Between now and the end of August, TGS will offer up a quick snapshot of every NFL team heading into the 2016 regular season. Today, the Baltimore Ravens.
2015 in a nutshell: They were decimated by injuries, finishing with a losing record (5-11) for the first time in nearly a decade.
Why 2016 could be different: According to Football Outsiders, no AFC team was hit harder by injuries. Quarterback Joe Flacco missed six games, wide receiver Steve Smith missed nine, running back Justin Forsett missed six and stud pass-rusher Terrell Suggs missed the entire year.
Major additions: All of those injured players, plus top 2015 pick Breshad Perriman (assuming he can get back from another knee injury), No. 6 overall pick Ronnie Stanley, Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle and lightning-quick veteran receiver Mike Wallace.
Major losses: Stud Kelechi Osemele left as a free agent. He’ll essentially but not technically be replaced by Stanley.
Breakout watch: They’ll need a lot from Perriman and Stanley, but the two semi-established starters looking to become stars are top 2014 picks C.J. Mosley and Timmy Jernigan. Mosley had four sacks and 76 tackles while barely missing a snap at linebacker last season, so the former first-round pick could be on the right trajectory. Meanwhile, Jernigan is a versatile second-round defensive tackle who should become a regular in his third season.
Position to watch: Forsett will likely enter camp as the top gun at running back, but he’s 30 and they have plenty of intriguing options. Bust Trent Richardson is looking to salvage his career, the electric Javorius Allen is a pass-catching threat, Terrance West has starting experience and they have two recent mid-round picks in
Lorenzo Taliaferro and Kenneth Allen. Just half a dozen backs…
Prediction: They were a 10-win team when they were healthier in 2012 and 2014, and the law of averages says they should have better luck there this year. Still, Flacco is overrated and they’ll struggle to keep up with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. I’ll give them nine wins.