Are Ravens An 'Overhyped Contender' Heading Into Season?
This offseason has been nothing short of a roller coaster for the Baltimore Ravens. From the saga that was quarterback Lamar Jackson's new contract, to hiring offensive coordinator Todd Monken from the University of Georgia, this upcoming season is a highly anticipated one.
And despite reaching the postseason in four of the last five years, Bleacher Report believes the amount of change is why the Ravens are "overhyped" heading into 2023.
"This time around the NFL landscape, Monken will have a much better quarterback than Baker Mayfield with Lamar Jackson under center, but we shouldn't expect Baltimore's offense to click right away," Bleacher Report writes. "Other than All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews, Ravens pass-catchers must clear some hurdles to get on the same page with Jackson.
"Rookie wideout Zay Flowers has an obvious learning curve in a transition from college to the pros. He's an explosive playmaker, but Monken may need some time to figure out how to fully unlock his dynamic skill set."
Flowers, the Ravens first-round draft pick out of Boston College, will join a new-look receiving corps of Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor, to take a bit of the pass-catching load off of Andrews.
This defense - led by the linebacking tandem of Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith - will need a resurgence following several notable departures in free agency.
"The Ravens finished with the 26th-ranked pass defense," Bleacher Report writes. "They're going into the upcoming campaign without their 2022 sack leader, Justin Houston, which raises questions about the defensive unit in 2023.
"Between wholesale changes on offense and question marks on defense, the Ravens' playoff buzz should come with healthy skepticism."
But if Jackson and this Monken-led offense can replicate the production Baltimore saw in 2019, there's no doubt it will be a playoff contender.
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