Ravens Additions 'Have To Equal Wins' Per ESPN Analyst

The Baltimore Ravens have a good roster on paper, but at the end of the day it’s quarterback Lamar Jackson who will have to put it together for a shot at the Super Bowl.

Every season the Baltimore Ravens enter training camp with one goal in mind: to win the Super Bowl.

However, this season feels a little bit different for the Ravens who are known for their strong defense but oftentimes lack a threatening offense. ESPN analyst Ryan Clark told SB Nation during the 2023 ESPY Awards that fact has changed, and it’s transformed Baltimore into a team worth fearing.

“You add Odell Beckham Jr. You go out and you get Zay Flowers in the first round. You give Lamar Jackson $185 million, guaranteed. That has to equal wins,” Clark said. “If it doesn’t equal wins, and this team’s not contending for a Super Bowl, they’re going to say it’s a waste. But I also think it falls at the feet of Lamar Jackson, so people will be paying attention to that.”

To Clark’s point, there’s been grumbling around Ravens circles for years that the franchise hasn’t been doing enough to help elevate their MVP quarterback. 

It hasn’t always been due to a lack of effort, but even when Baltimore tried it seemed the receivers and Jackson could never quite get on the same page and the scheme didn’t tilt toward his strengths. 

Still, the Ravens remained competitive, and a fear crept in that the team was going to be willing to let it all ride on Jackson’s shoulders while relying on a strong defense to seal victories. 

That changed this offseason, and now Jackson has more weapons than we can remember him having in previous years and an offensive coordinator Todd Monken who seems to be a perfect fit for the quarterback’s style and talents.

If it all comes together in a symphony of chemistry, then the sky is the limit for Baltimore this season according to Clark.

“My actual bold prediction is that the Baltimore Ravens will win the Super Bowl,” Clark continued. “I just think it’s about who Lamar Jackson has been, without having help. So now you give him help….along with that, you have a defense that improves the entire season. I think they’re going to be a scary team.”

Scaring the rest of the league starts with winning the AFC North, and if the Ravens can knock off the Cincinnati Bengals while simultaneously keeping Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson from fully realizing his comeback and holding the Pittsburgh Steelers down, they could reach terror levels of hype come playoff time. 

And once Jackson gets Baltimore into the postseason all the experts may have no choice but to agree it has another Lombardi Trophy well within its grasp.

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