Everyone needs a little motivation from time to time.
You know that person in our lives who’s always there to give us a swift kick in the rear whenever we need it to refocus ourselves.
Late last week, Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees got his kick in the rear when the front office added long-time NFL veteran Leslie Frazier to its coaching ranks.
Over the course of his 18 years in the league, Frazier has served in almost every defensive coaching role.
From his days in Philadelphia with John Harbaugh coaching under Andy Reid, to his three-year head coaching stint with the Vikings, Frazier is a well-respected figure around the league with a knack for defense.
Frazier was hired to help fix the Ravens’ dreadful secondary; however, his vast coaching experience on the defensive side of the football could – and should – have Pees looking over his shoulder in 2016.
The 2015 Ravens certainly had their fair share of problems on both sides of the football, but the defense’s struggles were the most notable.
While Dean Pees saw his group improve over the course of the season’s final weeks to finish the as the NFL’s 8th ranked overall defense, many have pointed out, including my colleague Dev Panchwagh, those numbers are quite deceptive.
The Ravens made the right move by retaining the long-tenured coordinator. After all you can only do so much with the talent provided to you, particularly in the secondary.
But Dev does make a valid point on which we all can agree.
The secondary lacked the ability to limit big plays and force turnovers in 2015.
If somehow, Frazier is able to provide a turn-around in the Ravens defensive backfield next season, Ravens fans may get what many of them want: a new Defensive Coordinator.
His hiring very well could be the beginning of the end for Dean Pees in Baltimore.
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