It’s officially the offseason, Ravens fans, and we’re already going a little bit crazy.
Patrick Mahomes: *barely misses trip to 3rd straight Super Bowl*
media: pic.twitter.com/CV1jleGzX5
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) February 18, 2022
https://t.co/atOXwDVajw ranked all 62 quarterbacks who started games in 2021.
Who's ranked too high or too low? 🤔
Full rankings → https://t.co/RZBlQ4trWl
(via @greggrosenthal) pic.twitter.com/vLB08lFW81
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 18, 2022
Ranking Patrick Mahomes out of the top 5 and Lamar Jackson out of the top 10 of NFL quarterbacks is absurd, especially with Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill and Derek Carr all sitting ahead of Jackson.
But hey, at least he’s finally back to work!
Yeah, Lamar Jackson is moving around much better now 😌 pic.twitter.com/A2SMY8UWpI
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) February 18, 2022
It’s awesome to see QB1 on the practice field again, and his ankle looks be fully healed up. He’s getting in work with Rashod Bateman and James Proche, two receivers that would benefit from better chemistry with their star quarterback.
The Ravens also have their 2022 opponents finalized, and their schedule is among the easiest in the league after finishing fourth in the AFC North.
The Ravens 2022 schedule is getting favorable rankings: pic.twitter.com/T3jP45Xa1D
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) February 17, 2022
Baltimore has had a first- or second-place schedule for the past five seasons, and they haven’t had a fourth-place schedule since 2008, an 11-5 season led by John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco in their first years in Baltimore. That fourth-place schedule includes both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Giants, while the Bengals’ first-place finish has them playing both the Tennessee Titans and the Dallas Cowboys.
I like our matchups just a bit better.
Finally, it’s mock draft season, and instead of doing a round-up of other mock drafts, I decided to do my own!
There is one main assumption here: the Ravens either sign Ryan Jensen or re-sign Bradley Bozeman at center. Not having a center entering the draft would drastically change the team’s strategy.
First, I traded back from 14 to pick up an extra second-rounder, giving up one of the Ravens’ extra fourth-rounders in the process. I don’t hate the mock drafts that have Georgia’s Travon Walker going to the Ravens at 14, but I’d love to maximize value in a deep draft by grabbing an extra Day 2 pick by trading back from 14 depending on what’s available.
Walker at 18 is an easy pick as a versatile edge player who can play the run and rush the passer from inside or outside alignments, a key need after the Achilles injury to Tyus Bowser.
DeMarvin Leal had been thrown around as a possible top-10 pick, and a surefire first-rounder coming into 2021, but he underperformed those expectations this season. Still, that kind of talent falling to 45 can’t be ignored, especially with an existing need at the position.
The extra second-rounder was used to take Nicholas Petit-Frere, a natural OT with experience at left and right tackle against top competition while at Ohio State. His tape is a rollercoaster, but he’s got the tools and traits to play offensive tackle in the NFL.
76 was a tough pick because of the lack of attractive options available at positions of greater need, so I took Jalen Wydermeyer to provide the vertical receiving threat the Ravens could use at tight end. This would enable them to pass out of heavy sets more often, a key way to take advantage of mismatches when opposing defense against the run.
Finally, I selected Nebraska’s Jojo Domann as the Ravens’ next pass-covering inside linebacker. Patrick Queen has made tremendous strides against the run, but he still isn’t sharp enough in pass coverage to be trusted as the primary middle-of-field defender on passing downs. Domann could take over Chris Board’s role and develop into a full-time sub-package linebacker who can help the Ravens stop getting gashed over the middle.
