Late for Work: Former NFL Executive Doesn’t Like Ravens Chances of Repeating As AFC North Champs

Pro Football Focus’ Jim Wyman and Dalton Wasserman analyzed all 32 NFL rosters and ranked them.

The Ravens came in at No. 5. The San Francisco 49ers took the No. 1 spot, followed by the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Jets.

Here are some excerpts from their breakdown of the Ravens:

Biggest strength in 2023: Ground Game

“The Ravens’ ground attack was scary enough when defenses had to deal with Lamar Jackson and any slew of middle-of-the-pack running backs Baltimore decided to feature. Now, they have to account for Derrick Henry as well. While Henry is getting up there in age, (he will be 30 years old when the season starts), he showed last season he still has something left in the tank, as his 90.1 PFF grade was the second-highest mark of his career. Jackson, on the other hand, continued to prove he’s the most exciting player in the league, as his 90.8 rushing grade and 975 rushing yards (including playoffs) helped lead him to his second MVP award in 2023.”

X-factor for 2024: G Andrew Vorhees

“Andrew Vorhees is an interesting story, as despite tearing his ACL during the NFL combine, he still elected to do the bench press anyway and put up 38 reps, the most among offensive linemen in attendance. Despite being projected to go as early as Day 2, Vorhees fell to the seventh round (231st overall) thanks to the injury. His misfortune may be Baltimore’s gain, though, as the Ravens were able to stash him away while he recovered, and he now appears set to take over the starting left guard job. Vorhees’ recovery is critical, as outside of Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum, the Ravens are pretty thin on the offensive line and will be relying on some unproven commodities in other spots.”

Rookie to watch: WR Devontez Walker

“Due to how thin the Ravens’ receiving room is, there is ample opportunity for someone to step up and steal a starting role and Devontez Walker seems most primed to make that leap. At one point considered a first-round prospect, Walker fell to the fourth round after an inconsistent 2023 that saw him miss time due to NCAA eligibility issues. Walker ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash so he has the speed to take the top off defenses and make plays for this Ravens offense.”