Is This the Best Ravens Roster in Franchise History?
The consensus is that the Ravens have a top five roster in the NFL, but where does the talented group rank among the best rosters in franchise history?
FOX 45 sports anchor AJ Gersh said it might be the best.
"The Ravens look more complete than they ever have heading into the 2025 season," Gersh said.
It's high praise considering the Ravens have had two Super-Bowl winning rosters (2000, 2012) and fielded teams that have won 12+ games seven times, including the 2019 and 2023 squads that were each the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Looking strictly at the offense, Russell Street Report’s Jared Pinder made the case that the 2025 unit is the best in franchise history.
"We know how great the tandem of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry is, but the depth in several areas is what makes me so confident," Pinder wrote. "Two of the more important pieces will be Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely.
"Zay, at this point, is a true WR1 and no, you can't argue that. He is everything that Hollywood Brown was supposed to be and more, and he might be the most talented receiver drafted by the Ravens. As for Likely, he might be the most underrated offensive player in the NFL. The guy could be a TE1 with any other team right now, and I do believe he should be that over Mark Andrews at this point. Let Mark be the big red zone target, and let Likely be the number one weapon at TE."
Pinder also noted the addition of five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins
"When he is the third receiver on your depth chart – and maybe even the fifth option in the passing game – yeah, that's deep," Pinder wrote. "There are a lot of mouths to feed on offense, but Hopkins will get his targets. If he is great, this offense is basically unstoppable."
The Ravens also possess quality depth at running back with Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell backing up Henry, and they have four members of last year's starting offensive line back, including Pro Bowlers Ronnie Stanley at left tackle and Tyler Linderbaum at center.
The defense, which arguably was the best in the league the second half of last season, is loaded as well and has no glaring weaknesses.
The Ravens are fully aware that they will ultimately be judged by what they do on the field, not how great they look on paper. They are highly motivated to get over the Super Bowl hump, as evidenced by the near perfect attendance at voluntary OTAs last week.
Media Reacts to Odafe Oweh's Bulked-Up Physique
One player who has turned heads at OTAs is outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, who has added 20 pounds of muscle.
Here's a look at what pundits who attended OTAs had to say about Oweh:
The Baltimore Banner's Jonas Shaffer: "This year, Oweh's third under [Pass Russ Coach] Chuck Smith, a more diverse arsenal could turn him into one of the NFL's best pass rushers. Oweh ranked 17th in the league last season in ESPN's pass rush win rate among qualifying edge defenders, getting home with a mix of swipes, rips and dips. Now that he's bigger, stronger and perhaps just as fast, blockers will have to worry about getting run over, too."
ESPN's Jamison Hensley: "Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh noticed something different at a recent offseason practice. When he pushed off blockers, they flew backward. The decision to bulk up came immediately after last season. Oweh finished with one tackle – including no sacks or quarterback hits – in the 27-25 AFC divisional playoff loss at the Buffalo Bills. That performance impacted Oweh over the past four months."
The Baltimore Sun's Brian Wacker: "The goal was simple: bulk up and get stronger without losing the speed that had become a hallmark of his game. So through his manager, Oweh enlisted the services of Jordan Collins of DBC Fitness. … On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the first half of the sessions focused entirely on a lower body combo of movement patterning, speed and plyometrics, while the second half would entail heavy lower body weightlifting. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the focus was upper body lifting with Oweh pushing as much weight and volume as he could. There was also 10 to 20 minutes of stretching daily, preceded by a daily wellness questionnaire to gauge his soreness, energy level and the amount and quality of sleep from the night before. The routine carried on for six weeks — save for OTAs and other duties for the Ravens — and he'll return to Miami for a few more weeks once OTAs and mandatory minicamp later this month conclude."
The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec: "The Ravens need the 2021 first-round pick to take another step forward and become a weekly difference-maker on a defense that can't afford to repeat last year's slow start or tepid finish in Buffalo. Oweh is entering a contract year coming off a career-high 10-sack regular season. He believes there's another level he can get to that would put him among the NFL's elite edge rushers. If that happens in 2025, Oweh can pretty much name his price as a pending free agent ascending toward the prime of his career."
Mike Green Among Most Likely Players to Win Defensive Rookie of the Year
First-round safety Malaki Starks isn't the only Ravens player who is getting Defensive Rookie of the Year buzz. Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson put second-round edge rusher Mike Green at the top of his list of players most likely to win the award.
"The Marshall product's first-step quickness should be utilized in the role of a designated pass-rusher (DPR)," Parson wrote. "The Ravens' starters are Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh. Both veterans are good run defenders and edge-setters. This will put Green as a rotational defender as a rookie, but his athletic ability will give offensive tackles headaches late in games with fresh legs.
"If the 21-year-old is deployed mostly on passing downs, he has the chance to rack up sacks and pressures to impact the game. Last season, Los Angeles Rams defender Jared Verse had 4.5 sacks and outstanding pressure numbers, leading to him securing DROY honors. Green can stamp himself as the most impactful rookie defender with the proper game plan from his defensive coordinator."
