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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With all the changes on the Baltimore Ravens offense — from adding Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry to overhauling the offensive line — none of this compares to last season when the team had to learn a new offensive system.
In 2023, the Ravens were among the six AFC teams who changed offensive coordinator. But Baltimore was the only one to finish in the top 10 in scoring and yards.
The Ravens enter Monken’s second year with a certain comfort level after averaging 28.4 points and 370.4 points per game.
“It’s just a better understanding,” Ravens wide receiver Nelson Agholor said. “A better understanding allows you to play fast; a better understanding allows you to make adjustments. So, the change is more of the knowledge in how we’re teaching things that work really well, and how we’re trying to eliminate things that we may have struggled at. That’s what got better.”
Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson said there is another level that the Ravens can go under Monken.
“I believe the sky is the limit,” Jackson said. “We’re doing new things out here with the offense; [it’s] more verbal, more verbiage for me, if anything, but it’s looking good so far.”
With veteran reporting to training camp starting on July 20, are the Ravens better, worse or the same on offense?
Here is a position-by-position analysis for 2024:
Quarterbacks
Additions: Devin Leary, Emory Jones
Losses: Tyler Huntley
Returnees: Lamar Jackson, Josh Johnson
Better, worse or the same: Same
Jackson is coming off a season in which he set career highs with 3,678 yards passing and 67.2% completion rate. Just as important, he didn’t miss a game due to injury for the first time since 2020. The Ravens will need Jackson to stay healthy because Baltimore is taking a risk by going with Johnson, a 38-year-old journeyman, as its primary backup. He hasn’t started a game in three years. But the Ravens weren’t getting great production from longtime backup Huntley, who joined the Browns after going 3-7 as a starter for Baltimore.
Running backs
Additions: Derrick Henry, Rasheen Ali, Chris Collier
Losses: J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Dalvin Cook
Returnees: Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell, Owen Wright, Patrick Ricard (FB)
Better, worse or the same: Better
The Ravens, who led the NFL with 1,768 rushing yards before contact, added Henry, who has topped the league in average yards after first contact (2.21). There has been talk about a decline in production for Henry, who turned 30 after tying a career-low with 4.2 yards per carry. But the Ravens will likely lessen his usual workload by rotating in Hill, one of the most underrated players on the team, and Ali, a rookie fifth-round selection. Baltimore is hoping to get back Mitchell at some point during the regular season, but the team hasn’t given a definitive timetable. Mitchell, who averaged 8.4 yards per carry as a rookie, tore the ACL in his left knee in December.
Wide receivers
Additions: Devontez Walker, Deonte Harty, Tayvion Robinson, Dayton Wade, Qadir Ismail, Isaiah Washington
Losses: Odell Beckham Jr., Devin Duvernay
Returnees: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace, Malik Cunningham, Sean Ryan
Better, worse or the same: Little worse
Flowers looks like someone who will be Jackson’s No. 1 wide receiver after he set the Ravens’ rookie records with 77 receptions and 858 yards receiving. He was targeted 108 times, which is 54 more than any other returning Baltimore wide receiver. The Ravens didn’t re-sign Beckham, who finished second on the team with 565 yards receiving. Baltimore is hoping increased production from Bateman, a disappointing 2021 first-round pick, will fill that void. Walker, a rookie fourth-round pick, flashed in spring workouts, and Cunningham, a quarterback-turned wide receiver, caught the attention of the coaching staff.
Tight ends
Additions: Mike Rigerman, Riley Sharp,
Losses: None
Returnees: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, Scotty Washington
Better, worse or the same: Same
Baltimore brings back its top three tight ends in Andrews, Likely and Kolar. Andrews still led the Ravens with six touchdown catches despite missing seven games with an ankle injury. Likely stepped up in Andrews’ absence and caught five touchdowns in the final five games of the regular season. The expectation is Baltimore will use more two tight end formations with Andrews and Likely together than last year.
Offensive line
Additions: Roger Rosengarten, Josh Jones, Nick Samac, Julian Pearl, Corey Bullock, Darrian Dalcourt, Darrell Simpson
Losses: Kevin Zeitler, Morgan Moses, John Simpson, Sam Mustipher
Returnees: Ronnie Stanley, Tyler Lindarbaum, Patrick Mekari, Andrew Vorhees, Daniel Faalele, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Ben Cleveland, Tashawn Manning, TyKeem Doss
Better, worse or the same: Worse
The Ravens have to replace a lot of experience with the loss of three starters (left guard Simpson, right guard Zeitler and right tackle Moses). Vorhees is the favorite to win the left guard spot, and Faalele is starting to look like the front-runner at right guard. The question mark is at right tackle, where Baltimore has to decide between rookie second-round pick Rosengarten or the more experienced Jones. The Ravens have a track record of successfully replacing offensive lineman. This line could turn out to be better than last year’s because the Ravens will be younger up front and should get a better season out of Stanley. But the new Baltimore starters will have to prove it.