Here are some random thoughts that popped into my head in the last 48 hours after the game.
Where does Keaton Mitchell eventually fit in?
While watching Derrick Henry and Justice Hill gash the Bills in all phases of the game, the most persistent thought that popped into my brain was, ‘What the heck do the Ravens do when Mitchell is healthy?’ Mitchell was the exact jolt of electricity the Ravens needed last year when their run game struggled. His speed, acceleration, and balance added a dynamic that Gus Edwards and Hill weren’t filling on outside runs and routes out of the backfield.
Now, the Ravens have a premier back in Henry who has now gone back-to-back games with 150-plus rushing yards. Hill received a contract extension after his explosive, impactful play as a ballcarrier, pass-catcher, and blocker. Their success is a perfect situation for Mitchell’s return; the Ravens can work him in slowly to build him up for January and beyond.
But once Mitchell is back, where does he fit in? His outside runs are being worked by Henry and Hill has seized the pass-catching and the change of pace roles in the offense. While Hill has been awesome, Mitchell is arguably the fastest person on the team and his speed falls into that ‘game-changing’ category like that of Xavier Worthy and De’Von Achane. The Ravens have a ton of experience with crowded backfields and will figure it out, but it is a fun idea to contemplate.
The Ravens have a positive screen game???
While this is obvious from post-game film analysis, it’s still a surprising development for Baltimore’s offense. When was the last time the Ravens had a functioning screen game that yielded positive results? Four years of Greg Roman’s offense never produced one, and even last year with Todd Monken, it wasn’t consistent. Zay Flowers was the main target on screens and they rarely worked.
The signing of Henry and the emergence of Hill combined with a second year of Monken’s offense has produced a screen game that’s now worked multiple times for multiple weeks in a row. While it’s still early in the season, it’s a great sign and something to watch for the rest of the year.
Re-sign Ronnie Stanley…Now!
I don’t know what it will take. I don’t know how much it’ll cost or how long the contract would be. But everybody waited four years to see Stanley return to this level of play and it couldn’t have happened at a better time. With all the other questions surrounding this offensive line, Stanley’s elite play at a premier spot is a massive positive for this team.
If Stanley is re-signed, the 2025 offensive line is all but set. Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum would anchor the unit once again, and Roger Rosengarten and Andrew Vorhees will both have a year of experience under their belt.
That only leaves right guard. Daniel Faalele has been the Ravens’ starter this year and could very well earn the job in 2025, the final season of his rookie contract. With just one spot to focus on, Baltimore could also use the offseason to bring in direct competition for Faalele rather than juggling players across three open positions as they did in training camp.
You can read more on Ronnie Stanley here.