Baltimore Ravens: Grading the Strength of Every Position Unit Before Camps Begin

The Baltimore Ravens will be hitting the field soon for the start of training camp. 

High expectations will once again be the case for Baltimore after a strong finish to the 2014 season that ended in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

It was the sixth time in the past seven seasons the Ravens made it to the playoffs. In every postseason appearance over that span, Baltimore won at least one playoff game.

The Ravens also made it to the conference championship three times and won one Super Bowl over that time. Several key players from those teams still remain, but there are also new faces at several positions heading into the 2015 season. 

With that said, let’s take a look at the Ravens' team grades by position at the start of camp.

Quarterback

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At quarterback, it's Joe Flacco and everyone else with the Ravens. 

After Baltimore did not draft a quarterback this year, it'll likely carry two to three QBs into the 2015 regular season. Flacco will once again be the starter for as long as he's healthy.

He hasn't missed a game since being drafted in 2008, and there's no reason to expect 2015 to be any different. Flacco had a good 2014 season after a bad year in 2013.

He threw for 27 scores and 12 interceptions in 2014 after throwing 22 picks versus 19 touchdowns in 2013. Again, as long as Flacco is healthy, he's the starter with no debate. 

However, there will be a new QB backing him up this year, and it likely will be Matt Schaub. After losing Tyrod Taylor this offseason, Baltimore went out and signed Schaub to be the backup after he spent a year with the Oakland Raiders backing up Derek Carr.

Schaub does have significant starting experience from his days with the Houston Texans, but he's long past his days of being a starter.

Bryn Renner is on the roster for training camp, but don’t expect him to be on the final team. Baltimore is set at QB as long as Flacco is healthy. 

Grade: A-

Running Back

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Baltimore's running backs will remain mostly the same in 2015 with a few changes. 

Justin Forsett was re-signed this offseason after he became the full-time starter last year. In 16 games, Forsett rushed for 1,266 yards (fifth most in the NFL) to go with eight scores.

He'll continue to be the No. 1 RB for Baltimore in 2015, but the guys backing him up will look different. Bernard Pierce was the primary backup last year before being waived this offseason following his DUI arrest.

Javorius "Buck" Allen was drafted in the fourth round out of USC this year to compete for the backup spot behind Forsett with Pierce now gone. 

He'll battle Lorenzo Taliaferro and Fitzgerald Toussaint for carries during training camp. We may not see a defined backup until the Ravens have played a few preseason and even regular-season games.

At fullback, Kyle Juszczyk will be the full-time starter after taking over the role last year. Not only is he a good blocker in the run game, but he was even a solid option in the pass game coming out of the backfield.

Backing him up in training camp will be Kiero Small. However, he's more of a camp body who probably won't make the final 53-man roster.

All in all, this unit will be among Baltimore's strengths this year and may once again be the focal point of the offense.

Grade: A-

Tight End

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As of now, tight end is a position with a lot of uncertainty surrounding it heading into training camp. 

Baltimore traded up in the second round to draft Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams this year. The Ravens believe he can be their No. 1 tight end, and he's got that role for now until there's more clarity on Dennis Pitta's situation.

Pitta is still on the roster, but he may be forced to retire at some point this year because of chronic hip issues. He did do some working out with the team this offseason, but it looks like he'll miss the start of the season at least.

That's because Pitta is expected to be placed on the PUP list, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. That means Pitta will miss at least the first six games of the regular season. 

As for the other backups, the Ravens drafted Nick Boyle out of Delaware in the fifth round to compete with Crockett Gillmore for the backup TE spot. 

Gillmore didn't do much as a rookie out of Colorado State last year, but he did improve as the season wore on and became somewhat involved in the offense. 

During the playoffs, Gillmore caught two passes for 30 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown grab in a win at Pittsburgh in the Wild Card Round.

In the end, Baltimore is going to have to rely on a rookie and/or an unproven backup to produce at this position. That's not the ideal formula for success, but Williams is promising enough to expect this position to be at least decent in 2015. 

Grade: C+

Wide Receiver

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The Ravens wide receivers will look vastly different in 2015.

One of best receivers the franchise has ever had is now gone after Torrey Smith left to sign with the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. 

Backup Jacoby Jones was also cut this offseason, but he was more of a fourth or fifth option during his Ravens career. No one was added in free agency, and that's left this position surrounded with questions heading into camp.

The ageless Steve Smith Sr. will once again be a full-time starter in 2015 after joining Baltimore last year. He caught 79 passes for 1,065 yards and six touchdowns in 2014, but he is now 36 years old and heading into his 15th NFL season. 

Likely joining him in the starting lineup will be first-rounder Breshad Perriman, who should become a focal point in the offense as a rookie. His game resembles that of Torrey Smith in that he does a lot of his damage as a deep threat. 

Kamar Aiken, Marlon Brown and Michael Campanaro are in the next tier of receivers who will fight for playing time.

Those three will likely join Smith and Perriman as the top five receivers. Sixth-rounder Darren Waller will battle Jeremy Butler and journeyman Aldrick Robinson for the sixth spot on the final 53-man roster.

While this position has a lot of promise and talent, Smith Sr.'s age, Perriman's being a rookie and no clear-cut No. 3 option makes this position one of Baltimore's weaknesses as camp gets set to open. 

Grade: C+

Offensive Line

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The Ravens will once again have one of the NFL's best offensive lines after keeping essentially the whole unit together this offseason.

At offensive tackle, third-year man Ricky Wagner will be the full-time starter after being one of the biggest breakout players of 2014. That's when he took over that spot in place of the departed Michael Oher, and Wagner did so playing at a high level. 

At left tackle and Joe Flacco's blindside, Eugene Monroe will be the guy after starting 11 games in 2014 but missed five because of a knee injury. If he can stay healthy, he will remain the starting blindside protector.

James Hurst was the primary backup when either of those two was hurt. He's a nice swing tackle who can play both sides at a decent level. He's not someone you want as a full-time starter—at least not yet. 

At guard, Kelechi Osemele and Marshal Yanda are one of the NFL's top tandems. They'll continue to anchor the Ravens' line and be what makes this one of the game's best offensive lines. 

At center, Jeremy Zuttah will once again be the full-time starter after starting all 16 games in 2014, his first season with Baltimore. Zuttah was a big reason why Baltimore allowed only 19 sacks in 2014.

With all of the starters back, this group will once again form one of the NFL's best lines in 2015.

Grade: A

Defensive Line

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The defensive line should be one of the Ravens' strengths in 2015, even though the unit is missing a key player.

The loss of Haloti Ngata this offseason leaves Baltimore's D-line without its most consistent member for most of the past decade. The All-Pro lineman was traded to the Detroit Lions, and it won't be easy filling the hole he left.

However, second-year lineman Timmy Jernigan filled in well for Ngata last year when he was suspended for four games. Jernigan was very productive in his limited playing time in 2014 as a second-round rookie out of Florida State.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jernigan was the NFL’s second-best 3-4 defensive end in pass-rush productivity. The only guy he trailed was Houston’s J.J. Watt, whom many regard as the best player in football. 

That's how good Jernigan was in his limited role, so expect him to have a breakout 2015 year with a full-time starting spot.

Elsewhere on the line, Chris Canty should retain his starting defensive end spot with DeAngelo Tyson and/or Kapron Lewis-Moore backing him up. Another guy to watch here is Steven Means, who stood out in OTAs at end and outside linebacker. 

At nose tackle, Brandon Williams will be the full-time starter again after assuming that role for the first time in 2014. Another guy to watch here is Carl Davis, who was drafted in the third round out of Iowa.

Davis will likely play both nose and defensive tackle. As for the rest, Brent Urban, Christo Bilukidi and Lawrence Guy will fight for one of the final backup spots.

The Ravens defensive line is once again poised to be among the NFL's better lines in 2015.

Grade: B+

Linebacker

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There's no debating the Ravens' best overall unit is the linebackers.

All four starters are back to terrorize opposing offenses, whether it be the run or the pass. This unit is led by outside linebackers and long-time veterans Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil.

Those two combined for 29 sacks and 98 tackles in 2014. Dumervil was the MVP of the defense after registering a franchise-record 17 sacks.

The only key player at this position who left this offseason is Pernell McPhee. After notching 7.5 sacks in a situational role last year, McPhee left to sign a free-agent deal with the Chicago Bears this offseason. 

It will be up to Courtney Upshaw to contribute more in 2015 and make up for the loss of McPhee. Another guy competing with him for playing time will be fourth-rounder Za'Darius Smith. 

At inside linebacker, C.J. Mosley and Daryl Smith will be the starters in Baltimore's 3-4 defense. They combined for 261 total tackles, four sacks, three interceptions and 17 passes defended in 2014.

Backing them up will primarily be veteran Albert McClellan and Arthur Brown, who will also get occasional snaps at outside backer. 

Altogether, this position should be Baltimore's strongest unit in 2015.

Grade: A+

Secondary

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The Ravens secondary will look mostly the same in 2015—and significantly different. 

That's because several key players who were lost last year will return to full health in 2015, mainly at cornerback. Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith are a nice starting cornerback tandem, but injuries led to them rarely playing together in 2014.

Webb missed the start of the year with a back injury, and Smith was lost after eight games to a season-ending foot injury. Asa Jackson is a nice third corner, but a knee injury cost him nine games last season.

Fighting with Jackson for that third spot will be veteran Kyle Arrington, who was signed this offseason after he grabbed nine interceptions over the last five years with the New England Patriots. 

Also fighting for backup spots will be fourth-round pick Tray Walker, Rashaan Melvin, Anthony Levine and Tramain Jacobs.

Melvin and Levine showed promise last year, but they're not guys you want playing significant snaps. If Webb, Smith, Arrington and Jackson stay healthy, this unit will be fine.

At safety, Baltimore lost starter Darian Stewart this offseason after he signed with the Denver Broncos in free agency. He was a full-time starter last year while playing both free and strong safety. 

That led to Kendrick Lewis signing with Baltimore. He spent 2014 with the Houston Texans, racking up 84 tackles, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. 

At strong safety, Will Hill should retain his starting spot after overtaking Matt Elam last year. Elam opened the season as the starter, but Hill ultimately took the job and did quite well in it. 

All in all, this unit should be much improved in 2015 after being Baltimore's Achilles' heel in 2014. 

Grade: B

Special Teams

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The Ravens special teams were a strength last year, and that shouldn't change in 2015 with everyone back. 

The two primary guys are kicker Justin Tucker and punter Sam Koch. Tucker was one of the NFL's best kickers after hitting 29 of 34 field goals (85.3 percent). That included a 55-yarder he hit in a win at New Orleans on Monday Night Football.

As for Koch, the veteran punter averaged a career-high 47.4 yards per punt in 2014 to go with a career-high 43.3 net yards per punt. It was good enough to help Koch land a five-year, $16.2 million extension this offseason, according to the Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson. 

At long snapper, Morgan Cox will try to get his job back after tearing his ACL in October. That led to Cox going on IR and being replaced by Patrick Scales. Scales did a good job in Cox's absence, and those two will fight for one roster spot this year.

In the end, the Ravens' special teams will once again be among the NFL's best in 2015.

Grade: A-