FootballDad
Hall of Famer
The Ravens for 2024 are remarkably similar to the 2023 crew. So much so that I could have just re-posted the write-up that Don did last year and do some minor lineup tweaks. The only real change is that the Ravens now start 3 whites on the offensive line and the O-line depth has increased.
Mark Andrews had a down year in 2023 with only 45 receptions for 544 and 6tds. Injured for the last half of the season, he courageously returned from a fractured ankle to play in the AFC Championship game, a true warrior. Barring injury, he is a force, one of the best 2 or 3 tight ends in the league. Patrick Ricard returns to his role of human battering ram, this time blocking for Derrick Henry, one of the better RB's in the NFL. Last season Ricard had a perfect "0, 0, 0, 0" statistical total for carries, receptions, yards and td's.
Patrick Mekari (Armenian and Iranian descent) now starts at RT, and recent acquisition Andrew Vorhees is at LG. Above-average C Tyler Linderbaum returns, and there are 3 additional depth pieces which may be some sort of a record for the Ravens. Defense is a really dark affair, with Urban being the lone white player. Really.
As this team will get plenty of well-deserved hate from CF faithful, it's worth pointing out that they are a very good and dangerous team in spite of their "diversity". HC John Harbaugh and OC Todd Monken are very good. QB Lamar Jackson is exceptional and we look dumb when we bash him as an undeserving "black quarterback". Now it is worth noting that his ascention is largely due to Monken. Coming out of college his accuracy and throwing motion was abysmal, he was nothing but a run-first black QB. Monken however decided to tailor the offense specifically to Jackson's strengths while working on his deficiencies. The result is a two-time NFL MVP (we can discuss the politics of this, and they are relevant, but still..) who cannot be overlooked. Imagine if OC's around the league did this with the "unconventional" white QB's. What could Tim Tebow have been with this approach? Or more recently, Zach Wilson etc.......
C: Tyler Linderbaum, Nick Samac
RG: Ben Cleveland
RT: Patrick Mekari, Roger Rosengarden
LG: Andrew Vorhees
TE: Mark Andrews, Charlie Kolar
FB: Patrick Ricard
DE: Brent Urban
PK: Justin Tucker, the GOAT
P: Jordan Stout
LS: Nick Moore
Reserve Injured et al: None
Practice squad: OLB Joe Evans. One out of 16. Pathetic
Number of White starters: 5
Total number of White players on 53 man roster: 13
Grade: F
Mark Andrews had a down year in 2023 with only 45 receptions for 544 and 6tds. Injured for the last half of the season, he courageously returned from a fractured ankle to play in the AFC Championship game, a true warrior. Barring injury, he is a force, one of the best 2 or 3 tight ends in the league. Patrick Ricard returns to his role of human battering ram, this time blocking for Derrick Henry, one of the better RB's in the NFL. Last season Ricard had a perfect "0, 0, 0, 0" statistical total for carries, receptions, yards and td's.
Patrick Mekari (Armenian and Iranian descent) now starts at RT, and recent acquisition Andrew Vorhees is at LG. Above-average C Tyler Linderbaum returns, and there are 3 additional depth pieces which may be some sort of a record for the Ravens. Defense is a really dark affair, with Urban being the lone white player. Really.
As this team will get plenty of well-deserved hate from CF faithful, it's worth pointing out that they are a very good and dangerous team in spite of their "diversity". HC John Harbaugh and OC Todd Monken are very good. QB Lamar Jackson is exceptional and we look dumb when we bash him as an undeserving "black quarterback". Now it is worth noting that his ascention is largely due to Monken. Coming out of college his accuracy and throwing motion was abysmal, he was nothing but a run-first black QB. Monken however decided to tailor the offense specifically to Jackson's strengths while working on his deficiencies. The result is a two-time NFL MVP (we can discuss the politics of this, and they are relevant, but still..) who cannot be overlooked. Imagine if OC's around the league did this with the "unconventional" white QB's. What could Tim Tebow have been with this approach? Or more recently, Zach Wilson etc.......
C: Tyler Linderbaum, Nick Samac
RG: Ben Cleveland
RT: Patrick Mekari, Roger Rosengarden
LG: Andrew Vorhees
TE: Mark Andrews, Charlie Kolar
FB: Patrick Ricard
DE: Brent Urban
PK: Justin Tucker, the GOAT
P: Jordan Stout
LS: Nick Moore
Reserve Injured et al: None
Practice squad: OLB Joe Evans. One out of 16. Pathetic
Number of White starters: 5
Total number of White players on 53 man roster: 13
Grade: F