Was Bleacher Report Too Harsh on Ravens’ Offseason?

John Harbaugh spent nearly two decades in Baltimore before the Ravens moved on this offseason. Jesse Minter replaced him and brought ideas from his time with the Los Angeles Chargers, while Declan Doyle arrived as offensive coordinator and play-caller.

Doyle came from a Chicago Bears offense that ranked seventh in EPA per play, second in yards per game, and first in rushing yards per game, according to NFL Savant. His influence has already been noticeable in Baltimore, where the Ravens currently rank fourth in both EPA per play and yards per game.

Minter has brought his zone-heavy defensive approach to Baltimore, although the early results have been mixed. The Ravens rank 13th in defensive EPA per play and 18th in success rate, but they are also fifth in rushing yards allowed and sixth in total yards allowed per game.

Bleacher Report was right to point out that the Ravens did not dramatically improve their roster, but the grade may have undervalued Baltimore’s decision to pursue a fresh direction after nearly two decades under John Harbaugh. Replacing him with Jesse Minter and installing a new offensive system under Declan Doyle were deliberate attempts by the front office to maximize the talent already on the roster.

Hindsight is 20-20, and Baltimore has looked solid through two games despite a sloppy loss to New Orleans. Instead of a D, a C+ feels more representative of an offseason that did not significantly upgrade the roster but did give the Ravens a new identity to build around.