The Ravens had a productive offseason marked by several key roster moves and a coaching change, all made to push them toward a deep playoff run. One analyst believes the Ravens now have the tools necessary to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC champions.
Longtime ESPN NFL analyst and reporter Sal Paolantonio said on ESPN’s morning talk show “Get Up” that he believes the Ravens have a chance to unseat the Chiefs as AFC champions.
Paolantonio believes that challenge has become achievable, and it starts with the mastermind behind the Ravens’ new-look offense.
“After studying what the Ravens have done this offseason and where they were last year, things have to go right, but I just love what the Ravens have done to reconstitute that football team and reconstruct it, and it starts in my view with the offensive coordinator Todd Monken,” Paolantonio said on Glenn Clark Radio July 21.
The Ravens moved on from offensive coordinator Greg Roman after four seasons and hired Monken in February. Monken previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016-2018 and Cleveland Browns in 2019.
Most recently, Monken was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Georgia from 2020-2022 and won back-to-back national championships. Monken has a history of making use of his best weapons at both the college and NFL levels.
Paolantonio believes the Ravens’ offense will resemble Chip Kelly’s offense with the Philadelphia Eagles and quarterback Michael Vick. He says Monken will use speed and spacing to force defenses to defend all 53.5 yards horizontally and 100 yards vertically.
The speed element isn’t confined to after the snap. It extends to getting to the line of scrimmage quickly and implementing a no-huddle offense. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will have a chance to get out of the huddle quicker and with more time to process what’s in front of him, according to Paolantonio.
Paolantonio believes the reason why Jackson often took too long to get to the line of scrimmage was about the offense he was running under Roman.
“I don’t think it’s Lamar’s issue mainly as I think it’s the construction of the offense,” Paolantonio said. “… I think people will be not surprised, I think they’ll be shocked by how fast this offense runs. It runs white hot, machine-gun fast.”
Wide receiver Zay Flowers brings more speed to the Ravens’ offense as well. Flowers was selected as the No. 22 pick in the NFL draft out of Boston College this spring. Flowers ran a 4.42 second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
Paolantonio says the addition of Flowers will open up the offense for others. Flowers will likely run many go routes because his speed will force opposing teams to use a safety to help bracket him.
Flowers fits perfectly within the offensive scheme that Monken will implement, according to Paolantonio.
“I think Zay Flowers is one of the most important rookies to watch in training camp,” Paolantonio said. “We’re [six] weeks away from opening day, and I think Zay Flowers is one of the more intriguing rookies in the league, if not the most intriguing rookie, considering the change that you’ve made at the offensive coordinator position.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the Ravens have consistently had one of the best units year in and year out. Now their 2022 second-round pick is participating in his first NFL training camp and will be ready to contribute at the start of the season.
David Ojabo was a lock to be drafted in the first round before he suffered a torn Achilles during his Michigan pro day. The injury practically wiped out his rookie season, but the edge rusher enters the 2023 season healthy and ready to bolster a solid defensive front.
“The Ravens have always been terrific at finding one guy or two guys on defense and sometimes more than that — multiple Hall of Famers in their past — that can dominate, make mismatches or create matchup problems through their sheer talent, and this is one guy who can do that,” Paolantonio said.
For more from Paolantonio, listen to the full interview here:
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