Ravens Starting Lineup Named League's Best

Expectations are sky-high for the Baltimore Ravens entering the fall. They may not be on the precipice of blow-it-up mode, but their talented roster is earning championship buzz that they'll be forced to back up on the field in this upcoming NFL season.

ESPN conducted a ranking of every starting core in the league, and even the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles couldn't hang with Baltimore's projected starters. They rang in at No. 2 on the list despite the recent ring, with the Ravens patching the few holes they had with smart moves to turn their team, already considered great, into arguably the association's best.

The roster is only as good as the quarterback running the show on the field, with Lamar Jackson being named as the team's biggest strength. The multiple-time MVP hasn't yet banged out that legacy-clinching playoff run, but he remains one of the best in the business with his irreplacable skillset and experience.

"He fell just short of his second consecutive MVP last season even though he led the league in QBR (77.3) and produced career-high marks in passing yards (4,172) and passing touchdowns (41, the second most in the league)," ESPN wrote. "The dual-threat QB has never finished a season lower than second at his position in rushing yards."

The Eagles similarly benefit from their own multifaceted signal-caller, but few have had to shoulder the once-offensively depleted roster that Jackson's had to grow into. While Hurts may have the ring, this says a lot about how few quarterbacks can hang with Jackson.

Baltimore's guard rotation is correctly identified as their biggest positional weakest, with Jackson's unproven band of protectors putting together sub-par performances in their minimal reps guarding the pocket.

Along that same line, though, stands Ronnie Stanley. The left tackle was named by ESPN as the Ravens' biggest X factor, the team's newly-paid left tackle. "When Stanley and Jackson are on the field, the Ravens' offense is awfully hard to beat."

That sentiment applies to the Ravens as a whole, who've been one of the tougher teams to mount year-in and year-out in the regular season. They've met their demise in the playoffs earlier than expected several times in recent years, and their front office tweaked a well-rounded roster to counteract those shortcomings as soon as possible.