Ravens Offensive Needs A Week Before the Draft

After only making the playoffs once since 2012 this years NFL draft is a crucial one for general manager Ozzie Newsome and the rest of the Ravens team. To help right the ship Newsome made some wise acquisitions this offseason adding strong safety Tony Jefferson, running back Danny Woodhead, quarterback Ryan Mallet, and resigned nose tackle Brandon Williams.

The following is the Ravens team needs for their offense heading into the draft.

Right Tackle

Losing former right tackle Ricky Wagner to the Detroit Lions hurts the overall Ravens offensive line tremendously. For now the presumptive starter is James Hurst who since entering the league in 2014 as an undrafted free agent, has played all up and down the line. The Ravens would be wise to shore up the patchwork offensive line by adding a new starting right tackle through the draft. The Ravens have been tied to Cam Robinson as a first round target with especially with general manager Ozzie Newsome’s ties to Alabama. However the Ravens may be more well suited to wait until the later rounds to draft tackles. Temple’s Dion Dawkins in the second round or Western Michigan’s Taylor Moton in the second or third round could provide better value.

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Guard

Apart from the leagues’s best guard Marshal Yanda the Ravens have questions at guard. Presumptive starter Alex Lewis needs to get healthy, add strength and fill out his frame over the offseason to better secure his starting position. Even still Baltimore would be well served to add at least some competition if not a potential starter. Dorian Johnson from Pitt would be a great fit and has the skills to be a day one starter available in the second or third rounds.

Wide Reciever

Despite what Joe Flacco thinks the Ravens should add at least one reciever.

Steve Smith’s retirement and the free-agency departure of Kamar Aiken leaves much to be desired among the receiving corp. The Ravens will likely look to add at least one receiver in this years draft to supplement an aging Mike Wallace and an inexperienced Breshad Perriman.

All three of the top receivers in this years draft; Mike Williams, John Ross, and Corey Davis, have been mocked to go to the Ravens in the first round. The Ravens could wait however until the second or third rounds and hope to get JuJu Smith-Schuster or Zay Jones in the second or third

Running Back

The Ravens could use a speedy one-cut guy to add depth to their running back rotation. Kenneth Dixon is out the first four games for a PED suspension, leaving Terrence West and Danny Woodhead as the only backs to fill the vacancy. Quick one cut backs fit best into the Ravens system. Baltimore will likely look to add this type of player later in the draft in the middle to late rounds. Potential fourth rounder Jeremy McNichols or sixth rounder Donnel Pumphrey could be speedy one cut fits at relatively cheap draft prices.

— Patrick Backlas covers the Green Bay Packers as a columnist for cover32 Packers and serves as managing editor for cover32 Ravens. Connect and follow on Twitter @PatrickBacklas

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