Baltimore Ravens: Free-Agency Focus on Special Teams Must Carry into Draft

The Ravens have only made a handful of moves in free agency, and every free-agent signing has been focused on improving the Ravens' special teams play.

After a year in which they gave up multiple return touchdowns, the Ravens are wise to invest heavily in rebuilding their special teams. Still, much more needs to be done before their special teams will be significantly improved.

The key to special teams is that they require tremendous discipline from each of the 11 players on the field. Each has a role to play, and when one fails, the opponent has an opportunity to hurt the Ravens with either a return touchdown or a big play.

That means signing two players, Corey Graham and Sean Considine, won't be enough to call the problem fixed.

Especially considering that two of the Ravens' better special teamers, safeties Haruki Nakamura and Tom Zbikowski, signed elsewhere for 2012, the Ravens need to continue to focus on special teams.

Fortunately, the Ravens can kill two birds with one stone in the draft, selecting players that have offensive or defensive talent that would also translate to special teams.

There are a number of high-effort explosive players who would make a major impact on special teams, including San Diego State linebacker Miles Burris and South Carolina safety Antonio Allen, among others.

To fix the coverage units, the Ravens will have to come up with several of these explosive, disciplined players in the draft. This year's draft is full of such players, so the Ravens should have little trouble finding the help they need for their coverage units.

The returner position is a little more tricky to fill. The Ravens certainly don't want a repeat of last year, when the only competent returner on the roster was also the teams best cornerback. Simply put, the Ravens can't risk losing Lardarius Webb on a punt return.

That means the Ravens will be looking for someone to fill both the kick returning and punt returning roles.

There are already a few options on the roster, but they are far from ideal. Torrey Smith returned kicks in college, but he might be too important to the offense to use in such a role.

David Reed, meanwhile, showed promise on kick returns, but his lack of ball security cost the Ravens what should have been an easy win at Seattle in 2011.

Finally, Laquan Williams is considered a potential return candidate, but he lacks the requisite explosion and would be better off filling a different role.

That means the Ravens will have to find a returner in free agency or the draft.

Unfortunately, the only free agent available with a history of being a solid kick returner is Roscoe Parrish from Buffalo.

Parrish was an explosive returner a few years ago, but he hasn't been as productive recently, and he might not be worth a serious look at this point in his career.

That leaves the draft, where again the options are limited.

Receivers Joe Adamas and Marquis Maze are two of the better returners in this draft class, and each would also fill a need as a potential third receiver.

Meanwhile, cornerback Cliff Harris has been a dynamic returner, but his character issues may be too much for the Ravens to overcome.

Finally, running back Chris Rainey might be worth a look as a returner, but his speed might entice a team to pick him earlier than is warranted given his overall talent level.

All in all, the Ravens might struggle to find the answer to their return game woes, as the players available this offseason all have serious questions attached to them. Their coverage units, though, should be better simply by default in 2012.