C.J. Mosley, Ravens Reportedly Had Mutual Interest in Reunion
Linebacker C.J. Mosley reportedly wanted a chance to finish his career the same way he started it – as a Raven.
Mosley, who announced his retirement Thursday after 10 seasons (five with Baltimore and five with the New York Jets), was interested in signing with the Ravens to chase a Super Bowl championship, according to WJZ's Rick Ritter.
Ritter said the Ravens also had interest in a reunion, but the five-time Pro Bowler was unable to get medically cleared due to the neck injury he suffered last season.
Mosley returning to the team that drafted him in the first round in 2014 would have been a good story.
"Mosley likely could have come to Baltimore and competed for real playing time," Ebony Bird’s Connor Burke wrote. "The team has an open competition for the second starting linebacker next to Roquan Smith, and the pairing would have been electric to watch. Before injuries, the Alabama product was still playing at an elite level and is one of the smartest linebackers to touch the field in recent memory.
"While the team looks to the younger linebackers in Trenton Simpson and Teddye Buchanan to contribute in 2025, Mosley would have been a great leader to have around for a championship run."
ESPN Pundits Rank Ravens Offense No. 1, Praise Todd Monken
The Ravens had one of the most explosive and efficient offenses in the league last season, finishing first in yards and third in points. ESPN's Mina Kimes and Ben Solak expect the unit to pick up where it left off.
Kimes and Solak ranked the top 10 offenses for 2025 on "The Mina Kimes Show," and both put the Ravens at No. 1.
Kimes said the pick-your-poison aspect of the Ravens offense is what sets it apart.
"The way defenses have to make impossible decisions against this group as a whole is really captured in the data – the amount of times they face single-high coverage, stacked boxes – and is going to be consistent because Lamar Jackson is still there, Derrick Henry is still there," Kimes said. "I think this is a really good offensive line. I really like these pass-catchers and how they blend together, especially in this offense.
"But it's that math that they make you do that is just going to stay the same. And then on top of the math, they have a quarterback who is just capable of punishing you every time, not only intermittently, but consistently. That's where we got with Lamar Jackson. He is deadly accurate now, he does not throw interceptions, he does not take sacks."
Kimes added that Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken is another reason why she has the Ravens as the No. 1 offense.
"Todd Monken was incredible last year," Kimes said. "The offense is evolving. It is not what it was one year ago [or] two years ago. I feel like I suddenly have a strong degree of confidence in Todd Monken playing at a level commensurate with what he has to work with."
Solak also praised Monken for making the most of the incredible talent he has to work with.
"I think a lot of lesser offensive coordinators would struggle with trying to juggle just how many guys there are on this team you want to use and the specific ways in which you want to use them," Solak said. "These aren't plug-and-chug players. If you watch the Ravens offense and then you watch other good offenses, the Ravens will run concepts a little bit deeper because they know that Lamar can extend the play for a little bit longer. They'll run traps and whams out of pistol the way that other teams don't because they want Derrick Henry to be going vertically, they don't want him to be on those zone tracks.
"It's just little stuff where I understand exactly who I have as my players, and I'm not going to do nonsense that doesn't maximize them. There's no fat. It's a very trim offense despite that there are so many mouths to feed. That's a hard needle to thread."
Analyst Says Addition of 'Game-Changer' Jaire Alexander Makes Ravens Defense NFL's Best
The Ravens are pretty good on the other side of the ball, too.
In fact, Fox Sports analyst James Jones said that with the addition of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, the Ravens have built the best defense in the NFL.
"Jaire is huge," Jones said on FOX Sports 1's "The Facility." "Jaire is a lockdown corner. Jaire is a corner that can travel. Jaire is a corner that can move into the slot. Jaire is a corner that it doesn't matter if you have size as a wide receiver, it doesn't matter if you're quick and shifty as a wide receiver. Jaire can cover all of them. We've seen him handle Justin Jefferson. We've seen him handle all different types of receivers.
"He's a game-changer on that defensive side of the ball in the way you can even call a game."
Jones said the combination of an improved defense and a Jackson-led offense makes the Ravens the best team in the AFC on paper.
"Obviously, we know you have to play the games, but if Lamar 'Action' Jackson is Lamar 'Action' Jackson in the playoffs, this could be the year of vengeance that Lamar Jackson is talking about," Jones said.
On a side note, NBC Sports’ Mike Florio said the Ravens signing Alexander adds another layer to the rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers because Alexander and Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers were teammates on the Green Bay Packers.
"Just a little more juice, just something a little extra," Florio said on "Pro Football Talk." "Not that the rivalry needs it, but you've got a couple of former teammates. Alexander is going to know some things about Rodgers. Rodgers is going to know some things about Alexander. Adds a little more spice to those two games to be played between Baltimore and Pittsburgh in 2025."
Darius Slay Discusses Whether Jackson or Joe Burrow Presents a Bigger Challenge
Now that veteran cornerback Darius Slay is in the AFC North, the six-time Pro Bowler, who signed with the Steelers this offseason, will have to face two of the league's elite quarterbacks in Jackson and the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow twice this season.
During Slay's appearance on "The Mina Kimes Show," he was asked which of the quarterbacks presents the bigger challenge.
"Probably Lamar because of the fact that he can extend plays, and as a corner, you hate when plays are extended because you have to keep chasing the receiver around the field," Slay said. "It's always two plays in one with Lamar."
New Orleans Saints eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Jordan can relate. He talked about how tough it is to tackle Jackson during an appearance on ESPN's "NFL Live."
"I missed twice on one play," Jordan said. "I hit him, he ducked under me. I got up, slapped his ankles, and he still went for a first down. … There's a reason why he's the MVP. He's the epitome of a dual-threat quarterback."
Henry Talks About Preparing for the Season 'With a Vengeance'
Henry appeared on "The Rich Eisen Show" this week. Here are some of the running back's comments:
Approaching the season with a vengeance: "I feel like we left some stuff on the table last year we feel like we should have accomplished. So, you have to come into camp and prepare for the season with a vengeance and have that same mindset when the season starts."
What it would mean for him to win the Super Bowl: "It would mean everything, because that's what I want. That's all I need. Got to get to the mountain top. Pray to God, I get there before it's all said and done. I think about it every day."
How much longer he'll play: "I don't try to put a timetable on when I want to be done. I think whenever I feel like it's time to hang it up, I'll hang it up. Until then, you're going to see me."
Playing with Jackson last season: "I loved it. I was like, 'Man, this is incredible.' He's different. To me, he's the best player in the game. I feel like it's been that way for a while. When he steps on the field and he's healthy, the game is never over, a play is never over, and he's the two-time MVP for a reason. I think it's only going to get better from here. While I'm here, I definitely want to help him accomplish the goal of winning the Super Bowl."
Quick Hits
Yesterday's Most Read: Late for Work: Pundits React to Ravens Signing Jaire Alexander
- Henry and 10 former Ravens were named to ESPN’s All-Quarter Century Team. The former Ravens were: running back Priest Holmes, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, right guard Marshal Yanda, right tackle Willie Anderson, defensive lineman Calais Campbell, linebacker Ray Lewis, safeties Ed Reed and Earl Thomas III, kicker Justin Tucker, and long-snapper Morgan Cox.
- The Ravens were No. 12 in Pro Football Focus’ receiving corps rankings.
