Ravens One of NFL's Top Underrated Teams Heading Into 2022 Season

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens are coming off an injury-plagued season where they finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs.

As a result, some teams might be sleeping on Baltimore and that's not a good idea.

A recent poll by Pro Football Focus ranked the Ravens as one of the league's most underrated teams heading into the 2022 season.

Here's why according to PFF's Kambui Bomani:

DraftKings has the Bengals and Browns with higher Super Bowl-winning odds than the Ravens, likely in large part because of the unknown of Baltimore’s passing offense. Injuries did derail their 2021 season, but Lamar Jackson also wasn't his former MVP self.

Much can be said about Jackson’s lack of pass-game weaponry, but Mark Andrews had an All-Pro tight end campaign in 2021 despite the injuries under center. A star in Andrews alongside a healthy Rashod Bateman could truly jumpstart a passing renaissance in Baltimore. However, Jackson will need to improve his accuracy outside the numbers, regardless.

If the Ravens can stay healthy, they can make a deep run in the playoffs all the way to the Super Bowl. The roster was decimated with injuries last year with 25 players on IR and they still finished just one game below .500.

The return of running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, cornerback Marcus Peters and left tackle Ronnie Stanley should make a huge difference. The Ravens also added safety Marcus Williams, cornerback Kyle Fuller, right tackle Morgan Moses and defensive tackle Michael Pierce in free agency.

The Ravens also have 11 draft picks ready to make a first-year impact, most notably safety Kyle Hamilton and center Tyler Linderbaum.

Here's why the Ravens can exceed expectations per PFF:

Brandon Stephens and Chuck Clark are set to relinquish their 2021 starting roles to free agent acquisition Marcus Williams and promising draft pick Kyle Hamilton. Williams' ability as a deep middle safety was renowned throughout his New Orleans Saints tenure, and Hamilton made waves in South Bend due to his versatility in coverage and as a run defender. If that duo hits its ceiling in Mike Macdonald's defense in 2022, the sky is the limit for Baltimore.

The team will also return its top two running backs from 2020 in J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards after each missed all of last season due to preseason ACL tears. Both finished the 2020 season with 80.0-plus rushing grades, with Edwards' 86.1 mark leading the way. Edwards, Dobbins and Jackson combined for 78 of the team’s 93 runs that spanned at least 10 yards or more that season. The return of the three-headed ground attack drastically changes the Ravens' offensive dynamic.

The other overlooked teams are the Eagles, Dolphins, Colts and Saints.