Pre-Draft Projected Starters: 2023 Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are going to want to forget this off-season. The Lamar Jackson saga has been one of the biggest stories in the NFL and it seems like he has played his last down as a Raven. They have done some signings on the fringes but with the quarterback situation up in the air, it is hard to focus on anything else. However, let’s try and get up to 30,000 feet and see what this roster looks like. Here are my pre-draft projected starters for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.

Pre-Draft Projected Starters: 2023 Baltimore Ravens

One caveat to this list. As this is a pre-draft list, it will not project any rookies that might get drafted. The Ravens only have five picks in the 2023 draft currently, so there is not a high likelihood that a rookie will crack the starting lineup but it could still happen. This is a list of just players that are currently on the roster.

Quarterback

QB Tyler Huntley

With all that has happened, I don’t see a way that Lamar Jackson is back with this team. John Harbaugh can tell me until he is blue in the face how Jackson is the Ravens’ quarterback but I just don’t see it. The options out there right now are limited so this is why I am projecting Huntley as the starter. He knows the offense and Baltimore has had some semblance of success with him under center. The team will choose familiarity over bringing in someone new.

Offensive Line

LT Ronnie Stanley, LG Ben Cleveland, C Tyler Linderbaum, RG Kevin Zeitler, RT Morgan Moses

I like this group. Linderbaum was a great pickup in last year’s draft and Stanley is one of the better left tackles in the game. The rest of the line is well-coached and shouldn’t be a negative to the team this year. The team will rely on the line to create running lanes, as this is where their best skill players are. I would expect the Ravens to try and add some depth to the draft with the limited draft capital they have.

Running Back

RB JK Dobbins

Look out for Dobbins this year. The year after the ACL injury is always tricky. Dobbins still seemed to be getting his footing but hopefully, that will not be an issue this year. If he is able to stay healthy this year, I would expect a big year out of Dobbins. The rest of the depth chart is full of great complimentary guys but no one close to the skill level of Dobbins. With such limited draft capital, I don’t expect the Ravens to bring in any competition for the starting position.

Wide Receiver

WR Rashod Bateman, WR Nelson Agholor, WR Devin Duvernay

These are the starters by default. The Baltimore Ravens seem optimistic that Bateman can come back even better after an injury ended his season last year. Duverney is probably best suited as a third option but he showed flashes last season. Agholor was the big free-agent signing who was brought in on a one-year deal. If your big free agent signing was Nelson Agholor, that is a good indication that your off-season isn’t going so well. It would be great to see the Ravens invest in one of the top wide receivers in the draft to help bolster this unit.

Tight End

TE Mark Andrews

This is the easiest of the projected starters for the Baltimore Ravens. Andrews is a top-5 tight end in the league and he will easily start week 1 for the team. Isaiah Likely is a really good piece and is looking to make a second-year leap but there is no chance that he will usurp Andrews for the starting job.

Defensive Line

DE Justin Madubuike, NT Michael Pierce, DE Broderick Washington

The defensive line took a huge hit when Calais Campbell left in free agency to the Atlanta Falcons. He was a great veteran presence and a great person overall. But this is how the NFL works. Players leave sometimes and teams have to move on. This group did not have a productive 2022 from a stats perspective, as Madubuike led the group with 5.5 sacks last season. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Baltimore Ravens try to find some day-three value in the draft to help improve their defensive line play.

Linebacker

LB Odafe Oweh, LB Roquan Smith, LB Patrick Queen, LB Tyus Bowser

If there is one reason to be optimistic about the Ravens this year, it is the projected starters at linebacker. Smith came over from the Chicago Bears last season and fit the defense like a glove. Bowser had a nice season as well. Behind these players is second-year player David Ojabo who missed most of last season with an injury but came back late and showed promise. This group will help the Ravens stay competitive in games.

Safety

SS Kyle Hamilton, FS Marcus Williams

This is another position that the Ravens should feel good about going into 2023. Hamilton had some ups and downs during his rookie season but overall showed promise at the position. Williams had four interceptions and eight passes deflected last season. It is a nice blend of a young player and a veteran who can play off of each other. They will likely benefit from players like Bowser and Ojabo getting pressure on the quarterback but Hamilton will need to avoid the sophomore slump in order for this group to be successful.

Cornerback

CB Brandon Stephens, CB Marlon Humphrey

The Ravens need to address this position either with a late free agent signing or in the draft. Humphrey is a good corner but has shown that he can be beaten by speed. Stephens is a young player who is still trying to find his footing. Marcus Peters remains unsigned at the writing of this article and the team could look to bring him back. While he doesn’t solve every issue, he does add a savvy veteran to the group. With how deep the cornerback class is, the Baltimore Ravens should look to find a young corner in the draft.

Overall, I don’t hate this roster. There are definitely some position groups that need work but overall, there is a solid team here. The reason so many people are down on this team is valid. They are likely losing a former MVP in his prime. They still have some work to do, but this group of projected starters for the Baltimore Ravens looks pretty good right now.