The Ravens have long prided themselves on winning the battle in the trenches, but it's time to order some more beef in Baltimore.
New Head Coach Jesse Minter made his vision for the team clear while speaking with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine Tuesday.
"It's an O-line [and] D-line driven league," Minter said. "Just look at the Super Bowl winners of the last couple of years."
Two years ago, the Eagles' ferocious defensive front sacked the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes six times in the Super Bowl and held Kansas City to just 49 rushing yards. Conversely, the Eagles ran for 135 yards.
In the Seahawks' recent Super Bowl win over the Patriots, Seattle's defense sacked Drake Maye six times, and the Seahawks offensive line helped block for 141 rushing yards and gave up just one sack.
Minter has been taking notes.
"How have these teams won that final game? Two years ago, it was the Eagles' O-line [and] D-line driven. This year, Seattle, same deal," Minter said.
"So I think that's an area that you're always looking to get better [at]. I think there are some good [Ravens] pieces there, and so it'll be about coaching them up, developing them more, and then adding some pieces to help us get to that level."
The Lounge #885: Takeaways From Eric DeCosta & Jesse Minter at Combine
Team insiders Garrett Downing and Clifton Brown discuss updates on Tyler Linderbaum's potential deal, Lamar Jackson contract extension negotiations, the potential to keep Isaiah Likely, futures of Marlon Humphrey and Nnamdi Madubuike, beefing up in the trenches, and more.
The Ravens lost too many games in the trenches last season. Part of it was because the defense lost Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike to a neck injury early in the season. General Manager Eric DeCosta conceded Tuesday that it made the Ravens "probably a little vulnerable up front."
Baltimore's offense was also hindered by inconsistent line play at both guard positions. Lamar Jackson was sacked 36 times in 13 games. The Ravens are still in the midst of an offensive line rebuild, and that will continue this offseason.
"When you look at your roster, and you see the ebbs and flow," DeCosta said. "You lose players – we've lost some offensive linemen the last couple of years, and we've lost some defensive linemen. We've got 11 draft picks, I think, and we should have a good opportunity to add players."
Minter and DeCosta are both happy with some of the building blocks they have in the trenches. They gave nose tackle Travis Jones an extension late last season after he was dominant down the stretch. Baltimore also re-upped veteran John Jenkins after a strong year.
The Ravens have their offensive tackles in place with Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, and they are trying hard to re-sign Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum with a "market-setting" offer. They drafted Emery Jones Jr. in the third round last year, and he showed some flashes late in the season, as did offensive tackle Carson Vinson.
The cupboard is far from bare, but the Ravens know they need to attack it on both sides of the ball this offseason.
"I think if we have the chance to draft a great defensive tackle, of course we will. It is one of the most important positions in football," DeCosta said.
"I think we've always been a team that has valued the importance of 'the trenches' and being up front. [That is] just one of the reasons why we want to bring Tyler back, if we can. Certainly a focus for us."
