Baltimore Beatdown
The Ravens boast two of the best positions in the NFL.
The Baltimore Ravens have deployed one of the best rosters in the NFL over the past few seasons, highlighted by major star players on both sides of the ball. With minimal losses in free agency this offseason, the Ravens should again be one of the top teams in the league in 2025.
With the draft just around the corner, Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame identified the best teams at each position group. Baltimore was listed as the best at tight end and safety.
“The Ravens have the luxury of having two starting-caliber tight ends, making them perhaps the only team in the league that can say that. Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely combined for 97 receptions, 1,150 yards and a whopping 17 touchdowns last season. What makes this duo unique is how much they contribute as downfield pass catchers for Jackson, with Andrews and Likely averaging 12.2 yards and 11.4 yards per reception, respectively. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride had better individual seasons last year, but they were one-man shows for their respective teams. Depth at tight end has paid off for the Ravens in various ways.”
While Andrews’ performance against the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs is one he would like to forget, the fact remains that he is one of the best players at the position the NFL has to offer. The same can be said for Likely, who has demonstrated big-play ability in big moments in his three seasons in the NFL. Both Andrews and Likely have been favorite targets for quarterback Lamar Jackson in the passing game, so keeping at least one of the two for the long haul is paramount as both are currently scheduled to become free agents in 2026.
After a major reshuffling at the safety position, which saw Marcus Williams benched and Eddie Jackson cut from the team midseason, the Ravens ended the year with excellent play on the backend of the defense thanks to Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington.
“There aren’t any unbelievable safety duos in the league right now, but there’s one safety who tilts the field more than anybody else. Kyle Hamilton has been dominant throughout his first three NFL seasons, becoming a two-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro. All told, Hamilton has registered five interceptions and seven sacks along with 250 tackles.
While Ar’Darius Washington isn’t the caliber of player Hamilton is, he acquitted himself well once thrust into the starting role in 2024. Washington started 10 games (while playing all 17) and became a meaningful piece of the secondary, snatching two interceptions and eight passes defensed while totaling 64 tackles.”
