Ravens Not Getting 'Enough Respect' as AFC Contenders

The Baltimore Ravens have had an outstanding offseason, and with the collection of offensive weapons, many are sleeping on John Harbaugh's team entering next season.

The Baltimore Ravens are moving about in the shadows of the now powerhouse that is the AFC. With so much of the attention focused on Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and the Aaron Rodgers-lead New York Jets, many are forgetting about Baltimore.

But do so at your peril. The offseason dealings have been superb as Lamar Jackson re-signed, and weapons Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor, and Zay Flowers have come in, the Ravens have a star-studded offense on paper. And that's before we mention the usually stout defense.

CBS Sports has the Ravens listed in the second tier of "AFC Contenders," known as the "Wouldn't be surprised if they made a run" group, along with the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“The Baltimore Ravens are a team that I don't feel is getting enough respect when we talk about possible contenders," CBS Sports writes. "They were able to straighten out Lamar Jackson's contract situation and it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him get back to his MVP form, especially with a new offensive coordinator and a refreshed staple of receivers, including Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round rookie Zay Flowers. 

"For all their issues last season and Jackson limited to 12 games, they still went 10-7 (a testament to how good a coach John Harbaugh is) and had a defense that ranked seventh in the league in DVOA. So long as Jackson stays healthy, they'll be a threat.”

There is a case to be made that Baltimore is a serious AFC dark horse next season. With a host of weapons on offense for new coordinator Todd Monken to utilize and, of course, a superbly well-drilled defense, the Ravens have everything needed for a deep playoff run.

Let's not forget that prior to Jackson's injury last season, Baltimore held the division lead ahead of the Bengals and had already beaten them in Week 5, 19-17.

Much of the trepidation when it comes to calling the Ravens "contenders" is the injury history of Lamar, OBJ, and to an extent, the returning Rashod Bateman.

If, and that's a big if, all can remain healthy next season, then the Ravens won't just be a dark horse for the AFC and beyond but bonafide contenders capable of matching it with any team in the league.

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