NFL Free Agency: How can the Baltimore Ravens upgrade the talent around Lamar Jackson?
The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2020 NFL season with an 11-5 record, a far cry from the league-best 14-2 they managed in the 2019 campaign. After improving the defensive front over the last few seasons, the Baltimore Ravens' new focus is overhauling the talent around Lamar Jackson.
Jackson is an elite franchise QB. Surrounding him with better weapons is imperative for the Baltimore Ravens. New wide receivers, tight ends, and upgrades at the interior offensive line could make the Ravens the team to beat next season.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman also needs to update his predictable passing concepts. Defenses have figured the chink in Jackson's armor, forcing him to throw outside the hash marks or attempt deep passes downfield, which isn't one of his bigger strengths.
What positions do the Baltimore Ravens need upgrades in?
The priority for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason will be upgrading the offensive line.
The team needs linemen who can protect Jackson better in the passing game and limit their mistakes. In the 2020 season, Jackson got pressured on 22.7% of his pass attempts. The Baltimore Ravens offense committed 57 penalties of which 35 were by the offensive linemen (3rd most in the NFL).
Ronnie Stanley is the only lineman guaranteed to start the season in the same spot. Stanley signed a five-year, $98.75 million extension in late October 2020. The All-Pro left tackle was out for the season after suffering a severe ankle injury in Week . He is expected to make a full recovery by the start of the 2021 season.
Baltimore Ravens' right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. has made his intentions clear of wanting to switch to left tackle. With the team having Stanley onboard, Brown has requested to be traded. But that is far from a given because the Ravens likely won't part with him for anything less than a first-round pick.
Another significant necessity for the Ravens is adding an elite wide receiver.
The wide receivers under contract are not paramount. The group ranked last in the NFL in catches with 137 and 1,729 receiving yards. Jackson's go-to target Marquise Brown is agile with tremendous running ability, but he has a weak catching radius.
The Ravens probably won't pursue a No. 1 wide receiver like Allen Robinson or Kenny Golladay. But if the Ravens sign one or two wide receivers from the second tier, like Corey Davis or A.J. Green, it would boost the Ravens' passing game at an affordable cost. Dez Bryant won't be returning, and Willie Snead likely won't get re-signed.
Another position that needs improvement is the tight end. The Ravens will look to bring in a pass-catching tight end in either free agency or the draft. The Ravens never genuinely recovered from trading Hayden Hurst to the Falcons last year, and Mark Andrews is in the last year of his rookie contract.
There is plenty of work that the Ravens front-office needs to get done before the start of training camp to help them go from a good regular-season team to one that can compete for the Lombardi trophy.