Ravens Rise to No. 1 in Post-Free Agency Power Rankings
The Ravens didn't make the most moves or the splashiest ones during the first week of free agency, but there isn't a better team on paper right now, according to two outlets.
Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Network put the Ravens at No. 1 in their post-free agency power rankings.
"After falling short of capitalizing on a historic season from Lamar Jackson, the Ravens made two critical moves — retaining talent and addressing a glaring offensive hole," PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote. "They re-signed Ronnie Stanley, the top pending free-agent tackle, and added veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to bolster the passing attack.
"With a strong defensive foundation and an offense led by the highest-graded quarterback and running back tandem in the NFL, Baltimore is positioned to take the next step in the postseason."
Pro Football Network’s Kyle Soppe wrote: "PFSN's QB+ metric projected Lamar Jackson to repeat as MVP last season. While he ultimately didn't win the award, he remains one of the most impactful quarterbacks in the league. In his first season with Derrick Henry, Jackson led an offense that paced the league in yards per play — and by a wide margin. The Baltimore Ravens were 9.7% better per play than any other team. They moved to sustain that success by re-signing Ronnie Stanley and Patrick Ricard while adding DeAndre Hopkins to an already potent offense.
"Jackson was backed by the eighth-ranked defense, which peaked down the stretch. If that unit can build on its late-season success, there's no reason to think this team won't be playing in February."
Meanwhile, NFL.com’s Eric Edholm updated his post-Super Bowl power rankings. The Ravens moved up two spots to No. 3, trailing only the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs.
"The Ravens were already an offseason winner for me when they retained left tackle Ronnie Stanley," Edholm wrote. "I'm not quite as enamored with Stanley as others are, but there's no doubting his value to this team – and the replacement options weren't great. The DeAndre Hopkins signing was a nice little surprise, even if the 32-year-old is going to have some quiet games these days. Even the Cooper Rush signing was a smart addition, giving the team one of the stronger backups in the NFL and another layer of insurance after Lamar Jackson.
"Most of the band is back together, and the Ravens should be right up there among the elites in the league."