As Training Camp officially comes to a close, I thought it would be interesting to highlight a few players on both sides of the ball that could either be in for a break-out season or perhaps a somewhat disappointing one. Last season we saw a number of players step up in bigger roles including Patrick Onwuasor, Za’Darius Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Orlando Brown Jr. and Mark Andrews. However, some players backslid a bit as well like Alex Collins, James Hurst and Eric Weddle. For the Ravens to build on their 2018 Division winning roster it will be important for a new batch of players to break out so let’s start by taking a look at the defensive side of the ball.
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Defensive Line:
There are a couple players on the defensive line that could be poised for a big season, but I think the player with best chance to really grab attention is DT Willie Henry. Now entering his 4th season, Henry started to emerge in 2017 as a disruptive interior pass-rusher and was poised for a big year in 2018 before injuries derailed his season. Heading into 2019, he should be in line to get a bulk of the team’s 3T snaps on passing downs. If Henry can become a mainstay along the Ravens defensive line as a disruptive pass-rusher, it would go a long way towards helping the Ravens defense repeat as a top unit in 2019.
It’s hard to identify a player that could be in for a down season in this talented group, but NT Michael Pierce is probably the best bet to not live up to the extremely high level of play he set for himself last season. Pierce’s weight issues in the offseason have him starting behind the curve, and the quality of players around him combined with the NFL’s continued trend of passing more than ever could see his role in 2019 diminish.
Linebacker:
If any position group on the Ravens needs a breakout player, it would be the linebacking corps as the team lost considerable talent in the offseason with the departures of C.J. Mosley, Terrell Suggs and ZaDarius Smith. Peanut Onwuasor is kind of an obvious player at ILB as he takes over as the Mike LB, but I want to highlight a player on the outside whom I think has a real chance to break out; OLB Tim Williams. I have been banging this drum since before the Ravens drafted Williams, so I am probably a bit biased, but no other player on the roster has his pass-rushing upside. He has shown the flashes when given the opportunities in the past and there is a major vacancy of pass-rush snaps from last season that are there for the taking. I think Williams is going to impress enough in the preseason to grab that opportunity and run with it.
A player that I think may disappoint is also an OLB, and I want to clarify that it is more of a perception of disappointment than actual regression that I am anticipating. The player in question is Matt Judon, and while I expect a solid season from him where he almost assuredly leads the team in snaps at OLB, I don’t think he is going to show much more than what we have seen the past 2 seasons. Judon is a quality player with versatility, but he has never overly impressed me with his pass-rush ability, and I get the feeling there is an expectation that he takes another leap in his 4th season. I don’t see that happening, and I want to re-iterate that doesn’t mean I expect a bad season from him, just don’t expect a break-out.
Secondary:
The Ravens secondary is poised to have a dominant season with the addition of Earl Thomas and the continued ascension of Marlon Humphrey. I think a player that has a chance to really break out this season is Tony Jefferson simply because he should be put into a role for which he is much better suited. Paired with Thomas, Jefferson will have more freedom to make plays in the box and have less time spent dropping into coverage. It wouldn’t surprise me if Jefferson leads the team in tackles in 2019 and I expect an increased number of splash plays from him as well.
It should come as no surprise to anybody who reads our message board to see that I am expecting Jimmy Smith to have a down year in 2019. I was a proponent for letting him go or trading him in the offseason because of the Ravens depth at CB combined with his bloated contract, and reports coming out of training camp have been almost entirely negative regarding his play. Smith has been up and down his entire career and 2018 was no different. He had some good games, but there was more bad than good, and his lack of recovery speed became apparent. It’s possible that a fully healthy Smith will have a great season, but I would unfortunately bet against that outcome. The good news is the Ravens have lots of depth at CB, so if Smith’s play does become a problem there are other players that should be able to step up and fill in.
Ravens Analyst
Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.