Hope springs eternal for NFL teams building their rosters.
The Ravens are no exception.
Coach John Harbaugh met with the media this week at the owner’s meetings in Orlando, Fla., and is optimistic about the long-term outlook for the franchise.
Following a season where the Ravens’ passing attack finished 29th in the league, general manager Ozzie Newsome added a pair of key, playmaking wide receivers in Michael Crabtree and John Brown. The Ravens could not afford to retain center Ryan Jensen, but they did manage to secure the versatile James Hurst for depth on the offensive line.
The Ravens have missed the playoffs for the past three seasons and four times in the past five years. Harbaugh is confident the team has take some effective, initial steps to end that drought.
“You compare it to last year, I think we are in better shape than we were a year ago at this time,” Harbaugh said in a meeting with reporters. “We actually have more flexibility, more depth than we did a year ago. It turned out pretty well for us.”
While the Ravens have made some key signings, several players have been jettisoned from the roster, most notably Jeremy Maclin, Danny Woodhead, Austin Howard and Lardarius Webb. Harbaugh had expressed interest after the season about retaining most of the roster. However, he did not appear surprised by these departures, especially in light of the team’s salary cap troubles.
“I’m disappointed about the guys we lost, of course, but most of that was predictable,” he said.
Harbaugh is also confident the offensive line is shaping up to be the strength of the team, especially if this unit can stay healthy. Last season, the Ravens managed one of the league’s best running attacks despite injuries to Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda and left guard Alex Lewis.
Harbaugh predicted the starting offensive line will consist of: Ronnie Stanley, left tackle; Lewis, left guard; Matt Skura, center; Yanda, right guard; and, Hurst, right tackle.
The Ravens will likely add depth in this year’s NFL Draft, potentially with the 16th overall pick. Some draft pundits predicted Newsome will take Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey with their first-round pick. If so, McGlinchey will battle for a starting spot immediately.
“Here’s kind of the interesting thing about the o-line: You compare it to last year and I think we’re in better shape than we were a year ago at this time,” Harbaugh said. “We actually have more flexibility, more depth than we did a year ago and it turned out pretty well for us.”
The Ravens are still in the market for a tight end and wide receiver. However, the free-agent market has grown thin at both of these positions. As a result, Newsome could wait for a veteran to be cut from an opposing team. He has already said that is part of the overall offseason strategy. The team could also trade for a veteran, but that seems unlikely because Newsome does not like parting with draft picks.
While Harbaugh has downplayed the significance of the upcoming season, he knows the team likely has to make the playoffs or there could be wholesale changes to the roster and coaching staff. Newsome will step down as general manager at the end of 2018 and Eric DeCosta will assume that role.
Perhaps, the new boss would want to create a clean slate as he begins to navigate the long-term strategy for the franchise. In short, this is one of the most critical seasons in Ravens’ history and it appears that almost everyone is embracing the challenge.
However, only the final results on the field will determine the future of the players and personnel.
