then he certainly has the opportunity to get some playing time. Still, he is unproven and has no in-game NFL experience, so the odds are stacked against him. Lewis-Moore and Urban are injury prone, but have the tangibles to become viable pass-rushing threats.
The best option to replace McPhee may be 4th round draft pick Za’Darius Smith. Smith skyrocketed up teams’ draft boards after dominating in the East-West Shrine Game – earning the title as the Most Valuable Defensive Player. The NFL.com scouting report on Smith makes it sound like he can fit the bill as McPhee’s replacement.
“Linear build with well-defined upper body. Plays like his hair is on fire and is more than happy to mix it up with tackles in the trenches. Strong at the point of attack. Can stack and shed blockers using arm extension and power in hands. Will do the dirty work for a defense and is considered a good team-first player” (Nfl.com).
On the other hand, defensive players drafted in mid-late rounds almost always need a grace period before being thrown into the fire. Therefore, until Smith actually produces in live-action, the Ravens will likely take a committee approach to fill McPhee’s void. This will keep defensive players fresh, while giving the Ravens ample time to evaluate who will become McPhee’s full-time replacement as the season progresses.
With the Ravens revamped secondary, can the defense become Top 5 overall in 2015? Only time will tell. However, the unit looks like it has no true weaknesses, that is, on paper at-least.
Projected Starting Defense
NT: Brandon Williams
DE: Timmy Jernigan, Chris Canty
OLB: Elvis Dumervil/Courtney Upshaw
ILB: CJ Mosley
ILB: Daryl Smith
OLB: Terrell Suggs
FS: Kendrick Lewis
SS: Will Hill
CB1: Jimmy Smith
CB2: Ladarius Webb
Key Reserves / Situational Starters:
Nickelback / Slot Corner: Kyle Arrington
Dimeback: S Matt Elam
Pass-Rushers: Z’Darius Smith, Steven Means
