The Baltimore Ravens have had a high-powered offense ever since they inserted quarterback Lamar Jackson as their starter in the middle of the 2018 season. However, there have been plenty of questions about the offensive system that he’s in, which is currently run by the team’s offensive coordinator in Greg Roman.
In an interview with Tyler Dunne of “Go Long”, former Baltimore receiver Willie Snead was asked about the Ravens’ offense and Greg Roman. He talked about how the system might push some veteran receivers away, and why they draft one or two every year is because veterans with one more shot might want to go elsewhere for the potential of increased targets and production.
Willie Snead on the Ravens offense and Greg Roman
pic.twitter.com/2vf0CmG4tn
— Ramey (@HoodieRamey) June 9, 2022
A few hours later, former Ravens wide receiver Dez Bryant also chimed in, saying that Jackson’s ability clearly translated to the NFL and that he always thought it should have been easy to figure out.
I always thought it should have been easy to figure out
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) June 9, 2022
The systems that Roman runs have been historically successful rushing offenses, but somewhat lacking in the passing game. Baltimore finished last in pass attempts in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons, but in 2021 that number jumped to ninth in the league, partially because the Ravens had to change their system around following injuries to multiple star running backs.
In the first half of 2021, Baltimore’s passing offense looked improved, but that production fell off as injuries continued to hit the unit, including Jackson. The Ravens’ offense under Roman will likely never be one that finishes in the top-five in pass attempts consistently, and the potential lack of production that goes with that fact could indeed push wide receivers away who are looking for more targets.
Baltimore’s offense has been successful as a run-first team, and when fully healthy there’s no doubt that they are explosive. Roman has had a lot of success over his time with the Ravens, but there are also shortcomings to his scheme that must be corrected.