There are still some lingering question marks about the roster following the offseason program.
With the offseason program officially in the books, just about every team in the league is feeling optimistic about their 2024 outlook with training camp several weeks away. However, for front offices, this is a time to consult with their respective coaching staffs to evaluate what are top remaining needs on the roster after getting a first glimpse of the returning players mixed in with the new veteran and rookie blood.
The Baltimore Ravens didn’t become the most complete team in the entire league last season because they rested on their laurels during the summer break. General manager Eric DeCosta and Co. are always scouring and assessing available talent on the unrestricted free agent market in the event of injury, if an upgrade is needed or bolster a depth chart at a position where injuries often happen and feel inevitable at times.
So what are the Ravens’ biggest remaining holes on the roster that could be addressed between now and the start of training camp or even up until the final cutdown? Here are the three top options and a poll for fans to vote for their choice.
Safety
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The Ravens are set at their starting two spots with seven-year veteran Marcus Williams and 2023 First Team All Pro Kyle Hamilton. However, they currently lack proven and experienced depth behind them. Finding a comparable replacement for Geno Stone at the third safety spot after the 2023 AFC interceptions leader departed for a division rival in free agency was one of the team’s most underrated needs entering the 2024 NFL Draft and is arguably the biggest remaining hole on the roster.
In Baltimore, backup safeties are more than just special teams aces who only see minimal action on defense outside of blowouts. The Ravens’ diverse and multiple scheme needs another rangy defensive back capable of playing free safety specifically. Not only will adding a proven one reinforce a position where Williams has struggled to stay on the field the past two seasons since joining the team but it will free up Hamilton to be deployed in the hybrid slot role that made him a star.
While the Ravens remain extremely high on fourth-year pro Ar’Darius Washington who has flashed both in games and during organized team activities this offseason when on the field but has also struggled to stay healthy. They also like the potential of undrafted rookies Beau Brade and Jordan Toles, this position is too vital to their success and ability to put opposing offenses in conflict to not have a better contingency plan.
First-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr doesn’t necessarily need Stone’s ideal replacement to come in and lead the team with seven interceptions although that would be great. He just needs to be able to utilize Hamilton in the best way that maximizes his skill set while also ensuring the position is fortified with a player who possesses instincts, range and ball skills. Thankfully, there are a surplus of veterans who fit that exact bill and are still available on the open market including several former Pro Bowlers and All Pros.
Offensive Guard
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The Ravens let both of their starting guards in 2023 walk in free agency as a part of their 2024 rebuild of the unit. Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler signed with the Detroit Lions and John Simpson will be reunited with fellow former starter Morgan Moses after signing with the New York Jets. With four-year veteran Josh Jones being the only notable veteran offensive line addition the team has made thus far this offseason, they are clearly committed to getting younger in the trenches on that side of the ball by giving several of their recently drafted options a chance to earn starting spots.
Fourth-year pro Ben Cleveland played exceptionally well in place of Zeitler at right guard for the final two games of the regular season last year. Second-year pro Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu competed with Simpson for the starting left guard spot in 2023 and got to spend a whole year developing on the 53-man roster. Andrew Vorhees would’ve likely been an early-to-mid Day 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft but fell to the seventh and spent his entire rookie season recovering from a torn ACL and is now fully healthy.
As promising and cost-efficient as their current in-house options are, bringing one of the more experienced veteran options still available on the open market to add more competition would make sense. Although the guard market exploded in the early waves of free agency, the players at the position who are still available won’t command anywhere near top-dollar deals.
Wide Receiver
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The Ravens were the deepest and most talented they ever were at any point in franchise history in 2023 after making it a focus last offseason. They let a pair of multi-time Pro Bowlers walk in free agency Odell Beckham Jr. and Devin Duvernay who signed with Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively. Although, they were able to bring back nine-year veteran Nelson Agholor, got a potential steal in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the selection of speedy rookie wideout Devontez Walker and signed six-year veteran Deonte Harty.
While Duvernay was all but phased out of the offense and relegated to a return specialist and was limited to a career-low 136 offensive snaps, Beckham brought a great blend of veteran leadership, energy and explosive playmaking ability. At just 31 years old, Agholor is the oldest player on the team at the position by five years. Aside from him, the average median age for their wideouts is 23.90.
The Ravens have their clear-cut No. 1 with 2023 first-rounder Zay Flowers who nearly topped 1,000 receiving yards and broke several franchise records as a rookie. They are also banking on 2021 first-rounder Rashod Bateman’s injury woes finally being behind him so that he can break out after they rewarded him with an extension this offseason. If anything were to happen to either of them, they’d be in a tight spot and need reinforcements. There are still some solid veteran options who could fit certain roles in the offense and fortify their depth chart.