ESPN recently ranked the Baltimore Ravens’ roster as the best in the NFL entering the 2025 season, and for good reason.
The Ravens finished 12-5 with the No. 3 scoring offense and No. 9 scoring defense in the league last year. Lamar Jackson is a perennial MVP candidate. Derrick Henry will likely remain in Offensive Player of the Year contention. Baltimore’s defense in the latter half of the season was one of the league’s best.
ESPN and FTN Fantasy analytics expert Aaron Schatz agrees that Baltimore’s roster could be the best, even better the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, in large part because of Jackson’s excellence.
“First of all, all positions are not equal. Quarterback is the most important position,” Schatz said on Glenn Clark Radio July 28. “It’s very clear Lamar Jackson is one of the three best quarterbacks in the league. You can argue about the order. [Patrick] Mahomes, [Josh] Allen, Jackson, that’s the top three.”
Schatz argues that Jalen Hurts may rank as the fifth-best quarterback, but Jackson has the advantage. He believes some evaluate Hurts based on his playoff performances, a smaller sample size than an entire regular season.
“You don’t judge teams based on their two best games. I mean, if you did, the Ravens in their two best games just demolished other good opponents,” Schatz said. “The Ravens for two years now have played against good opponents and killed them in the regular season.”
Even though they’ve had plenty regular-season success — 54-30 in the past five seasons — the Ravens have failed to break through in the postseason, though Schatz argues that the roster isn’t at fault. Rather, the Kansas City Chiefs’ dominance has overshadowed otherwise outstanding teams.
“I have a hard time believing that there’s something inherently wrong with Lamar Jackson because he can’t get over the hump,” Schatz said. “And I know there’s not something inherently wrong with John Harbaugh because the man won a Super Bowl.
“It just so happens that the Kansas City Chiefs have gone on this run that combines luck with skill. The best teams in history to not get to the Super Bowl are basically the last five years of the Ravens and the last five years of the Buffalo Bills.”
Despite Baltimore’s already talented roster and offseason additions such as Malaki Starks, Jaire Alexander and DeAndre Hopkins, the team has its flaws, according to Schatz.
“Every team has a relative weakness. No team is perfect. [I’m] absolutely worried about the left guard position, no question,” Schatz said. “Absolutely worried about the wide receiver depth, not great.”
Patrick Mekari, who started every game at left guard for the Ravens last season, departed for Jacksonville in free agency. This leaves Andrew Vorhees or Ben Cleveland, both of whom lack starting experience, in line to play left guard.
Beyond Pro Bowler Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, Baltimore’s receiving corps is sparse. Hopkins is a solid third option, though at 33 years old, his durability is questionable.
Schatz also has concerns about health and depth in the secondary.
“Malaki Starks, you are depending a lot on a rookie at safety because of the Ar’Darius Washington injury. Jaire Alexander, man cannot stay healthy. I don’t know how much [Chidobe] Awuzie has left behind him,” Schatz said. “So of course there are questions, but it’s a great roster overall.”
For more from Schatz, listen to the full interview here:
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