OTL: Ray & Zay!

Last week, I wrote all about the Baltimore Ravens’ newest uniforms, and this week we get a first live-action “look” at them:

SOON. pic.twitter.com/QNttuulXbe

— ð—¥ð—®ð˜ƒð—²ð—»ð˜€ ð—¡ð—®ð˜ð—¶ð—¼ð—» ð™‡ð™„ð™‘𙀠(@LIVERavenNation) June 24, 2024

It may not be a real photo, but it’s a great look at what the Purple Rising jerseys will look like on Sundays. They’re growing on me every day.

And if Baltimore’s offensive run/pass splits are anything like 2023’s, we should be seeing a lot of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry:

Ravens run/pass splits in 2023

Rushes: 541 (1st in NFL)
Passes: 494 (T-30th in NFL) pic.twitter.com/EbaOdolSd5

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) June 25, 2024

These numbers are certainly somewhat skewed by blowouts in which the Ravens closed the game with consistent run plays, but I’m still somewhat surprised by the T-30^th ranking for passes. In the second year of Todd Monken’s offense, I expect these splits to shift slightly.

It’s even more likely they shift if rookie WR Devontez Walker lives up to the preseason hype. Walker has impressed early on, and as Garrett Downing highlighted on Tuesday’s “The Final Drive,” he looks like a legitimate big play threat:

This rookie is ready to make big plays: pic.twitter.com/wf1CoYdNHA

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) June 25, 2024

Confidence is key, and it sounds like Walker has it. Ravens fans will hope it will only grow as his preseason playmaking (ideally) reflects when the lights are on. In his rookie season, at least, Walker should face softer coverage as defenses prioritize Baltimore’s tight end group and the budding superstar Zay Flowers.

Flowers was seen connecting with Ray Lewis this week, as well:

Ray Lewis knows what Zay Flowers can become. pic.twitter.com/sCnZYW0Hz9

— ð—¥ð—®ð˜ƒð—²ð—»ð˜€ ð—¡ð—®ð˜ð—¶ð—¼ð—» ð™‡ð™„ð™‘𙀠(@LIVERavenNation) June 25, 2024

On the defensive side, there’s less in the news this week. But as Ravens fans look back at the historic unit, I’m glad somebody’s ringing the bell for an absolute legend of the purple and black:

Not sure who needs to hear this. But…

8th all time in sacks
4th all time in postseason sacks
Defensive rookie of year
Defensive player of year
Super Bowl champion

HOF regular season. HOF postseason

Do not make a Ravens Mount Rushmore and not place Terrell Suggs in it pic.twitter.com/Av5UvJtsOr

— RavensFlock20 (@Bateman_Szn7) June 25, 2024

There’s so much talk of Lewis and Hall of Fame Safety Ed Reed, but Suggs is right up there in my eyes. Many all-time great Ravens have walked the halls of The Castle, but Suggs has to be up there with the best.

If I had to make a Ravens Mount Rushmore, it’s Lewis, Reed, Suggs and OT Jonathan Ogden. Others may be able to overtake those names with a Super Bowl (Jackson being one), while others are in the conversation already (Joe Flacco), but for now, I can’t put them above those four.

For a fun shakeup of the exercise though, where do you think Justin Tucker lands? As the best Kicker in NFL history, does he make your list?

THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME: #Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is a first ballot Hall of Famer & the greatest kicker of all-time

7x Pro Bowler
5x 1st Team All-Pro
3x 2nd Team All-Pro
Super Bowl Champion
2010′s All-Decade Team
Best FG% in #NFL history (90.2%)
Longest FG in #NFL… pic.twitter.com/XSAsCukuVH

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 25, 2024

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