The Ravens went 5-11 last season. This marked the first year under the Harbaugh era the team finished under .500. It also marked the second year the Ravens have missed the playoffs out of the last three. With so much change on the roster the past few seasons, many analysts, and pundits question if the Ravens will even compete for a playoff spot in the upcoming season.
The Ravens have lost some significant players in the past few years, notably Ray Lewis to retirement, Haloti Ngata via trade, and Courtney Upshaw, Ed Reed, and Torrey Smith to free agency. Meanwhile Joe Flacco has signed what used to be, the richest contract in the NFL, before Andrew Luck signed his monstrous deal with the Colts a few weeks ago.
Flacco’s recent extension with the Ravens, at three years and $66.4 million dollars, does give Flacco the biggest signing bonus in NFL history, at $40 million dollars. Not a bad consolation prize. So what can Ravens fans expect for the upcoming 2016 season?
Firstly, Baltimore fans will be seeing some new faces in Ravens’ purple. Offseason additions include three-time pro bowl free safety Eric Weddle, former Vikings receiver Mike Wallace, and veteran tight-end Benjamin Watson. The Ravens have been able to add some skilled players to their roster that should help them in the immediate future. The mainstays from last season remain intact, with Joe Flacco manning the helm, and Justin Forsett ready to take the bulk of the carries. Another important mainstay is head coach John Harbaugh.
Under Harbaugh’s tenure the Ravens have had only one losing season, 2015 when the finished 5-11. With the frequency of coaches coming and going around the league, Ravens’ fans can be confident in John Harbaugh, one of the few lasting coaches in this NFL. Harbaugh has proven himself to a coach, a statement only a few teams can boast. The real question lies with Flacco. As recipient of one of the most lucrative deals in NFL history comes certain expectations.
Flacco has struggled the past three seasons, combining for 60 touchdowns and 46 interceptions, and ending last year only playing ten games with an ACL tear. The running game was not all that inspiring last year either, with Forsett only playing in ten games due to injury. If Flacco and Forsett can rebound from their injuries, and stay healthy, the Ravens offense should go back to its consistent and winning ways.
The defense is a bit more complicated. Terrell Suggs is coming off his second Achilles tear, and is now 33 years old. Daryl Smith signed with the Buccaneers in free agency, and Courtney Upshaw has taken his talents to Atlanta. Those are two starters that need to be replaced, and one giant question mark headed into next season. The secondary is much improved, but Eric Weddle may not be enough to save this defense by himself. One benefit for the Ravens is their schedule for the 2016 season.
The Ravens open the season at Buffalo, followed by Browns, Jaguars, and Raiders, in that order. The Ravens also face the relatively weak NFC East this year, with the Redskins being the sole playoff team from that division last year.
The only problem is the division the Ravens find themselves in. The Bengals and Steelers are two very tough teams and seeing them twice will not help things in the slightest. The Ravens coaching is excellent, and their schedule is certainly favorable, but this roster has a lot of question marks on both sides of the ball. All in all, while it doesn’t appear likely Harbaugh will be able to will this team into the playoffs, it’s not impossible.
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