2023 Baltimore Ravens

[Don Wassall]

An even more ultra-Caste outfit than usual due to the number of White starters on the offensive line declining to two, the 2023 Ravens are a typical John Harbaugh coached team demographically with nothing to be interested in other than tight end Mark Andrews.

After Travis Kelce, Andrews is generally acknowledged to be the second best tight end in the league, though some believe George Kittle is second best and Andrews third. Either way, all three are great players. Andrews' career year so far was in 2021, when he went a remarkable 107/1361/9, heady territory previously only reached by Kelce and Kittle. He does get the injury bug off and on and missed the first game of the '23 season due to a quad injury.

It's telling that after Andrews the next best player to root for is Patrick Ricard, the mega-sized fullback who has but 10 rushing attempts and 40 catches in his seven NFL seasons. He also very occasionally pulls double duty as a defensive lineman.

Kevin Zeitler starts at right guard. Tyler Linderbaum starts at center. He suffered a sprained knee in the first game of the season. If he misses time he may be replaced by Patrick Mekari, who is of Armenian and Iranian descent. Ben Cleveland is the only other White backup on the o-line. Charlie Kolar is the third string tight end. All three quarterbacks are Black.

Brent Urban is the sole overachiever on the defense. He has bounced on and off the Ravens roster for a number of years now, sometimes rotating in on the d-line. He has a lot of talent but has also been injury prone.

C: Tyler Linderbaum, Patrick Mekari
RG: Kevin Zeitler, Ben Cleveland
TE: Mark Andrews, Charlie Kolar
FB: Patrick Ricard

DE: Brent Urban

PK: Justin Tucker, the GOAT
P: Jordan Stout
LS: Tyler Ott

Practice squad: TE Tyler Vokolek and FB Ben Mason (who could be an NFL power back but apparently won't ever get a chance even as a blocking fullback) are the only two Whites out of 16

Number of White starters: 4
Total number of White players on 53 man roster: 11
Grade: F

 

[Freethinker]

Pathetic but not surprising. In their 27 seasons in Baltimore, I can’t remember a season in which they weren’t a total Caste outfit.

 

[Bucky]

Another squad that resembles their **** city. I’ll give them that.

 

[Freethinker]

Not sure if anyone noticed or mentioned it already but RB Jake Funk is on the Ravens PS. Maybe by some miracle he’ll make a playoff appearance.

 

[Don Wassall]

Not sure if anyone noticed or mentioned it already but RB Jake Funk is on the Ravens PS. Maybe by some miracle he’ll make a playoff appearance.

So was Andy Isabella. I would be willing to bet anyone that John Harbaugh and the Ravens will never give a White WR or RB a genuine opportunity to succeed. Funk had a brief path to relevance in his rookie season with the Rams after they actually drafted him in the sixth round, but his injury history at Maryland continued with the Rams. Thus, finished in the NFL.

Harbaugh's Caste formula -- learned from Ozzie Newsome -- has resulted in him having a 16 year run and a decent chance at winning the Super Bowl this year; he's not about to change. He's the White equivalent of Mike Tomlin in the AFC North, two very longstanding head coaches. The other current longstanding head coach is Bill Belichick, who "surprisingly" changed the m.o. that made the Patriots far and away the best dynasty of the past 20 years, the best in NFL history over such a long timespan. Looks like Robert Kraft will fire him even after he changed the unbeatable formula, whether under pressure from Kraft or just general idiocy on his part, but even The Genius is easily disposable.

 

[Freethinker]

So was Andy Isabella. I would be willing to bet anyone that John Harbaugh and the Ravens will never give a White WR or RB a genuine opportunity to succeed. Funk had a brief path to relevance in his rookie season with the Rams after they actually drafted him in the sixth round, but his injury history at Maryland continued with the Rams. Thus, finished in the NFL.

Harbaugh's Caste formula -- learned from Ozzie Newsome -- has resulted in him having a 16 year run and a decent chance at winning the Super Bowl this year; he's not about to change. He's the White equivalent of Mike Tomlin in the AFC North, two very longstanding head coaches. The other current longstanding head coach is Bill Belichick, who "surprisingly" changed the m.o. that made the Patriots far and away the best dynasty of the past 20 years, the best in NFL history over such a long timespan. Looks like Robert Kraft will fire him even after he changed the unbeatable formula, whether under pressure from Kraft or just general idiocy on his part, but even The Genius is easily disposable.

To be fair they briefly had Danny Woodhead and also Michael Campanaro, but your point is well taken.

By some miracle, I sort of meant all 4 RBs on the active roster getting hurt in the same week. Like a Hillis Curse on steroids.

 

[Don Wassall]

To be fair they briefly had Danny Woodhead and also Michael Campanaro, but your point is well taken.

That's not being "fair." Did either have a genuine opportunity to succeed with John Harbaugh's Baltimore Ravens?

 

[Freethinker]

That's not being "fair." Did either have a genuine opportunity to succeed with John Harbaugh's Baltimore Ravens?

For Campanaro, not really. High of 173 yards over 4 seasons. But no other NFL team was “fair” either as he washed out of the league after getting cut by Tennessee. I think injuries played a role but at least he got paid for 4 years by the Ravens.

If I recall correctly, Woodhead was signed to a 3 year deal but injuries derailed him the first year and he was eventually cut and retired. Can’t be too hard on Harbaugh there as Danny was “old” for a RB and hurt.

I loathe Harbaugh but he does occasionally have a White player at a taboo position. Eric Weddle the best example. That said I give Funk a 0.1% chance of developing with this wretched organization. The positive is that his career is being prolonged (life support) and maybe he can catch on with a better team next season. I’d rather this than him on the couch where his career would be likely finished.