ExtremeRavens Posted Saturday at 11:00 AM Posted Saturday at 11:00 AM For the second straight offseason, there’s a cloud of uncertainty hovering over the Ravens as they head to the NFL’s annual owners meetings. On one hand, they are still one of the best teams in the league, with a roster fit to be a Super Bowl contender. On the other, one of their players is being investigated by the NFL — again. In 2024, it was wide receiver Zay Flowers, who was involved in a domestic violence investigation by Baltimore County Police before it was “suspended” without charges and effectively closed. The NFL also concluded there wasn’t sufficient evidence that Flowers had violated the league’s personal conduct policy, so he faced no punishment from the league. At least 16 massage therapists from Baltimore-area spas have accused Ravens kicker Justin Tucker of sexual misconduct, The Baltimore Banner reported. Though Tucker has maintained his innocence and has not been charged with a crime or faced any civil lawsuits, the league is conducting an investigation. The status of that investigation and its findings will be one of several topics of discussion when owners, executives and coaches from the NFL’s 32 teams descend upon this year’s meetings beginning Sunday at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, about a 45-minute drive south of Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti’s home on Jupiter Island. Other topics will include potential rule changes, including to the kickoff, with the league’s competition committee putting forth a proposal to make the dynamic kickoff permanent, move the touchback up to the 35-yard line and allow a team that’s trailing to declare an onside kick at any point in the game instead of in just the fourth quarter. Though Bisciotti is not expected to meet with reporters during the week, team president Sashi Brown and coach John Harbaugh — who received a three-year contract extension Friday — are scheduled to. There are several subjects they will address. Here’s a look at the most pressing questions facing the Ravens going into this year’s meetings: What’s the latest on the Tucker investigation? Though league investigators met with at least some of Tucker’s accusers in Baltimore late last month, the process is not fast moving. It is expected to take several weeks, if not months. How many? That depends on several factors, but for comparison’s sake, the NFL’s investigation into Deshaun Watson and sexual misconduct allegations against the quarterback between 2019 and 2021 lasted 15 months. That case also wasn’t quite the same as Tucker’s, with Watson facing 25 lawsuits at the time. Ultimately, Watson was suspended for 11 games without pay and fined $5 million. Expect both Brown and Harbaugh to be asked about Tucker, as well as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, though it’s unlikely there will be much of an update, if any, given that the investigation is ongoing. But it will be interesting to hear what all parties have to say from a league and team perspective. Already, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta called the volume of allegations against Tucker “serious and concerning” during the NFL scouting combine last month and indicated the organization would take its cues from the league’s investigation and proceed from there. How will new wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins fit in the offense? Aside from re-signing left tackle Ronnie Stanley, bringing Hopkins aboard was Baltimore’s splashiest move of the offseason. Even in the twilight of his career, he is someone defenses will have to worry about given his adept hands, ability to find openings and the fact that the Ravens’ offense was already explosive with quarterback Lamar Jackson, running backs Derrick Henry, Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell, receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Importantly, it also gives them reliable depth in case of injury, something that limited them when Flowers went down with a knee injury in the regular-season finale and missed both of Baltimore’s playoff games last season. But how does Harbaugh envision Hopkins in offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s scheme and the role he will play? This will be the first time he has had a chance to field questions about the veteran wideout. What will the offensive line look like? With Stanley returning at left tackle, the Ravens’ offensive line will look largely the same as it did a year ago with one notable exception — longtime versatile lineman Patrick Mekari is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars after signing a lucrative free-agent deal this offseason. The Ravens couldn’t afford to keep both Stanley and Mekari, so they wisely chose to retain their $260 million quarterback’s blindside protector rather than their starting left guard. The belief in the building is that Andrew Vorhees, who started at left guard before suffering an ankle injury three games into 2024, will be able to return and, now in his third year in the league, should be able to seamlessly step into a role as the starter. Right guard Daniel Faalele, meanwhile, was inconsistent at times last season but showed growth. Is he the long-term solution at that spot? And what prompted the Ravens to bring back Ben Cleveland when he was never a serious contender for any of the three open spots on the line last season and played the fewest snaps of his career on offense? What will Chuck Pagano’s role be with the Ravens? (Staff file) What will Chuck Pagano’s role be? Officially, Pagano is Baltimore’s senior secondary coach. He was one of a few new hires this offseason, along with defensive backs coach Don D’Alesio, assistant linebackers coach Matt Pees, inside linebackers coach Tyler Santucci and assistant special teams coordinator Anthony Levine Sr. Gone, meanwhile, are Chris Hewitt, who was Baltimore’s pass game coordinator, and secondary coach Doug Mallory. Certainly, Pagano, who was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator in 2011 before going to coach the Indianapolis Colts, figures to have prominent input on a unit that had its share of struggles last season, with the Ravens ranking 27th in passing yards allowed (238.3), 18th in yards per pass (7.2) and their 12 interceptions ranking in the bottom half of the league. But as for the specifics of Pagano’s role, expect Harbaugh to lay that out. How will proposed rules changes impact the Ravens? Compared with other years, the agenda is relatively light when it comes to rules, bylaws and resolution proposals this year. Only two rule changes have been put forth by the competition committee, while a handful of other proposals have come from teams. The competition committee’s proposals include expanding the use of replay assist to advise officials on elements of a play when obvious video evidence is present and the previously mentioned changes to the kickoff. Other proposals include the Green Bay Packers’ push to outlaw the “tush push,” the Detroit Lions’ proposal to eliminate an automatic first down on defensive holding and illegal contact penalties, and the Philadelphia Eagles’ pitch to use the same overtime rules during the regular season that are used in the playoffs, allowing each team to possess the ball once. How many of these will pass? Any changes must be approved by 24 team owners, so not many. And what do Harbaugh, a former special teams coach and former member of the competition subcommittee, and Ravens executive vice president Ozzie Newsome, who is a member of the committee, make of them? Expect that to be part of the conversation as well. Other notable topics of interest: The possibility of the NFL draft coming to Baltimore; an update on M&T Bank Stadium upgrades. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.