Baltimore Ravens All-Time Team: So, Who Made It?

Baltimore's football history can be broken into two very distinct categories: the Colts, with the legendary players and  championships, and the Ravens, still growing their own legacy at sixteen years.  

Even casual fans recognize that Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Jonathan Ogden have earned spots on the Ravens All-Time Team.  Who else has carved their legend into Baltimore's football history book?  Here's the head coach as well as the players who earned the right to be on the Baltimore Ravens All-Time Team.

Defensive Line

Defensive Line

NG  Haloti Ngata

DT  Sam Adams

DT  Tony Siragusa

The Ravens defense is its calling card, and it all starts up front.  When the big guys on the line tie up blockers, it lets Ray Lewis bounce around and do his thing—that thing he's done without peer for the Ravens entire run in Baltimore.  

There are three linemen on the Ravens All-Time Team: Haloti Ngata, Sam Adams and Tony "Goose" Siragusa.   Ngata is a game-changer—he simply does everything well.  

Adams and Siragusa meant so much to that Super Bowl team of 2000.  They were a two-man version of "Occupy Baltimore" on one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.  

Space-eating run-stoppers.

LBs: Sugar and Sizzle

Linebackers

ILB  Ray Lewis

ILB  Terrell Suggs

OLB  Peter Boulware

OLB  Michael McCrary

This is Baltimore's bread and butter.  Any conversation begins and ends with Ray Lewis, a first ballot Hall of Famer five years after he's retired.  If you don't agree, you haven't been paying attention.

Terrell Suggs moves inside on the All-Time Team but, as one of the game's most intimidating linebackers, he's earned his spot.  "T-Sizzle" was reason enough for the Ravens to say goodbye to "The Mad Backer" Bart Scott.

His durability—70 sacks and four Pro Bowls—get Peter Boulware on the best unit on the Ravens All-Time Team.  Rounding out the linebackers is the often injured Michael McCrary.  His 51 sacks in just over five seasons as a Raven gives him the nod over Adalius Thomas.

All-Ravens Secondary

Defensive backs

CB  Chris McAlister

CB  Duane Starks

S    Ed Reed

S    Rod Woodson

Without question one of the greatest to ever play the game, Ed Reed leads the secondary.  The other safety on the Ravens All-Time Team is  converted cornerback, Rod Woodson.  The 11-time Pro Bowler had 20 picks in his four-year Ravens career.

The cornerbacks are Chris McAlister and Duane Starks—both members of the team that won Super Bowl XXXV.  McAlister was a two-time All Pro, and had 26 interceptions for Baltimore.  Starks, like Woodson , had 20 interceptions in just four years as a Raven.

Offensive Line

Offensive Line

LT  Jonathan Ogden

LG  Edwin Mulitalo

C    Mike Flynn

RG  Marshall Yanda

RT   Orlando Brown

The unsung heroes of any team, the offensive line operates best when its members go unnoticed.  At 6'9" and 345 lbs, Jonathan Ogden put the league on notice that he'd be the premier tackle of his generation.

Joining Ogden on the left side is Edwin Mulitalo.  This is where Jamal Lewis ran so often on his way to 2,000 yards in 2003.  At center it's Mike Flynn: The undrafted free agent from Maine was a tireless worker and a member of the Super Bowl team. 

On the right side, Marshall Yanda is at guard and Orlando Brown is at tackle.  Since becoming a starter, Yanda is consistently the best lineman on the Ravens and he's got great upside.  The late Orlando "Zeus" Brown brought a defensive-type toughness to the Ravens offense.

Offense

Offense

QB  Joe Flacco, Trent Dilfer

RB  Jamal Lewis, Ray Rice, Sam Gash

WR  Derick Mason, Michael Jackson, Anquan Boldin

TE  Todd Heap

Joe Flacco has been the Ravens most consistent quarterback by far.  This is the team that struck out on its previous first-round QB, Kyle Boller.  Also in the wake are Scott Mitchell, Elvis Grbac, Stoney Case, etc.  Trent Dilfer's the back-up on the Ravens All-Time Team.  

All Difer did was go 7-1 in his season with the team and get his ring.

 Jamal Lewis was the greatest running back in Ravens history.  From his 1,300-yard rookie season to his his record-setting 2003, Lewis is the leader of the Ravens All-Time backfield.  Ray Rice is the second back, an all-purpose guy who's got a lot left in the tank.  

Rice is closing in on 4,000 yards rushing with 2,078 receiving.  Opening the holes is Sam Gash, a punishing blocker from the Super Bowl team.

Derrick Mason was the surest-handed receiver the Ravens ever had.  He's the team's all-time leading receiver, which says it all.  Michael Jackson (the other one) led the league in TD receptions in the team's first season.  Anquan Boldin gets the nod over Travis Taylor for the third receiver spot.

At tight end, there is only one: Todd Heap.

Special Teams and Coach of the All-Time Ravens

Special Teams and Head Coach

PK Matt Stover

P Kyle Richardson

KR Jermaine Lewis

Matt Stover needs no discussion. Kyle Richardson narrowly beats out Sam Koch for punter on the Ravens All-Time Team. Jermaine Lewis is the returner.

The coach of the Ravens All-Time Team is John Harbaugh. Though Brian Billick won the Super Bowl, Harbaugh's winning percentage and hold on this team can't be ignored. Billick went 80-64. Harbaugh is 41-19. Do the math.