Any team that lines up with a healthy Lamar Jackson at quarterback is going to have more than a puncher's chance of making a run to a Super Bowl. The Baltimore Ravens have the luxury of leaning on their MVP signal-caller along with one of the best running backs in football to torment opponents. The backfield of Jackson and Derrick Henry is enough to keep even the smartest defensive coordinators up at night.
Such a star-studded offensive duo does no guarantee the Ravens a trip to the Super Bowl this season. Head coach John Harbaugh needs contributions up and down his 53-man roster to reach NFL's version of Nirvana.
The defense may not have quite as much star talent as their offensive counterparts, but Baltimore did expend resources to upgrade their secondary in the offseason. Signing Jaire Alexander is a reasonable gamble on a talented corner with a questionable injury history. First-round pick Malaki Starks should give the Ravens' secondary another athlete capable of forcing turnovers and big hits.
The Ravens are one of a handful of NFL teams who would reasonably consider it to be a disappointment if they do not make it back to the Super Bowl this year. These three bold predictions coming true would give their odds of Super Bowl glory a significant boost.
1. Rashod Bateman will lead the team in catches
Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews both had more catches than Rashod Bateman in 2024, but the talented outside receiver is going to enjoy a breakout campaign in 2025. Part of the rationale here is that opposing defenses are going to focus more of their energy on the middle of the field after studying what Baltimore's offense did in the offseason.
Bateman was a quality deep threat for the Ravens a season ago. He found the end zone nine times and averaged just a shade under 17 yards per reception. The challenge for him this season will be to prove he can be a more reliable weapon for his quarterback.
Jackson needs to help his outside wideouts by holding on to the ball a bit longer in the pocket. That's going to be required to give Bateman the time to develop his more intricate routes on the perimeter. If all of this comes together it's going to be a big year for Bateman and a major step forward for the Ravens' offensive balance.
2. Malaki Starks will make the Pro Bowl as a rookie
It's hard to imagine a rookie safety walking into a better situation than Starks will encounter. Baltimore's aggressive defensive system is perfect for the way he likes to play. Being deployed at free safety will give the former Georgia star a lot of freedom to make plays in the final third.
The end result will make him earn and make a Pro Bowl appearance in his first season as a pro. Starks will capture attention with his ability to force turnovers. Don't be surprised if he finds a way to make five or more interceptions with the range he plays with on deep throws.
It's too early to say Starks is going to emerge as a superstar, but it's easy to envision him becoming an above-average starter for a long time. The Ravens nailed their first round pick, as usual, and will see him be acknowledged for his fine rookie campaign.
3. Mike Green will get less than four sacks
Not every Ravens rookie is going to excel in 2025. The team's second round draft pick, Mike Green, will struggle to get meaningful playing time between the edge rushers ahead of him on Baltimore's depth chart.
None of this means Green won't blossom into a good pro, but Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh are both established, double-digit sack artists for this defense. Green can help them stay fresh as a rookie but he's not going to get a ton of meaningful snaps unless there's an injury ahead of him.
In the end, Green will show a few flashes of brilliance but he won't get the reps required to put up big numbers. Anything more than four sacks on his diet of snaps would represent outstanding efficiency. Look for the former Marshall standout to fall just short of that mark this season.