| 2004 Season Preview - Defense Defensive Line:
Kelly Gregg is one of the best 3-4 nose tackles in the game. He just soaks up blockers. The Ravens have two good ends in Anthony Weaver and Marques Douglas. Second round pick Dwan Edwards looks like a contributor early both inside and outside. Aside from those four, they aren't quite secure with the bench.
Thoughts - Things look good on the pre-game roster, but the area of concern is when/if Douglas, Weaver, or Gregg get injured. The bench isn't looking too good and Edwards seems like he'd be capable at contributing.
|
|
Ray Lewis overlooks a strong defense in 2004.
|
Linebackers:
The strength of the defense. Ray Lewis is..uh...well he's Ray Lewis. The best linebacker in the game since Lawrence Taylor. He's the bonafide leader of the team. Everyone feeds off him. The next great Ravens linebacker could be Terrell Suggs. The 2003 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, Suggs is a quick blitzer and adds great pass rush, and he's becoming a better open field tackler as he displayed in camp so far. Ed Hartwell is the run stuffer of the group. He's very strong and can knock the socks off runners. Peter Boulware is the elder of the group. He's made his impact on the Ravens by attacking the quarterback, but he's having a current contract dispute and has fought nagging injuries. The depth at this position is unreal. Adalius Thomas, T.J. Slaughter, and Cornell Brown are very solid and could start on almost any other 3-4 team.
Thoughts - Man, oh man are we stacked. This is leaps and bounds more talented than our RB position. Suggs and Hartwell are under Ray Ray's wing and are becoming on of the best young linebackers around. If Boulware can (or will not) play, then he won't cripple the defense as much as other expect. Don't sleep on fifth-round pick Roderick Green. He's looking like Indianapolis' Robert Mathis.
Secondary:
With the second coming of Primetime landing in Baltimore, that only adds to the stopping power of this ballhawking secondary. The wiley Sanders is slated to play in nickelback situations. The physical Chris McAlister can pretty much shut down his side of the field and Ed Reed shuts down the middle of the field. Reed is arugably the best coverage saftey is the league. He's so cerebral and knows where the ball is going without much thinking. Gary Baxter is the "other" corner. He's compliments McAlister very well and can cover well. The undrafted Will Demps has proved to be a very solid free saftey.
Thoughts - The Ravens have an imposing back four and that was without Deion Sanders. Reed could be the Ray Lewis of safties and McAlister has reached the elite status of a "shutdown" corner. Things are very promising for them. 2004 Season Preview - Offense Yes, oh yes. It's here.
You know what I mean. The itching to play Madden days before and after the NFL Draft or after your team makes a splash in free agency to test them out. The time you use what money you have to buy almost every NFL and NCAA preview magazine at your local newstand. The time when the bandwagon fans start scouting for the team with the best chance to win this year. Yes it is that time.
It's no different in Baltimore with a city holding high expectations of their team. So in the midst of training camp, here's a position-by-position breakdown of the Ravens to help ease (or worsen) the anticipation.
|
|
The on-field development of Kyle Boller continues.
|
Quarterbacks:
With the on-field learning experience of Kyle Boller seeming to start to click, Billick and Raven faithful expect him to be the undoubted starter despite a strong campagain by Anthony Wright last year. Veteran Kordell Stewart rounds out the group. Hopefully "Slash" won't be a cancer and accept his role as a backup.
Thoughts - It's apparant that this the position of concern on offense. If there's no consistency and good game MANAGEMENT (we don't want Boller to try and win games right now), then the offense will struggle badly. That's an understatement.
Running backs:
Expect Jamal Lewis to carry the rock plenty of times a game. Lucky for him and us long term, this is one of the deepest positions on the team. Behind Lewis is Chester Taylor, one of the best third-down backs in the league. He has some of the softest hands and will get the amount needed. Jamel White is a quicker and smaller Chester with not as good of hands. Second-year Musa Smith took a nasty fall on his foot and has a fracture in it, so its not likely that he even suits up this year. Undrafted rookie B.J. Sams has shown incredible quickness and acceleration and has been shocking on special teams. Alan Ricard can plow over almost anyone. He's one of the best run blocking fullbacks in the league.
Thoughts - If Lewis does go down *knock on wood*, we won't be completely lost a la 2001. Taylor and White are both very capable backs with the ability to catch the ball. Don't sleep on Sams, he can be a little sparkplug.
Receivers:
Tight end Todd Heap is the "star" of this class of receivers. He is pretty much the only reliable option out there. Kevin Johnson came to Baltimore via free agency and maybe he can make a splash and give Boller another reliable target. Travis Taylor and Boller have spent plenty of the offseason together getting their chemistry together. Maybe he can finally shake the "Bust" label after being a top ten pick in 2000 and having 869 yards and six touchdowns as a "career" year. Rookie Clarence Moore brings tremendous size at 6'5" and could be a great value at the sixth round once he adjusts to the speed of the NFL. Third round pickDevard Darling is in need of foot surgery, so he will be out for the year. Randy Hymes will be a solid special teams player.
Thoughts - Aside from Heap (and allegedly Johnson), who can come and make an impact and be consistent? This will harm Boller's growth unless he can have someone good to throw to. Moore is raw and unproven and Taylor defines "Bust" in every facet of the word. THE main positon of concern. I think if this area was improved, then Boller wouldn't look as bad.
Well, that does it for the offensive skill positions. Tune in next time when we will preview the Ravens defense.
|