Baltimore Ravens: Local Media Ranks First 10 of 20 Players
During this point in the Baltimore Ravens offseason, it is very common for analysts to rank players. Because, who doesn’t like ranking things? We’ve ranked top five positions in the AFC North, which you can read about here.
As we wrote earlier when the first picks were released, the local media has been polled by ESPN.com to discover the top 20 players in Baltimore. In my opinion, I cannot properly review their list until more than a couple names show. At this point in their countdown, 10 players have been ranked.
If you haven’t been following along with the list, here it is for your convenience as of July 14.
No. 11: Daryl Smith
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No. 12: Brandon Williams
No. 13: Lardarius Webb
No. 14: Rick Wagner
No. 15: Timmy Jernigan
No. 16: Courtney Upshaw
No. 17: Eugene Monroe
No. 18: Sam Koch
No. 19: Dennis Pitta
No. 20: Breshad Perriman
It is nice to see Koch make the list. Punters are not always respected, and he is certainly one best. The Ravens want to keep him around after signing him to the new five-year deal, which you can read about here.
Williams is a player who is expected to rise up on the defensive line this season, but I find it odd that he is ranked so close to Smith. The veteran linebacker is coming off an impressive season last year and is a proven player.
His first season with the Ravens was even better than his second as he put up five sacks, and he deflected 18 passes and intercepted the ball three times. The third-year defensive tackle took on a new role last season, but I do not believe he is anywhere near the veteran.
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Haloti Ngata can make almost anyone look good on a defensive line. I believe Williams should be ranked higher once he goes through this upcoming season without the veteran. If he can prove to the same great player without such an impactful presence helping him, I would feel comfortable with him ranked higher than Smith.
Webb is another surprise to be ranked at 13. No argument can be made against his skill, but he hasn’t been on the field a lot to display it. He has only played in all 16 games once in the last three years.
The members of the media who were polled must believe he will come through on his promise to come back healthy. He has been healthy so far in the offseason, but if he continues to play the way he always has, injuries are not a thing of the past in his career.
Webb hits the opposing team hard. He usually doesn’t let up on his tackles, and clearly, it has taken its toll on his body. The question is how much longer can he hope to continue playing his aggressive style and stay on the field for an entire season. If he can prove he can stay healthy and maintain his high level of play, he is deserving of his current ranking, if not higher.
The rankings will continue until training camp begins. As the list nears the top five, the chances of any surprise players showing up grow slimmer.
Next: Baltimore Ravens: Looking Back At Pro Bowlers on All-Star Day