Ravens offensive unsung heroes from the 2023 season

The team received impressive contributions from several unheralded players on offense throughout this past season.

The Baltimore Ravens had one of the best seasons in franchise history in 2023. They featured the most balanced offense in the Lamar Jackson era and helped the three-time Pro Bowler win his second career league MVP award. While the unit featured notable names, breakout stars, multi-time Pro Bowlers, and standout rookies, there were also several underrated yet impactful players who were lesser-known starters and those who stepped up into key rotational roles.

This article highlights the players whose contributors flew under the radar for the most part but were still clutch — the unsung heroes.

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RB Justice Hill

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The five-year veteran emerged as a dynamic difference maker in the Ravens offense down the stretch after they lost their two most explosive players at the position to major injuries. When J.K. Dobbins went down in the season opener, Hill tied his career total for rushing touchdowns through his first four years in the league with a pair in the season opener. He was the Ravens preferred third-down and two-minute offense running back because of his proficiency as pass blocker, and after electric undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell went down in Week 15, Hill assumed a larger role on offense as an every-down back.

Hill also continued to be a factor on special teams covering and returning kicks that including ripping off a career long 78-yarder that set up and eventual touchdown drive on the first possession of the second half in the Ravens Week 17 win over the Miami Dolphins. He set new career highs in rushing attempts (84) and yards (387) for the second year in a row and finished with a season-high three rushing touchdowns. Hill also eclipsed his combined career total in targets (39), receptions (28), and receiving yards (206) and scored his first career receiving touchdown in 16 games that included five starts.

FB Patrick Ricard

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Four-time Pro Bowlers don’t typically qualify as unsung heroes but fullback is arguably the most unheralded position on either side of the ball. Playing it essentially requires that the player will be either a sixth offensive lineman or another tight end on any given play, which Ricard continued to do at an elite level in 2023. Even though his consecutive Pro Bowl streak was snapped, he still received All-Pro honors from the Associated Press as a member of the second team.

Following an offseason where many pundits speculated that he’d phased out of the Ravens’ new-look offense in the first year under Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken, the seven-year veteran was still integral to the success of the top-ranked rushing unit in the entire league despite playing his fewest offensive snaps since the 2020 season. Ricard helped pave the way for a career year for veteran running back Gus Edwards and can often be seen delivering a punishing block as he crossed the goal line. His tremendous contributions also resulted in a resurgent red zone offense for the Ravens after consecutive years of struggling in that area.

OG Kevin Zeitler

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The 12-year veteran had arguably the best season of his career in which he was arguably the Ravens most consistent and dominant offensive lineman. Zeitler was truly elite in pass protection in particular where, according to Pro Football Focus, he only allowed 21 pressures, three sacks, and pressure percentage of 3.5 on 609 pass-blocking snaps in 17 games including the postseason.

The 33-year-old has been a stabilizing force in the interior of the Ravens offensive line for the past three seasons since being signed as a salary cap casualty in the 2021 offseason. Zeitler has also aided in the development of center Tyler Linderbaum, who earned Pro Bowl honors in just his second year in the league. It took the team not making the Super Bowl for Zeitler to finally receive a long overdue Pro Bowl nod. He is among the Ravens’ top pending free agents, who wishes to stay put in Charm City but will certainly have plenty of suitors if he hits the open market.

OL Patrick Mekari

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The five-year veteran utility lineman who can play all five positions along the line continued to serve in a crucial role as the Ravens’ swing tackle this past season. Mekari made seven starts between the right and left side filling in for fellow veterans Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses, who dealt with knee and shoulder injuries respectively. When called upon, the former undrafted gem performed exceptionally well against some top notch edge rushers including Trey Hendrickson and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

Having a sixth offensive lineman with the positional versatility and experience that Mekari possesses, with 39 career starts between the different spots, is a tremendous asset that most teams dream of finding. Quality starting offensive linemen are hard to come by and the Ravens are fortunate to have one who can perform above replacement level when he is called upon to rotate every other drive or fill in wherever is needed.

WR Nelson Agholor

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The nine-year veteran was the first addition that the Ravens made last offseason in an attempt to revamp the wide receiver position and he proved to be one of their many bargain bin signings that became a key contributor. Even though the one-year deal he signed was a fraction of what they gave three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr., their production and impact on the offense as a whole was comparable. Agholor was targeted 19 fewer times (64-45) but still recorded the same amount of catches (35), caught four touchdowns to Beckham Jr.’s three, and was only outgained in receiving yardage by 184 yards (565-381).

Both players were targeted seven times in the postseason and even though he hauled in one less catch (4-3), Agholor outgained Beckham Jr. by 17 receiving yards (51-34). Of the two pending free agents, he is the most likely to be brought back on a similar inexpensive deal that he signed last year given that he didn’t exactly light it up in 2023. The Ravens will also need to maintain a veteran presence in their young receiver room that already features a pair of first-rounders selected in the past four years and might have another added to the mix with this year’s top pick.

TE Charlie Kolar

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The 2022 fourth-rounder appeared in 15 games and made three starts this past season after being limited to two in the regular season as a rookie, and played more snaps on special teams than he did on offense (251-230). Kolar was only targeted 10 times all year including the playoffs and recorded eight receptions for 91 receiving yards and his first career touchdown.

While he didn’t have a significant impact as a pass catcher even after three-time Pro Bowler Mark Andrews went down in Week 11, Kolar was very impactful as a blocker both down the field and in the run game taking over the traditional ‘Y’ tight end role that was manned by Josh Oliver in 2022 and veteran Nick Boyle for the sevens prior seasons. Even if he doesn’t develop into the same prolific pass catcher that was in college at Iowa State, having him continue to serve in his current role would still be worth the original investment of a mid-round pick.