After months of offseason fodder, the wait is over.
The 2025 regular season will kick off Thursday, with the Ravens beginning their quest for a Lombardi Trophy in four days when they face the Buffalo Bills on "Sunday Night Football."
Heading into the season, Baltimore is as high as No. 1 and as low as No. 5 across power rankings.
Here is a breakdown heading into Week 1:
| Source | Ranking | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| NFL.com | No. 2 | The Steelers have Aaron Rodgers, and the Bengals might be due for a bounce-back season, but the Ravens remain my clear favorites in the AFC North right now. Lamar Jackson has played at an MVP level in each of the past two seasons, and the Ravens weren’t as gutted -- personnel-wise or in the coaching staff -- as they often are in the offseason. Continuity will help Baltimore in its quest for a third straight division title, with the biggest changes arguably coming on special teams. The Ravens have 10 offensive starters back, as well as most of their defense, which performed at a higher level by the end of the 2024 season and still might have some room for improvement. If they get to the bye (Week 7) in decent shape, it should be another strong year. |
| The Athletic | No. 2 | You know what AFC defensive coordinators weren’t thinking? The Ravens need one more offensive weapon. Too bad, says Keaton Mitchell, who averaged 7.6 yards per carry in the preseason and showed the type of burst he had in 2023, before ACL and PCL injuries. Tight end Isaiah Likely (foot injury) is starting the season on the 53-man roster, but his status is murky. |
| The Ringer | No. 4 | You can make an argument that all three of the AFC’s top contenders should be tied in the rankings heading into Week 1. And one could make an even more compelling argument that Baltimore is the most talented of the Big Three. With two-time MVP Lamar Jackson in his prime, a still elite Derrick Henry, and the best defensive depth chart in football, all the necessary pieces are there. This offseason was about continuity and building on the foundation that Baltimore has built over the past couple of seasons. The Ravens should dominate again in the regular season, but it’ll be hard for them to leapfrog over rivals Buffalo and Kansas City until they do something convincing on the field this fall. |
| ESPN.com | No. 1 | This team has it all: an elite coach in John Harbaugh, perhaps the league's best QB in two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, a terrific offensive supporting cast (led by RB Derrick Henry, WR Zay Flowers, TE Mark Andrews, OT Ronnie Stanley and C Tyler Linderbaum) and a terrific defense that returns 10 of its top 11 snap-getters from 2024 (including stars in S Kyle Hamilton, CB Marlon Humphrey, LB Roquan Smith and DT Nnamdi Madubuike). They also strengthened their secondary by signing cornerback Jaire Alexander. |
| FOX Sports | No. 2 | As long as the Ravens have the two-time MVP and running back Derrick Henry in the lineup they have a chance to be unstoppable this season. They’re loaded for a deep run. |
| Sports illustrated | No. 1 | If I had to evaluate an offense and a defense in totality, excluding any prior narratives the team has amassed, the Ravens would be the most sensible selection for the Super Bowl. Best defense over the final six weeks of the 2024 season. Second-best offense and second-best quarterback over the same stretch. In addition to that, you look at which team still has the most to grow in terms of potential ceiling and upside. The Ravens check all the boxes. |
| USA Today | No. 2 | Looking for a flaw here? They didn't manage to get in on the Parsons sweepstakes, otherwise … The biggest issue facing Baltimore presently might be avoiding boredom in September and October − and the Ravens have been known to strike some easily avoidable early schedule potholes in past seasons. |
| CBS Sports | No. 5 | Talent, talent and more talent. Now they just have to get it done in the playoffs. They will be a deep playoff team and should push for the Super Bowl. |
| Pro Football Focus | No. 1 | The Ravens are looking to make amends for a disappointing playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills a year ago. That team felt like it had all the momentum in the world, boasting a third-ranked 93.1 PFF overall grade. But this iteration of the roster might be even better. The Ravens didn’t fall prey to major turnover and improved the secondary with the additions of Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie, as well as rookie first-round pick Malaki Starks. As long as Lamar Jackson quarterbacks the Ravens, they’ll live in the realm of perennial Super Bowl contenders. However, Jackson and the rest of the roster need to prove that they are capable of getting over the hump in 2025. They might never have a better chance. |
