Roquan Smith Focused on Being in Shape, Playing to His High Standard
Despite Roquan Smith being named a first-team All-Pro for the third year in a row, some pundits have contended that the inside linebacker's 2024 performance was below his standard.
Smith doesn't disagree.
"Coming into the year, I was banged up early in the year," Smith told The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker. "Some of that was just [needing to be] in better shape; then just focusing on doing my job and not [doing] anything more or anything less."
Smith, as well as the defense as a whole, played dramatically better in the second half of the season. One of the keys to the turnaround was cleaning up communication issues. Smith said communication has been "crystal clear" thus far.
"A lot of times last year, it would be like people would know what to do, but then not being on the same page sometimes would make this person look crazy or that person look crazy," Smith said. "All of us would look crazy at the end of the day.
"[At OTAs], this was the most installs that have been thrown at us, that I've been thrown at my entire career. It's pretty sweet to see. Seeing how we respond, making minimal errors. It's not nearly as many errors as before."
When asked what his biggest focus was heading into this season, Smith said: "It's about being in good shape and having a clear understanding of what's going on. For myself, eating better and taking better care of myself and [making] sure I'm taking care of that and not letting it grow into something else.
"In this league, it's what have you done for me lately."
Warren Moon: Lamar Jackson More Likely to Win Super Bowl This Season Than Josh Allen, Joe Burrow
Three of the NFL's elite quarterbacks – Lamar Jackson, the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen, and Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow – have yet to win a Super Bowl. Which one has the best chance of breaking through this season?
Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon said it's Jackson because the Ravens have built a championship-caliber team around the two-time MVP.
"They just keep building that roster," Moon said on "Up & Adams." "You look at their secondary – it's probably one of the best secondaries in the league right now. They're just very physical all the time. They still have Derrick Henry back there; he hasn't fallen off. All his receivers are back. That's a team that's right there ready to go."
Henry Was Highest-Graded Running Back in Three Run Concepts
The Ravens ran Henry in a variety of ways to great success.
Pro Football Focus’ Lauren Gray looked at the highest-graded running backs last season by run concept, and Henry was the leader in the following three categories:
Outside zone (91.9 PFF grade)
"Henry turned 131 outside-zone rushes into 933 yards last season — the most yardage he's gained on such plays since 2020. Henry scored twice and gained 28 first downs (fifth most). He ranked in the top two in yards gained before (435) and after contact (498), averaging more than three yards per attempt in both categories. Henry recorded 22 explosive gains, forced 40 missed tackles (both second most) and recorded the third-best stuff rate (13.0%)."
Power (90.0)
"Henry saw his highest volume of power rushes since his second season in the league (59 carries in 2017) and earned a career-best 90.0 PFF rushing grade on those plays in 2024. He led the league in attempts (54), touchdowns (nine) and first downs (27), and gained 227 total rushing yards (second most). He finished second in missed tackles forced (six) and explosive runs (six) while ranking in the top three in yards gained before (73) and after contact (154)."
Trap (93.2)
"Prior to 2024, Henry never recorded more than three trap carries in a season. He ran 13 times for 200 yards (most) and a touchdown in his first season in Baltimore, gaining seven first downs and recording six runs of 10-plus yards. Henry forced four missed tackles and averaged 11.8 yards before contact per attempt on trap runs, a PFF single-season record. He was one of two rushers (Bucky Irving) to post a 0.0% stuff rate."
In addition, Henry was the third highest-graded running back (88.0) in pull leads.
On a side note, CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr put the 31-year-old Henry at No. 3 in his top 30 players over 30 rankings.
"With the most rushing yards (11,423) and rushing touchdowns (106) since the start of the 2016 season by a wide margin, there's a good argument to be made that Henry is still the best running back in the NFL," Kerr wrote. "He's on a Pro Football Hall of Fame trajectory."
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt and Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson were the two players ranked ahead of Henry.
Three Ravens Teams Ranked Among 25 Best of Past 25 Years
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame ranked the top 25 teams of the past 25 years and three Ravens squads made the list, including two from the Jackson era.
The 2019 Ravens, who went a franchise-best 14-2 in the regular season, came in at No. 6.
"How great were the 2019 Ravens? Only the '07 Patriots had a better point-per-game differential this century, with Baltimore ranking seventh best in the Super Bowl era," Verderame wrote. "The Ravens were first offensively and third defensively in points, while ranking second and fourth, respectively, in yardage. Lamar Jackson burst onto the scene in his second year, winning league MVP honors while amassing 4,333 total yards and 43 touchdowns, including 36 through the air. John Harbaugh's team also set a post-AFL-NFL merger mark by rushing for 3,296 yards."
The next Ravens team to make the list was the 2023 squad (13-4) at No. 13.
"Few teams have been more dominant in the regular season than the 2023 Ravens," Verderame wrote. "That season, the Ravens ranked in the top six for points and yardage on both offense and defense. Quarterback Lamar Jackson also won his second MVP award, throwing for 3,678 yards, rushing for another 821 and accounting for 29 total touchdowns. All told, the offense ran for 2,661 yards while rookie receiver Zay Flowers led the team with 858 receiving yards. Yet it was the defense that stole the show. Under coordinator Mike Macdonald, the unit amassed an NFL-best 60 sacks and 31 takeaways."
As for the Ravens' two Super Bowl champion teams, the 2000 squad (12-4) was No. 16, while the 2012 squad (10-6) wasn't ranked.
Quick Hits
Yesterday's Most Read: Adam Sandler Confirms Movie for Derrick Henry as They Meet on Red Carpet
- The Ravens' signing of cornerback Jaire Alexander and drafting of safety Malaki Starks and outside linebacker Mike Green made ESPN’s top 50 offseason signings, trades, and draft picks.
