25-year old Le’Ron McClain is one of the best fullbacks in the NFL.  At 6′0″, 260 pounds McClain is a load blocking in the running game.  He’s also more than capable of going out for a pass or getting the tough yards inside if the Ravens need him to.  McClain played in 16 games (14 starts) for the Ravens last season in which he carried the ball 46 times for 180 yards (3.9 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 21 passes for 141 yards (6.7 avg) last year.  McClain has now played in 48 games (41 starts) in his career with the Ravens and he has carried the ball 286 times for 1,100 yards (3.8 ypc) with 12 TD runs.  He has also caught 49 passes for 319 yards (6.5 avg) with 2 TD grabs in his career. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS FBs in 2010:  A

The Ravens have signed 29-year old safety Ken Hamlin to a 1-year deal.  Hamlin played in 12 games for the Cowboys last season and he had 52 tackles and he defensed 2 passes.  He has now played in 98 games in his NFL career and he has made 486 tackles, defensed 49 passes, he has 5 sacks, he’s forced 5 fumbles and he has 14 interceptions.  This was a solid signing for the Ravens as Hamlin will provide depth along the back line of the D.

23-year old Ray Rice had a huge breakout season for the Ravens in 2009.  He played in 16 games (15 starts) for the Ravens last season and he carried the ball 254 times for 1,339 yards (5.3 ypc) with 7 TD runs.  Rice also caught 78 passes for 702 yards (9.0 avg) with 1 TD grab last season.  Rice is one of the best all around RBs in the NFL as he is a threat to break a big play any time his hands touch the football.  Rice has played in 29 games (19 starts) in his two years with the Ravens and he has carried the ball 361 times for 1,793 yards (5.0 ypc) with 7 TD runs.  He has also caught 111 passes for 975 yards (8.8 avg) with 1 TD grab in his two years with the Ravens.  Look for him to have another heavy workload in 2010 for the Ravens.

Rumors were flying all over the place in the spring that the Ravens were going to trade 28-year old Willis McGahee.  They resisted the temptation to do so and the Ravens will be a better team for keeping him.  McGahee played in 16 games (1 start) for the Ravens last season and he carried the ball 109 times for 544 yards (5.0 ypc) with 12 TD runs.  He also caught 15 passes for 85 yards (5.7 avg) with 2 TD grabs last year.  McGahee will be able to give Ray Rice a break once in a while and he could take over as the feature back if he gets injured.  McGahee has now played in 90 games (64 starts) in his 6 years in the NFL in which he has carried the ball 1,441 times for 5,787 yards (4.0 ypc) with 50 TD runs.  He has also caught 150 passes for 992 yards (6.6 avg) with 3 TD grabs in his career.

24-year old Jalen Parmele will be the Ravens’ #3 RB in 2010.  He played in 7 games (0 starts) for the Ravens last season and he carried the ball 5 times for 17 yards (3.4 ypc).  Parmele also was a big help on special teams for the Ravens last season returning 9 kickoffs for 283 yards (31.4 avg).  He has now played in 8 games (0 starts) in his two years in the NFL in which he has carried the ball 7 times for 44 yards (6.3 ypc). 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS RBs in 2010:  A

The Ravens have signed 32-year old kicker Shayne Graham to a 1-year deal.  Graham played in all 16 games for the Bengals last season and he connected on 23 of 28 field goals (82.1%) and he also made 28 of 29 extra points good for 97 points.  He has now played in 127 games in his 9 year NFL career and he has made 196 of 230 field goal attempts (85.2%) and 276 of 279 extra points good for 864 points.  This was a solid signing for the Ravens as Graham has a very accurate leg.

25-year old Joe Flacco is a QB on the rise in the NFL and the Ravens have given him some new weapons to utilize this season.  Flacco played in all 16 games for the Ravens last season and he completed 315 of 499 passes (63.1%) for 3,613 yards with 21 TD passes and 12 INTs (88.9 QB Rating).  Flacco also carried the ball 35 times for 56 yards (1.6 ypc) last season.  Flacco has now played in 32 games in his NFL career and he has completed 572 of 927 passes (61.7%) for 6,584 yards with 35 TD passes and 24 INTs (84.9 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 87 times for 236 yards (2.7 ypc) with 2 TD runs in his career to date.  Flacco has the whole package as he has the arm to throw any pass needed to succeed in the NFL.  This could be the year he gets to the Pro Bowl.  Flacco has a 20-12 (62.5%) as a starting QB in the NFL and he might improve that % this season.

25-year old Troy Smith was whining about wanting to get traded during the off-season but he’s back on board with the Ravens and he is behaving.  Smith played in 4 games for the Ravens last season in which he completed 5 of 9 passes (55.6%) for 24 yards with 0 TDs and 1 INT (21.3 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 8 times for 31 yards (3.9 ypc) with 1 TD run last year for the Ravens.  Smith has now played in 14 games for the Ravens in his career in which he has completed 48 of 89 passes (53.9%) for 558 yards with 3 TD passes and 1 INT (79.7 QB Rating).  Smith also has carried the ball 29 times for 109 yards (3.8 ypc) with 2 TD runs in his career.  I feel bad for Smith because he got sick in training camp two years ago and Joe Flacco won the starting job without looking back.  I would think that the Ravens would run a very run based offense if Smith were forced into the starting lineup.  Smith is 1-1 as a starting QB in the NFL.

#3 on the depth chart will again be 28-year old John Beck.  Beck has not played in a NFL game since the 2007 season with the Dolphins.  Beck played in 5 games that year in which he completed 60 of 107 passes (56.1%) for 559 yards with 1 TD pass and 3 INTs (62.0 QB Rating).  Beck has also carried the ball 9 times for 12 yards (1.3 ypc) with 1 TD run in his NFL career.  Beck is 0-4 as a starting QB in the NFL.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS QBs in 2010:  A-