It’s become a tradition around these parts to do an early-July Baltimore Ravens mailbag, helping to bridge the gap between what’s essentially vacation time for NFL executives, coaches and players to the start of training camp.
You had plenty of questions. Unsurprisingly, many of them were about the Ravens’ unsettled offensive line.
Note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.
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On Robert Mays’ podcast, there was a reporter who said Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill said the Ravens’ offensive line had nothing at the point of attack. Is this why we had an offensive line overhaul this offseason? — Drew K.
I hadn’t seen or heard those comments, so, without knowing the context, it’s hard for me to respond. It was clear the offensive line did not play up to its capabilities against the Chiefs. It had plenty of company in that regard. However, I wouldn’t say that game spurred the overhaul. The Ravens wanted to get younger, healthier and more athletic up front. That realization didn’t just hit them after the AFC Championship Game.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley was turning 30 in March and coming off another injury-marred year. Right tackle Morgan Moses was turning 33 and played much of last year with a torn pec. Right guard Kevin Zeitler was turning 34 and battled a knee issue last season. Moses and Zeitler have had standout careers, but they’ve played a ton of snaps and the Ravens understood the potential for more physical challenges going forward was going to be high. It was a classic case of the Ravens believing it’s always better to move on from a guy a year too early than a year too late. As for John Simpson, the Ravens believe they can get similar production for less than what he was paid in free agency.
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Any thoughts on (Daniel) Faalele moving to guard? Being a bit too slow for tackle, is guard not his best position? — Pat K.
There are definitely those thoughts. In fact, there are some people inside the Ravens’ facility who believe he’s better suited at guard. He got plenty of reps inside during the various offseason workouts. He’s very much in that mix.
Are you concerned about the significant drop-off in backup quarterbacks? Both Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown were better than the present group. — Rob S.
That’s an area where Baltimore could upgrade. But I wouldn’t say I’m concerned, only because I believe if Lamar Jackson is out long term, the Ravens are probably sunk anyway. I’m just not sure any quarterback the team could have gotten this offseason, given its salary-cap restraints, was going to alter that reality. I do think Josh Johnson, on guile, smarts and athleticism, would give Baltimore a similar chance to steal a game or two in Jackson’s absence.
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Last year, we heard a fair bit about two-tight end sets and the Isaiah Likely–Mark Andrews pair popping off. It didn’t really happen, at least not when they were both healthy. We are hearing the same chatter again this year. Do you expect the two-tight end sets to gain more traction this year, and if so, what makes the situation different from last season? — Shawn B.
I do have those expectations and I’ll give you three reasons why. One, Likely emerged in the second half of last season while Andrews was sidelined with the injury. He showed everyone how dynamic he can be when he’s involved, and he’s carried that momentum throughout the offseason. He looked terrific in the final minicamp. Two, the Ravens seemed focused for the first half of last year on getting their wide receivers as involved as possible after drafting Zay Flowers, the healthy return of Rashod Bateman and the signings of Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor.
They just aren’t as deep at wide receiver this year. There aren’t as many mouths to feed in the passing game. And three, offensive coordinator Todd Monken has a year under his belt and a better understanding of Jackson’s strengths and the team’s personnel. I have a hard time believing he won’t conclude that the Ravens present a ton of matchup difficulties with both Andrews and Likely on the field.
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With so many key players and coaches coming and going this offseason, it’s difficult to envision what this defense will look like under Zach Orr’s leadership. What are your thoughts and observations on how the Ravens’ defense will evolve in 2024? — Mark W.
The first thing I’d say is there wasn’t much in the way of differences that were obvious to the eye during the various offseason workouts. That isn’t surprising. Teams aren’t going to give opponents a head-start in preparing for them. But I honestly don’t expect too many differences beyond subtle tweaks here and there and a few areas where Orr will put his imprint on things. Mike Macdonald did a terrific job last year, but he’d be the first to tell you he was operating under the organization’s defensive philosophy, and some key style/scheme changes were made even before he returned to the building.
The Ravens want to be multiple. They want to be as close to a positionless defense as possible. They want to disguise, run stunts and simulated pressures, and do things that can confuse quarterbacks and offensive lines. They’ll also continue to be selective with pressure. We’re just going to have to wait to see what tweaks Orr makes, but I hardly expect significant schematic changes.
I read that the Steelers are going to play (Patrick) Queen at the MIKE and give him the green dot for play-calling responsibilities, both roles he failed at with the Ravens and forced us to go get Roquan (Smith). How do you think he’ll fare in the role in Pittsburgh? — Rob M.
People tend to forget that Queen was one of the youngest players in the league when the Ravens drafted him, and he didn’t play much college football. There were going to be growing pains, and they were probably exacerbated because middle linebacker is a glamour position in Baltimore. But I think this notion that Queen needed Smith to arrive so he could improve is unfair. After a slow start in 2022, Queen started to play much better before the Smith trade was made. He was improving. Did the presence of Smith help Queen get to another level? Sure. That’s how it works. Playing alongside great players tends to raise your level, too. I think Queen will be just fine in those roles. He’s a smarter, more experienced and explosive player than he was two years ago.
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I still haven’t recovered from the AFC title game and am not that excited about the Ravens, knowing they could go away from what works once again in the playoffs. What is exciting about this Ravens team that could shake off the sorrow? — Stephanie R.
The Ravens employ a ticket sales staff, so I’ll let them handle the sales jobs. Keeping it brief, there are a lot of smart people around the league who believe the Ravens, even with all their offseason losses, have one of the top rosters in the NFL. The offense should be better in Year 2 under Monken and with Derrick Henry aboard. There are several talented defensive players on the roster who should get expanded roles this year. Skepticism about how the Ravens have performed in the playoffs is warranted. They’ve earned that, but I’d have to think there would be a comfort level in rooting for a team that is a threat to play high-stakes football in December and January pretty much every year.
Were the Ravens a bit slow at adapting to the new kickoff rules? As a Brit, I thought the Chiefs taking (Louis) Rees-Zammit was a shrewd move that has the potential payoff of saving (Harrison) Butker from what has to be an increased injury risk from kickoffs this season. Should the Ravens have made a competitive offer or considered a secondary kicker for kickoffs themselves? — Lukas R.
I don’t believe so. Justin Tucker is a talented guy and experiments with different kinds of kickoffs all the time in practice. The Ravens could benefit from his talent and precision on these kickoffs. The increased injury risk is obviously something you weigh, but when you have a guy as talented as Tucker, I just can’t see a designated kickoff specialist being a good use of a roster spot. My opinion could change after I see these new kickoff rules in action in the preseason.
Who are some of the remaining free agents you think are the best fit to bolster the squad? — Paul W.
I’ve been banging the drum for weeks for a veteran safety who will allow Orr to move Kyle Hamilton around and give the Ravens some insurance behind Marcus Williams, who has struggled to stay healthy in Baltimore. If the market is so depressed for former Denver Broncos Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons and he’s willing to come in on a modest price, that would be a coup for Eric DeCosta.
I’d love to give you the names of a few interior offensive linemen because the need is obvious, but it’s not a very good list. Phil Haynes? Connor Williams maybe, when he’s healthy. A few other names that could fit if the price is right: running back Cam Akers, wide receiver Corey Davis and outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah. While I made it clear above that I’m not concerned about the backup quarterback, I’d at least consider seeing whether Ryan Tannehill has any interest in backing up Jackson and reuniting with Henry.
Do you see a scenario where the front office could attempt a trade for a Matt Judon-type before the year? I feel like we are a little thin at the top of the Edge depth chart. — Chris L.
I’ve been surprised before, but I don’t see that happening, at least not for a guy with a significant price tag. The Ravens are working to add cap space because the roughly $5 million they have is nowhere near enough to get through the season. Taking on a significant contract before the season just doesn’t seem viable. My guess is they’ll continue to evaluate their cadre of young edge rushers, and if they don’t like what they see early in camp, they could go the veteran free-agent route. Guys like Ogbah, Yannick Ngakoue, Carl Lawson and Jerry Hughes are still available. There’s also the potential for a pass rusher to become a target before the trade deadline.
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Is Mr. (Ozzie) Newsome still in The Castle regularly? What’s he up to? — Kyle L.
Newsome remains the team’s executive vice president. He’s still involved in the organization’s decision-making process. You see him watching just about every practice. If his role has changed in any way, it hasn’t been noticeable.
Have you felt that there is any sort of accountability among the coaching staff for how last season ended? I know they are competitive and want to win, but they really seemed to drop the ball as a coaching staff and haven’t really said much about it other than, “We want to run better.” — Stephen J.
I wouldn’t judge it by what coaches have said in news conferences. You can guarantee that some tough conversations were had behind closed doors. Owner Steve Bisciotti has those kinds of conversations with John Harbaugh. Harbaugh has those kinds of conversations with coordinators and assistants. That AFC title game loss left a mark on everyone in that building, and there’s been plenty of soul-searching done since. It’s up to the coaches and players to get themselves back in that situation and to write a different ending.
(Top photo of Zach Orr: Nick Wass / Associated Press)
