Baltimore Ravens: Defense stronger than ever, but offense remains woeful

The Baltimore Ravens added tremendous talent in the 2017 NFL Draft, but it’s a problem that none of them catch passes from Joe Flacco.

The defensive talent that the Baltimore Ravens added in the 2017 NFL Draft is absolutely stunning. General manager Ozzie Newsome showed his typical preference towards Alabama prospects, sure. However, they ended up adding tremendous youth, athleticism and explosion to a defense that needed those traits.

In the first round, the Ravens saw cornerback Marlon Humphrey fall to them. Versatile linebacker Tyus Bowser out of Houston was their next selection in Round 2. That pick was followed by two third-rounders in beastly defensive lineman Chris Wormley and edge rusher Tim Williams. After taking two guards in Rounds 4 and 5, they then bolstered their secondary further with Chuck Clark, a versatile player for the defensive backfield.

Defense has long been the strength of the Ravens and the heart of their identity. That dates back to Ray Lewis’ prime, in addition to the likes of Ed Reed. Heck, it was even the case a year ago. Baltimore was in the running to win the AFC North up until the final weeks of the season, though they ultimately fell short, on the shoulders of their defense.

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However, one of the reasons that the Ravens spent the postseason at home was their offense. Put simply, it was an abysmal mess much of the time on that side of the ball. They solidified their offensive line with the selection of tackle Ronnie Stanley in the 2016 draft, but the problem was largely a lack of weapons, both on the outside and in the backfield.

What’s more, their lacking skill position groups were made even more shallow with the retirement of wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. His departure was something they chose not to address in free agency. Thus, going into the draft, their depth chart at receiver was highlighted by Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman, followed by the likes of Chris Moore, Chris Matthews and Kenny Bell. Subsequently, most people had the position highlighted as a major need for them.

Instead, the Ravens left the draft with their receiving corps looking the exact same. Sure, they added undrafted free agents such as Quincy Adeboyejo and Tim Patrick, but they don’t move the needle nearly enough for this Ravens team. To make matters worse, they also didn’t draft a running back.

Frankly, it’s hard for me to see many analysts call the Ravens winners in the 2017 NFL Draft when they so glaringly ignored a position of need throughout. They didn’t need to reach to find a high-quality receiver in this class and still could’ve bolstered the defense around skill position picks. But to not even take a player in that group is absurd.

In 2016, the Ravens ranked 24th in the league in Football Outsiders‘ Offensive Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (offensive DVOA). By the same metric, they ranked 26th in terms of passing offense and just 21st with their run game. You can understand not drafting a running back as Terrance West had moments and if the team believes in Kenneth Dixon moving forward.

However, what’s baffling is not adding a receiver to try and improve that 26th ranked offense. Wallace was a 1,000-yard receiver a year ago, but what guarantee is their that a player who’s career has been marred by wild swings and inconsistency can replicate that. What’s more, why should we believe that Perriman can stay healthy for 16 games. And even if both those things happen, there’s nothing resembling quality depth behind them, though Dennis Pitta at tight end remains a weapon.