As the free-agency signing period and NFL Draft nears, teams are looking at their own rosters to find out how they can improve for the 2010 campaign and beyond.
The Ravens are no different in that regard, especially now with the personnel department holed up in the draft room at Baltimore’s training facility evaluating each player that is in-house. The group is also looking at potentially available free agents and this year’s draft class.
So what is the Ravens’ biggest need moving forward? Well, there are certainly a few, but to get the argument started, we enlisted two of BaltimoreRavens.com’s writers, Mike Duffy and Ryan Mink, to get their take on where to start.
[3:18:56 PM] Mike Duffy: OK, so I think if we’re going to talk about the Ravens’ biggest need this offseason, I don’t think you can get past the wide receiver position. In reality, the Ravens simply need more targets, and this is one year where anything less than an elite player there won’t help this position improve.
[3:20:41 PM] Ryan Mink: And that’s why I feel like defensive backfield is a more pressing need than at wide receiver. I agree that it will take a drastic step for the wide receivers to improve. And I don’t think this is the draft where that happens, and unfortunately due to the free agency limitations, I don’t see it being the free agency where they do it either. The defensive backfield is reeling with injuries and the potential retirement of Ed Reed means this unit could need help immediately just to stay above water.
[3:27:29 PM] Mike Duffy: Well first off, you’re right. There’s just not going to be those blockbuster unrestricted free agents out there as there have been in the past if the league goes into an uncapped year, but take a look at the RFA list. I’m not going to get into specific names at this point, but I do see a lot of value there.
Now, will the Ravens be willing to give up picks to go out and get them? That remains to be seen. I think it’s worth it if you want to see Joe Flacco take the next step.
As for the draft, there are always value picks in the mid rounds that break out. No, it’s not as top-heavy for receivers as it was last year, but the Ravens might want to spend multiple picks on a wideout and hope one or two pans out.
[3:31:34 PM] Ryan Mink: Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ravens add players at wide receiver (if not simply because they have so many free agents there), but I think the position they need to address the most is in the defensive backfield. You’ve got two cornerbacks who are coming back from serious knee surgeries and who may not even able to play at the start of the year. What happens if they aren’t ready to go Week 1?
[3:36:00 PM] Mike Duffy: We won’t know about Lardarius Webb, simply because of the timing of his injury, but what happened when all those guys went down last year? The Ravens still closed out the season strong with Foxworth, Carr, Zbikowski and Landry holding it down – with a tip of the cap to Mark “Hammer” Carrier and Chuck Pagano. Nakamura and Washington have been working hard. I think the Ravens are young back there and can weather the storm until Webb returns.
Going back to the wideout note, though, the Ravens have said all offseason that they’re all about putting pieces around Flacco to make sure their investment pans out. Last year, it was Mike Oher. Now, you’ve got the quarterback, got a tackle for the future and a running back. The next step to being an elite offense – and the Ravens had flashes of that last year – is a wideout. Listen, Ray Lewis likely isn’t going to be in the league for another four years. It’s time to get this offense up to speed.
[3:40:56 PM] Ryan Mink: I think the offense was up to speed last year. Sure, the unit looked to struggle particularly at the end of the year – and that’s why it still sticks out in our minds so much. But there were also some big-time performances with the wide receivers the Ravens currently have. Remember those first three games where the offense set two franchise records for total offense? If Joe Flacco isn’t battling some injuries down the stretch and if Mark Clayton hadn’t also been injured, the offense could have been just fine. I think that even if the Ravens had the same receivers as they had in 2009, the offense could still improve just with more time in Cam Cameron’s system and with maturation from Joe. A big-time WR would help that, but wouldn’t guarantee it.
On the other hand, if the Ravens defense starts to slip, it could spell more trouble. This franchise has long been built on defense and the run-game and I think the Ravens need to sure up the first part of that equation before moving on to other luxuries.
[3:46:17 PM] Mike Duffy: But most of those big early games were huge days for Derrick Mason (with one to Mark Clayton). Listen, if an opposing defense took away the Flacco-to-Mason connection and shadows Ray Rice, we saw some tough sledding from the offense.
Joe will certainly mature, but who even knows who will be back at WR next year anyway? Mason and Kelley Washington are UFAs and Clayton and Demetrius are RFAs. No guarantees there.
That’s why I believe the Ravens should be more aggressive with the wideout position, not necessarily the defensive backfield.
[3:55:46 PM] Ryan Mink: You make a lot of good points, Duff. Yeah, if teams take away both of those targets, it’s definitely bad news. But that takes a concerted effort and leaves other offensive possibilities open. It’s just a matter of getting better production or rhythm with those other outlets, I believe. And with the Ravens’ offensive line and running backs Ray Rice and Willis McGahee, I think Baltimore can rely on pounding the ball and be just fine (see Oakland and New England).
It’s a similar problem on the defensive end. Just like teams can hone in on Mason and Rice, they can target the Ravens corners. There are so many top-notch quarterbacks out there (and even in the AFC North) that I think any team that’s going to reach the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl, must stop the pass. And if Ed Reed retires, and if the Ravens are still battling health issues at that position at the start of 2010, that’s going to be a whole lot tougher to do. And that’s why I believe the Ravens are more hard-pressed to shore up the defensive backfield than they are to bolster wideouts.
