Way Too Early Award Predictions for the Baltimore Ravens

The NFL regular season is still months away, which means it's a perfect time to start handing out year-end awards to the most exceptional Baltimore Ravens to take the field this year.

Why, you ask? Well, it's but another way to make a few projections about who is going to stand out for the Ravens this season and another way to evaluate players. Might as well do so in award form, because everyone loves shiny things.

Offensive MVP: Running Back Ray Rice

The Baltimore Ravens should have a more consistent passing offense this year, but the bread and butter of their offense is running back Ray Rice. Rice led the league in yards from scrimmage in 2011, with 2,068 total yards. 

While this season, those numbers should ideally drop—he'll be spelled by fellow back Bernard Pierce and quarterback Joe Flacco should have more reliable receiving targets to relieve Rice of some of those duties—no single Ravens offensive player will have as much impact on each game as Rice.

Defensive MVP: Defensive End Pernell McPhee

With reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs sidelined for at least part of the 2012 season while he recovers from a ruptured Achilles' tendon, other members of the Ravens defense will be called upon to step up this year.

None will be under more pressure than defensive end Pernell McPhee and he should be able to handle the heightened expectations by having a season to match them.

In his rookie 2011 season, McPhee notched 23 tackles, six sacks and one forced fumble, all while not being a dedicated starter. Because McPhee is a defensive end, he's not a favorite to replace the linebacker Suggs, but he does have a skill set similar enough to Suggs' to make the requisite tackles and put significant pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Every member of the Ravens' defensive front seven will have to pick up Suggs' slack, but none will be so successful at it as McPhee. Baltimore's going to find out just what kind of a steal they landed in the fifth round of last year's draft.

Rookie of the Year: Linebacker Courtney Upshaw

Because so many players will be asked to make up for the loss of Suggs, it gives newly-drafted rookie linebacker Courtney Upshaw time to show off his considerable talent.

As a member of the Ravens vaunted defense, it's hard to imagine Upshaw not making an impact in his first year in the league, and as such, it's hard to imagine any other Baltimore rookie winning this award.

Upshaw is heading into camp as one of three linebackers who could take Suggs' spot. Though Upshaw doesn't have the experience, he has the talent to win the job. Should he do so, there's little question he'll be the team's top rookie.

Most Improved Player: Wide Receiver Torrey Smith

Though Torrey Smith had the second-most receiving yards for the Ravens last year, he didn't quite break out in the way that was hoped. Some of this had to do with the lockout preventing him from working with his new team, some could be attributed to quarterback Joe Flacco's inconsistency and some to the sports hernia he suffered in Week 3.

This year, those issues should be mostly resolved, allowing Smith to blossom into the true No. 1 receiver he is expected to be. 

Smith has already guaranteed he'll have over 1,000 receiving yards, and that doesn't seem out of the question should he remain healthy. With a full offseason to work with Flacco and the rest of the Ravens receiving corps, Smith should return to the field a more polished player and in turn provide some much-needed improvement to the Ravens' passing game.

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