(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Defensive line—Kelly Gregg (starter), Haloti Ngata (starter), Terrell Suggs (starter), Trevor Pryce (starter), Brandon McKinney, Justin Bannan, Dwan Edwards, Paul Kruger, Kelly Talavou.
No major surprise here. The only defensive lineman cut were both no-names, as the team let go of Will Johnson and Nader Abdallah, both undrafted free agent defensive tackles. Johnson was hurt and Abdallah never did much of anything during the preseason. Gregg and Ngata will line up as defensive tackles in a 4-3, with Suggs and Pryce on the ends. The Ravens will run a 4-3 for the most part this year, much like they did during the magical 2000 Super Bowl season, and I think it's a wise decision. It helps not only Suggs as a pass-rusher, but also, it keeps Ngata and Gregg at positions where they can be utilized correctly.
The Ravens have great defensive line depth. McKinney is a guy who can be a future nose tackle when Gregg or Pryce depart. Bannan played well down the stretch last year, finishing with 45 tackles and one sack, and has been surprisingly good the last two seasons. Edwards has been a disappointment. Drafted high a few years back, he's never quite come into his own. Both Kruger and Talavou emerged this preseason, and both have the chance to become starters in the near future.
Linebackers—Ray Lewis (starter), Tavares Gooden (starter), Jarret Johnson (starter), Jameel McClain, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Antwan Barnes, Dannell Ellerbe, Prescott Burgess.
No big surprises here. The only guy who was really thought of as a "bubble" was maybe Ellerbe or Burgess. Ellerbe, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Georgia, is an intriguing prospect. He was a good pass-rusher in college, and mainly because of his 6'1", 228 pound stature, he didn't get drafted, but the Ravens signed him to a free agent deal to add some linebacker depth. Lewis, Gooden, and Johnson will start, and there will be no worries about backups for Lewis and Johnson, who have missed a combined two games in the last two seasons.
The Ravens former inside linebacker, Bart Scott, signed a six-year, $48M deal with the Jets this offseason, and the battle was between Tavares Gooden, Jameel McClain, Prescott Burgess, Antwan Barnes, and Brendon Ayanbadejo, but Gooden was the clear leader going into the preseason, and he didn't hurt himself at all during the preseason, and he looked very good in each game, combining for 13 tackles, two sacks, and one pass deflection. He's definitely a breakout candidate. Barnes and Burgess are both guys who I don't like on the roster next year. I haven't seen improvement.
Cornerbacks—Domonique Foxworth (starter), Fabian Washington (starter), Chris Carr, Lardarius Webb, Frank Walker.
No surprises here. Except for Frank Walker. I don't think anyone expected him to make the roster. He's definitely the weak spot of the defense, but, much to the dismay of opposing quarterbacks, he's not a starter. In the preseason, he made Jake Delhomme and Kellen Clemens look a whole lot better than they actually were. Derrick Martin played well during the preseason, and head coach John Harbaugh spoke highly of him, but the team traded him to Green Bay in order to get a solid offensive lineman in Tony Moll, who adds some depth.
Carr and Foxworth were great signings. Carr didn't cost much (2 YR/$5M), and is very underrated. He's a nickelback, and last year for the 13-3 Tennessee Titans, was good in the role, posting 31 tackles and one interception. But that's not all that he brings. He's a fantastic return man. He finished 4th in the NFL in kick return average and eighth in the AFC in punt return average. The Ravens didn't want to lose Jim Leonhard, but they get his clone in Carr. Foxworth was worth the money. He'll be getting $28M over four years, and he looks well worth it. Webb, the Ravens third round pick, offers versatility as a corner, safety, kick returner, and punt returner. A younger version of Carr, if you will. It was a bit surprising that Evan Oglesby didn't make it, but they didn't really need him, either.
Safeties—Ed Reed (starter), Dawan Landry (starter), Tom Zbikowski, Haruki Nakamura.
I'm a bit surprised Ed Reed made the roster. What has he proven over the years? Kidding. No bubble guys here. Reed and Landry came into the season as starters, and both "Zibby" and Nakamura came into the season as backups, and that's what it looks like now. Reed had nine picks last year, and was certainly a candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was a ballhawk, as he has been his entire NFL career, scoring three more defensive touchdowns, including an 108-yard touchdown against the Eagles, a record he broke—one he set in 2004.
Landry has been surprisingly good during his career. As a rookie, he had 70 tackles, five interceptions, and one defensive touchdown for a 2006 Ravens team that had a defensive unit comparable to the 2000 team. In 2007, for a 5-11 team, he was a quiet producer, finishing with 82 tackles. And in 2008, he had 11 tackles in two games, but after suffering a concussion, he never returned. Haruki Nakamura and "Zibby" are good return men, and don't really have futures as starters, as both Reed and Landry have good days ahead.
Kicker/punter/long snapper—Steve Hauschka (starter), Sam Koch (starter), Matt Katula (starter).
Some speculated the Ravens would try to re-sign Matt Stover, who spent 13 great years with the franchise, but Hauschka certainly did what he had to do during the preseason, showing the Ravens can work in house to find their new kicker. Even last year, he made a 54-yard field goal. The Ravens have their future—and present—kicker in Hauschka. Coach Harbaugh never ruled out bringing Stover back, but he said today that Hauschka was the winner.
I don't feel bold in saying that Sam Koch is one of the best punters in the NFL. He averaged a whopping 45 yards per punt, and consistently pinned teams deep in their own territory. And in the preseason, he's looked no different, including kicks of 57, 52, and 50. Matt Katula has been the long snapper in Baltimore for four years, and because of the position he plays, no one notices.
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