BALTIMORE — The Ravens are on the clock again.
After a disastrous 2021 training camp in which the Ravens lost several players for the season because of injuries, they concluded this preseason without any major player injury concerns.
Now, they have about two weeks to get running back J. K. Dobbins (torn ACL), offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) and cornerback Marcus Peters (torn ACL) ready for the season opener Sept. 11 against the New York Jets.
Other starters, such as outside linebackers Tyus Bowser and rookie David Ojabo, both recovering from torn Achilles tendons, and backup running back Gus Edwards (torn ACL) will miss at least the first four games, and in Ojabo’s case, most likely more.
To a certain extent, the Ravens seem to be building more for 2023 than this year with rookies like safety Kyle Hamilton, center Tyler Linderbaum, tight end Isaiah Likely, defensive tackle Travis Jones, Ojabo and second-year outside linebacker Odafe Oweh expected to get ample playing time. In reality, the Ravens are only slightly better than a year ago, when they finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs, but now it comes down to the clock.
Who will be ready and who won’t? Only time will tell.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson appears ready for the start of the season after missing the final four games of 2021 with an ankle injury, but he hasn’t played in a game since Dec. 12.
Jackson has performed well throughout training camp, but there is a difference between practice and game speed. It might take a few quarters or a game for him to get up to speed, but we’re dealing with the time element again.
There is no such issue with the receivers, which might be the worst group in the NFL even with the recent addition of Demarcus Robinson, the star of the third preseason game. Fortunately, the Ravens have two tight ends who can work the entire field in Likely and Mark Andrews. Andrews, in his fifth season out of Oklahoma, has become Jackson’s favorite target not just because of his penchant for throwing over the middle but also out of necessity.
The keys to this offense, besides Jackson’s mobility, will be the return of Dobbins and Stanley, and Stanley is the most important. Besides being one of the best left tackles in the league — a player equally strong in both run and pass blocking — he gives stability to a weak left side of the line, Jackson’s blind side.
His presence also allows the Ravens more flexibility to move linemen Tyre Phillips and Patrick Mekari around.
The Ravens added running back Mike Davis as insurance, and he has been solid, but he lacks the quickness of Dobbins and the power of Edwards.
If Stanley and Dobbins don’t fully recover, then Jackson will be boxed in like he was a year ago, when he was sacked a team record 57 times and was virtually the only explosive offensive weapon. If the Ravens can’t run, then they don’t have the quarterback or the receivers to carry the offense. We’ve already seen evidence of it.
As much as the receivers are a concern on offense, so are the linebackers on defense. With Ojabo and Bowser out for at least four weeks, the Ravens have only one strong yet untested pass rusher in Oweh, who had an outstanding training camp after collecting five sacks last season as a rookie.
But the rest of the outside linebackers? Limited, to say the least. Justin Houston is 33. Second-year outside linebacker Daelin Hayes has only speed and no change of direction. Steven Means and Jeremiah Moon are behind them.
Who?
It isn’t any better on the inside. Starting middle linebacker Josh Bynes is 33 and weak side linebacker Patrick Queen still hasn’t shown why the Ravens made him the 28th overall pick in 2020.
Neither can play pass defense and overall the entire group has been bad at dropping into coverages looking more like those coached by former Ravens coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale. who now coaches the New York Giants’ defense.
Everything else has gone well, however. The Ravens have a good blend of Pro Bowl and young talent at cornerback with Peters, Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Fuller and rookies Damarion Williams and Jayln Armour-Davis. They also have a similar balance at safety with Marcus Williams, Hamilton, Chuck Clark, Geno Stone and Tony Jefferson II.
On the line, the Ravens should be strong and long as nose tackle Michael Pierce gets into playing shape to join tackle Justin Madubuike and end Calais Campbell as starters. The Ravens have some promising young talent in reserves Broderick Washington, Jones, Isaiah Mack and Aaron Crawford.
Even without a strong pass rush, the Ravens have enough talent to shut down almost any running game and dominate teams that air it out. But again, it comes down to health.
If players like Dobbins, Stanley, Peters and even reserve tight end Nick Boyle can’t hold up and play at high levels until Ojabo, Edwards and Bowser return, then the Ravens are in trouble.
We’ll know by Week 5 or 6 where this season is headed. Until then, I’ll be taking the wait-and-see approach.
The clock is ticking.
