The Baltimore Ravens are a team that remains in the postseason mix each year through skillful evaluations of collegiate talent and through a thoughtful approach to free agency that is fiscally responsible. The trouble with the approach is that it doesn’t produce many dynamic playmakers.
At least it hasn’t as of late.
It’s a given that Ozzie Newsome doesn’t make splash signings during the NFL’s answer to Black Friday every March when the free agency bell rings. Instead he finds complementary players like Kendrick Lewis and Will Hill or established players in the November of their careers like Daryl Smith and Steve Smith, Sr.
Right player, right price. It’s a tried and true credo.
Another tried and true credo, one the Ravens employ during the draft, is best player available. And while the Ravens remain among the most successful at their craft during draft weekend, they’ve failed for quite some time, to produce many playmakers, particularly playmakers still with the team.
Since 2006 the Ravens have had 8 first-round draft picks. Five remain with the club but only 3 have stepped on the field in 2015.
• 10 picks were made in 2013 and only 2 are starters
• 18 picks were made in 2013 and 2012 of which only 4 are starters and only 8 are on the active roster.
• 3 picks in total still remain from the 2011, 2010 and 2009 drafts, one of which (Dennis Pitta) may no longer play again in the NFL.
The odds of drafting high-end playmakers is made even more difficult when you consider that during the John Harbaugh era, 8 drafts in total, the Ravens have on average made the 28th overall pick. By the time that pick rolls around the top end receivers, corners and pass rushers are long gone, particularly in the pass happy NFL.
Perhaps this is the price of success. Perhaps this is the price of parity.
Maybe those tried and true credos need a little fine-tuning.
