The key for any successful business, whether it’s your local mom & pop store or an NFL franchise is having a rock solid foundation.
The Baltimore Ravens’ foundation is about as solid as they come.
Success hasn’t always come easy for Steve Bisciotti’s troops but more often than not over the last several seasons, the results have been favorable. In fact since 2008, the Ravens have achieved an overall record of 87-56.
While things certainly didn’t pan out the way the franchise and fans would have preferred in 2015, it’s up to the brass and several franchise players to right the ship.
The NFL offseason is just as important as the regular season – some argue it’s even more crucial.
There are a lot of questions that need to be answered moving forward. Whether the Ravens answer them through free agency with a limited salary cap (as of now) or by finding several gems with their 10 draft picks, there’s work to be done.
Just how much needs to be done?
Quarterback Joe Flacco doesn’t think much change is needed in order for the Ravens to get back to their winning ways.
“I think we’re good,” said Flacco, who is battling to get back healthy for 2016. “I think we’re starting out with a good foundation, but obviously, we need to improve. We need to play better.
“We’re going to have to look at what we have when this offseason settles down and see where we may need a guy or two. But yes, we need to improve; there’s no doubt about it. We’re a 5-11 football team, and we feel like we’re a lot better than that. Like I said, I think our foundation is good, but we need to get better.”
Joe played it cool in front of his locker with that statement, but throughout the season it was written on his face that something wasn’t clicking. Whether it was the injuries to several of his offensive weapons or new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, something was awry. Even his mechanics and footwork seemed to regress, just months removed from when Gary Kubiak and Rick Dennison seemed to have him playing some of his best football, despite Trestman keeping much of the offense Kubiak installed.
As Flacco enters his ninth season, he’s becoming more and more vocal and could possibly become more involved in the draft process on the offensive side of the football.
“It’s tough,” remarked Joe when asked if he would voice his opinion on on the team’s offseason moves and the draft. “It’s tough to be in the…to look at the draft, you get to look at a couple guys, but it’s really tough to know when we’re going pick, and really, it’s tough to look at film of those guys.
“I’m not a scout. I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I will be in the building a lot. So, I’m sure I’ll have a lot of conversations with people, and if they ask me, I’m going to give them my honest opinion.”
Flacco has addressed the presumed need for speed on offense this year, something that lacked throughout their 2015 campaign, partly due to injures. It’s likely the team will add a speedster or two this offseason.
“I don’t know if it’s something that [the team] needs, but yes, you see what speed does,” he remarked. “It does a lot for football teams. You see what the Steelers are doing with the speed that they’ve added over the last couple years.
“It definitely makes a difference out there. I’m not saying that it’s something that we need, but when we’ve had it here, it’s definitely made a little bit of a difference. So, it helps.”
With just a few remaining days till the NFL combine, Ozzie Newsome and his scouts, along with John Harbaugh, will get their first true live look at this year’s college/NFL talent.
They’ll analyze the players they see, hoping to identify those who can help in any phase of the game, and perhaps those who can give Flacco and the rest of the Ravens their best chance at building upon their solid foundation – which they certainly need to do in 2016.
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