Ravens Skill Group Ranks Among League's Best

The Baltimore Ravens haven't always been able to say that their set of weapons on offense instilled fear in their opponents. However, that is no longer the case after taking several big swings on offense over the past several years.

The Ravens have ranked in the middle of the pack as of late — ranking No. 15 in each of the past two years. But Bill Barnwell of ESPN believes they are now a top 10 unit, placing them at No. 8 in the NFL.

"Though I was optimistic this time last year about the move to Baltimore revitalizing Derrick Henry's career, I didn't see a 1,921-yard season on the horizon. Henry was a superstar, posting the same big plays that made him a threat during his peak," Barnwell wrote. "Though they're different sorts of players, Zay Flowers has inherited the Hollywood Brown role of being hyper-efficient in an offense that doesn't throw very often."

Henry proved to be one of the best free-agent signings in the NFL last season as Baltimore landed him on just a two-year, $16 million deal. If it weren't for Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley's historic 2024 campaign, Henry would have led the league in rushing.

The 31-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, either, and looks to prove the Ravens right for giving him a two-year, $30 million contract extension this offseason.

Flowers, Baltimore's first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, also continues to trend in the right direction. The 24-year-old put together his first 1,000-yard receiving season in 2024.

However, Barnwell notes the Ravens talented playmakers are not just capped at Henry and Flowers. The team's tight end duo of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely and new wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will also add to defense's headaches.

Barnwell believes former first-round wide receiver Rashod Bateman has the best chance to establish himself as one of the group's best players, too.

"The likelier candidate to make the Ravens a big three could be Rashod Bateman, who finally had the sort of season he has hinted at since being drafted in the first round four years ago. Healthy for the entire season, he racked up 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 1.9 yards per route run and finishing 18th in receiver score," Barnwell writes. "If he can maintain this level of efficiency, it will be a boon to an already-explosive Ravens offense."