Between now and the end of August, TGS will offer up a quick snapshot of every NFL team heading into the 2015 regular season. Today, the Baltimore Ravens.
2014 in a nutshell: With C.J. Mosley, Pernell McPhee, Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil and Haloti Ngata leading the way for the league’s sixth-best scoring defense, they win a playoff game for the sixth time in seven years but lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion Patriots in the divisional round.
Why 2015 could be different: They lost McPhee and wide receiver Torrey Smith in free agency and lead backfield dog Justin Forsett will turn 30 this season. There’s a severe lack of depth in the offensive backfield as well as at receiver.
Major additions: With starting corner Jimmy Smith back from a foot injury and veteran defensive backs Kyle Arrington and Kendrick Lewis joining the fray as free-agent acquisitions, the secondary should be better.
Major losses: McPhee, Smith and tight end Owen Daniels, who started 13 games in 2014. That puts a lot of pressure on rookie pass-catchers Breshad Perriman and Maxx Williams.
Breakout watch: Mosley stood out as a rookie and should become a star in Year 2.
Position to watch: Beyond No. 1 guy Steve Smith, there are a lot of questions at receiver. Can Perriman become a home-run hitter right off the bat for Joe Flacco? Can youngsters Marlon Brown and Michael Campanaro seize key roles? And who will win the tight end battle? Dennis Pitta has to prove he can stay healthy, they used a second-round pick on Williams as well as a fifth-rounder on Nick Boyle, and don’t forget about intriguing 2014 third-round choice Crockett Gillmore.
Prediction: This isn’t a Super Bowl-caliber team. In fact, it hardly was when it won the damn thing a few years ago. But the Ravens have a solid quarterback in Flacco, a great coach in John Harbaugh and enough talent on both sides of the ball to win 10 games and get back to the playoffs yet again. Anything beyond that is gravy.
