Last year, the Ravens had 7 Pro Bowlers. How many will they have in 2024?
The Baltimore Ravens, a year after hosting the AFC Championship game, enter the 2024 season with the same Super Bowl aspirations. National rankings put the Ravens among the NFL’s best rosters, with a few individual players receiving top billing.
Which leads us to today’s question.
How Many Pro Bowlers will the Ravens have in 2024?
My answer: First, I’m taking stock of how many were on Pro Bowlers last season. Seven earned Pro Bowl honors (QB Lamar Jackson, LB Roquan Smith, LB Patrick Queen, DT Justin Madubuike, C Tyler Linderbaum, S Kyle Hamilton, K Justin Tucker). Eventually, an eighth made the list with offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler making it in as an alternate.
Both Zeitler and Queen are no longer Ravens. But the others have a high probability to repeat, seeing as all are among the NFL’s best. Here are my tiers:
Expected to make the Pro Bowl
- Lamar Jackson
- Mark Andrews
- Tyler Linderbaum
- Derrick Henry
- Patrick Ricard
- Roquan Smith
- Kyle Hamilton
- Justin Tucker
These eight are elite in their positions. They’re all top 3 in their craft.
Players Good Enough to Make the Pro Bowl
- Marcus Williams
- Marlon Humphrey
- Justin Madubuike
Having two Pro Bowl safeties seems a challenge, as votes get split as people argue who is a product of the other. And while that didn’t happen last season with the Ravens due to their linebacker tandem making it, I feel safety is a tougher position to crack through. Linebackers have the benefit of generating gaudy numbers, be it tackles, sacks, forced fumbles, interceptions and more.
Making the Pro Bowl as a cornerback is tough. Not always do the best make it, but the biggest characters who have good seasons. Humphrey could generate the appeal in a bounce-back season, but remaining healthy is tough.
Repeating what Madubuike produced last season will be challenging, especially without Jadeveon Clowney on the field. More attention will be on Madubuike and unless a combination of Odafe Oweh, Adisa Isaac and David Ojabo punish offensive lines for leaving them one-on-one, Madubuike will be getting double-teamed without hesitation. Madubuike is Pro Bowl caliber, but he’ll be duking it out for a repeat.
Outside Shot to Make the Pro Bowl
- Nick Moore
- Jordan Stout
- Arthur Maulet
- Zay Flowers
- Isaiah Likely
- Kyle Van Noy
Pro Bowl voting for long-snappers is a bizarre case. Moore made second team All-Pro but wasn’t a Pro Bowler in 2022. Dallas Cowboys long-snapper Trent Sieg didn’t make the Pro Bowl while both Cowboys punter Bryan Anger and kicker Brandon Aubrey made both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro. So, Moore has an uphill climb.
Stout has the skill to be among the NFL’s best punters. I’ve witnessed in camp the Howitzer punts he’s sent across the gridiron, along with impeccable placement garnering high-fives from teammates and coaches. He’ll have to demonstrate the same effectiveness in 2024.
To make the Pro Bowl as a nickel cornerback—and one who could be losing a snap share due to Hamilton’s nickel role—it’s undoubtedly an outside shot for Maulet in 2024. But his repeated impact in games he saw snaps last season proved he’s capable. Tack on his involvement in minicamp and the offseason grind he’s been on, and he could earn favor. A few interceptions, nickel-blitzes getting home and suddenly Maulet can make waves.
Making a Pro Bowl as a wide receiver takes the flashiest of numbers and/or the greatest of popularity. It takes an offense that flows through their receiver. That hasn’t been the Ravens’ way ever, hence why they’ve never had a Pro Bowl wide receiver in history. Last season, the AFC’s Pro Bowl receivers were Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill, Cleveland Browns’ Amari Cooper, Los Angeles Chargers’ Keenan Allen and Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase. Their combined averages were 149 targets, 100 receptions, 1,377 yards and eight touchdowns. It’s improbable Flowers sees these exorbitant numbers.
The Ravens’ offense may be predicated on two tight end sets, giving Likely a marginally better chance. But being behind Andrews on the depth chart drops his odds. He’s a talent and would arguably be a Pro Bowler on most other NFL rosters, but he’ll need to battle his way to such a spot in 2024. Especially when there are only three slots available.
Van Noy proved he remains an effective pass-rusher coming off the couch last season and racking up a career best nine sacks, and doing so in 14 games. With a full offseason of work and more games to grind, he could break double digits. But in a chock-full AFC, it will take insane numbers. Last season’s Pro Bowl outside linebackers included Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt (19 sacks), Chargers’ Khalil Mack (17.5 sacks) and Jacksonville Jaguars’ Josh Allen (17 sacks). Nearly doubling his career best in sacks is highly unlikely.
Official Answer: Eight
I see eight Ravens earning Pro Bowl bids for the pending season. It’s a lofty expectation —especially when two from the previous season left—but the Ravens have the talent, charisma and appeal to earn the honors.