Joe Flacco’s legacy with Ravens ultimately defined by playoff success - Jamison Hensley
He led Baltimore to the playoffs in six of the 10 seasons in which he started at least 10 games. He guided the Ravens to three AFC Championship Games. And, in 2012, he carried the franchise to a Super Bowl title by going on a run only matched by Joe Montana.
Flacco accomplished this in the toughest situations. He won postseason games in Pittsburgh, Denver and Kansas City. Flacco topped Bill Belichick twice in New England, and he would’ve won two AFC Championship Games in Foxborough if Lee Evans had caught that last-minute touchdown pass.
In his last 10 playoff games, Flacco has thrown 24 touchdowns and four interceptions with a 104.1 passer rating. He has thrown at least two touchdowns in eight straight playoff games, marking the longest streak in postseason history.
Flacco’s final seasons were disappointing and frustrating because of the knee, back and hip injuries along with the inability to get Baltimore to the playoffs in his last three seasons as the full-time starter.
But the lasting memory of Flacco in Baltimore should be how he raised his game when the stakes were at their highest.
Time and again, Flacco proved himself to be a big game quarterback. His performances in rivalry games and the postseason will surely earn him a place in the team’s ‘Ring of Honor’ once his playing days conclude.
Draft History: Grades and stats for every first- and second-round pick since 2015 AFC North edition - Gordon McGuinness
BALTIMORE RAVENS
2015
Breshad Perriman, Wide Receiver
Round 1, Pick 16
Career High Grade: 71.8 (2018, w/Cleveland)
Perriman’s time in Baltimore resulted in a missed rookie season through a knee injury, and nine drops from 52 catchable targets between 2016 and 2017. In Perriman’s final season in Baltimore, Ravens quarterbacks managed an NFL passer rating of just 14.6 on throws to him. He’s found success on a limited sample size in Cleveland, with no drops from 16 catchable targets and averaging 21.3 yards per reception for the Browns in 2018.
Maxx Williams, Tight End
Round 2, Pick 55
Career High Grade: 71.6 (2018)
Williams has shown a safe pair of hands in Baltimore, with just one drop from 65 catchable targets over the three seasons he has featured. That being said, he has averaged just 7.9 yards per catch so far in his career, and now finds himself behind Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews on the depth chart.
2016
Ronnie Stanley, Offensive Line
Round 1, Pick 6
Career High Grade: 75.8 (2018)
Stanley hasn’t been a dominant run blocker, but he has developed into one of the top pass-blocking offensive tackles in the NFL. This past season he produced an 87.0 pass-blocking grade, which ranked third among all offensive tackles, allowing just 17 total pressures from 577 pass-blocking snaps.
Kamalei Correa, Edge defender
Round 2, Pick 42
Career High Grade: 62.9 (2016)
Correa moved from edge defender to inside linebacker in Baltimore and never really got his career going. After impressing on the edge for them this past preseason, he wound up in Tennessee where he saw a career-high 323 snaps, but still managed just eight total pressures from 148 pass-rushing snaps.
Marlon Humphrey, Cornerback
Round 1, Pick 16
Career High Grade: 80.0 (2018)
Humphrey looks like the real deal, having already racked up 23 combined interceptions and pass breakups through just two seasons in the NFL. As he enters his third season, he is arguably the most important player on the Ravens defense.
Tyus Bowser, Edge Defender
Round 2, Pick 47
Career High Grade: 61.2 (2018)
Bowser has struggled to make an impact as an edge defender so far in Baltimore, with just 20 total pressures on 181 pass-rushing snaps in his two-year career. Having played just 340 snaps through two seasons, he needs to step up quickly if he is to make something of his career with the Ravens.
2018
Hayden Hurst, Tight End
Round 1, Pick 25
Career High Grade: 65.5 (2018)
Hurst missed the start of the season through injury but was solid once he got on the field. He didn’t drop any passes and finished his rookie campaign with 13 grabs for 163 yards and a touchdown. The biggest negative for Hurst though is that he wasn’t even the best rookie tight end on the team, with Mark Andrews producing a PFF grade of 73.6 and finishing the regular season with 34 receptions for 552 yards and three touchdowns.
Lamar Jackson, Quarterback
Round 1, Pick 32
Career High Grade: 56.0 (2018)
Jackson is not yet a polished passer in the NFL, and there were some major struggles for him in the first half of the Ravens wild-card round loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Jackson is one of the most unique players in the NFL given his skill set, and how the Ravens build around that skill set this offseason will be key.
Ozzie Newsome landed a top tier left tackle and cornerback in recent first rounds, as well as a young quarterback to build around. However, his second round selections since 2015 have not provided adequate return on investment thus far.
Top 5 2019 NFL Draft prospects by position 1.0 - Bucky Brooks
GUARDS/CENTERS
5. Mike Jordan
Bradbury leads the group as a high-IQ player with outstanding blocking skills. The former N.C. State star displays excellent agility climbing to the second level but also flashes enough pop to move defenders off the ball. As a great communicator, he makes all of the checks and adjustments at the line. McGovern is a scrappy player at the point of attack with adequate movement skills and athleticism. He lacks the strength to blow defenders off the ball, but he fights to the finish and creates seams with body positioning.
SAFETIES
3. Nasir Adderley
4. Taylor Rapp
5. Lukas Denis
The 2019 safety class is stocked with high-IQ playmakers who possess instincts and ball skills. Abram is a heavy hitter with a knack for getting to the ball. He is an enforcer between the hashes but also exhibits the requisite ball skills and instincts to play in the deep middle. With Abram also flashing blitzing ability and run-stopping skills as a box defender, he is an intriguing puzzle piece to add to a defense. Adderley is a natural ballhawk with cornerback-like cover skills. He can cover wide receivers and tight ends in the slot or man the deep middle as a pure center fielder in a single-high defense. Although his size is a bit of a concern in run defense, the Delaware star shows enough courage and toughness to be a dependable player in the box. Rapp is a highly intelligent deep defender with excellent anticipation, awareness and instincts. He has a knack for getting around the football, which leads to a number of interceptions and deflections in the middle of the field.
With solid depth at wide receiver, interior offensive line and safety, the 2019 draft class aligns well with the Ravens most pressing positional needs.
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