The Ravens Need For Speed On Offense Extends To The OL. Big Time

Tempo, speed and cadence quicky became buzzwords around the nascent 2026 Ravens offense.

Receivers are talking about his explosive it could be, with all the shifting and motion to try to unlock downfield shots. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has noted changes in speed of play and alterations to when and how the ball is snapped and more under-center play action shots to try to attack defenses.

We don’t generally think about how that speed of thought and expedited pre-snap posture applies to the big guys up front. Offensive lineman conjure images of hefty and bulk, and not how quickly their legs are pumping. But new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, installing an offense for the first time and trying to maintain an element of surprise, has been coy about the degree to which some changes are coming, but his mentor, Sean Payton, made it clear on “The Daily Flock Show” how much pace matters and how the linemen must be conditioned mentally and physically to be ready and not succumb to pre-snap issues, and it’s a clear point of emphasis in training camp.

Offensive line coach/run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford has made it a constant teaching principle – to hear the lineman explain it, perhaps the overarching tenant – and is in lockstep with Doyle about how these directives apply to the biggest men on this offense, too.

"There's a camera that we have – I make sure that a camera watches how we break the huddle and how we take the line of scrimmage,” Ledford revealed during a media session after practice this week. “That is something that, like I told the guys today, we can be like everybody else or we can look different.

“It is OK to be different. When we break the huddle, we want to take the line of scrimmage. It's going to do a lot. It is going to put stress on the defense, the faster we can get lined up. Also with that, it is just going to help everything from an operation standpoint.

“It's your intent — [it is] like, 'Hey, we are getting up there. We are showing you we are ready to go.' So, it is a mindset. It is just getting those guys to understand the mindset that we are wanting from them — with little things like that.”

Clearly, Ledford is all-in with this.

A Direct Style

Ledford is not shy about letting his group have it if they are not operating as quickly and adroitly as he would like. Considering Doyle doesn’t even know where he is going to call plays from yet – it’s that’s rote in terms of him doing this job on game day – every second saved elsewhere is imperative. The offense is totally new for everyone involved, and having the ball ready to be snapped as rapidly as warranted, to try to dictate to the defense, is a daily battle.

During his career, Jackson has been in the most sluggish offenses in football, bottom five in the NFL in time of possession per play. Last year, with Doyle in Chicago under head coach Ben Johnson, also installing a new offense, the Bears were operating at the fifth-fastest pace in football.

Ledford, one of the more established coaches on this offensive staff, wants them to be quick to align when necessary and exploding off the snap.

"It's a great culture,” said first round pick Vega Ioane, a starting guaed. “He's a great coach. He's brought in the mindset of — I'm sure you guys have heard it - speed off the ball. That comes with everything else.

“He's a big technical guy, but in the room, he's a chill, relaxed guy. We talk about film, next thing you know, we're talking about life stuff, things like that. It's a good balance in between."

Starting right tackle Roger Rosengarten described Ledord as: "High energy. I am sure you guys probably know. Led's voice carries across the facility, but I feel like that is what you need in an offensive line coach to establish himself as the leader and set the example for how we want to play.”

It’s obvious the linemen are already speaking his language and taking Ledford’s buzzwords to heart. There are going to be plenty of bumps along the way – pre-snap issues, might mar some of the exhibition games and I have some real concerns about the back-ups and depth on this unit. A year ago, Doyle went through no shortage of that stuff all summer long and into the season. Ledford’s mentality is taking hold, and time will tell how quickly the bodies adjust, too.

In the meantime, his message won’t waver.

“’Hey, we can get up to the ball much better than this,’” Ledford said of his group this week. “Hey, we can finish a lot better than this.' As I told them, the mark of a good offensive line is when the ball carrier — whoever it may be — is down, we have multiple guys around him. That's what we want to be known for. We want to make sure we're a group that when you turn on film, you see a lot of finishing."

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