Rashod Bateman Headlines List of Baltimore Ravens Biggest Underperformers in 2023

The Baltimore Ravens exceeded every expectation in the regular season, only to fall short in the AFC Championship Game. Which players fell farthest below expectations in 2023?

For much of the season, the Baltimore Ravens looked like the best team in football. Ultimately, they would fall short, losing at home in the AFC Championship Game to the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-10.

In a year where so many things went right, it may be worth looking at the players who didn’t fare as well in 2023. With the departure of head coach Mike Macdonald and the usual cap constraints sending stars to free agency, 2024 is shaping up to be more difficult for the Ravens.

Who were Baltimore’s biggest underperformers this season?

Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a tumultuous start to receiver Rashod Bateman’s Ravens career. That only continued in 2023, where he posted just 56 targets, 32 catches, 367 yards, and a score in 16 games.

Bateman’s progress is as much of a source of optimism as his first-round pedigree, but that draft capital comes with expectations – they’ve been left unfulfilled. In offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s first year orchestrating a Lamar Jackson offense, Bateman was expected to make the jump, given a presumed increase in 11-personnel and drop-back passes.

Instead, his struggles generated the fifth-most receptions and sixth-most yards and touchdowns on the Ravens. He'll have to play a bigger role in the offense if he intends on wearing the purple and black past next season.

Baltimore’s inconsistencies spread to the offensive line.

Guard John Simpson was the Ravens’ worst lineman this season. Of the 52 linemen with at least 1,100 snaps in 2023, only Chiefs tackle Jawaan Taylor committed more penalties.

In a league where offensive lines are so frequently defined by their weakest link, Simpson was at times an anchor. Allowing just a single sack may make some hopeful, but he’ll have to make legitimate improvements if regression to the mean isn’t going to further exacerbate his woes in pass protection.

Furthermore, tackle Ronnie Stanley was another underperformer for the Ravens. It may come in a different shape than Bateman or Simpson – both lesser players than Stanley – but in comparison to the lofty expectations set for him, he fell short.

Stanley, like Simpson, fell prone to penalty issues in 2023. He committed 10 penalties, 13th-most among linemen with at least 688 snaps. Of the 12 names ahead of him, only one played fewer snaps than Stanley.

He missed time and wasn’t as productive as fans anticipated. Per Pro Football Focus’ pass-block efficiency – which looks at pass protection on a per-snap basis, weighing more towards sacks – Stanley fared the seventh-worst among 56 qualified tackles.

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Even in such a dominant season, players are going to underperform. How Baltimore addresses these underwhelming seasons – or chooses to live with them – could determine its fate in 2024.