48-year old head coach John Harbaugh has done a pretty good job for the Ravens.  He led them to a 12-4 record last year.  He is now 32-16 (66.7%) in his three years during the regular season.  Harbaugh is also 4-3 (57.1%) in the playoffs in his time in charge for the Ravens.  But, he is only 2-6 against the Steelers, including 0-2 in the playoffs.  Harbaugh will need to coach up the Ravens in 2011 if he wants them to finally overcome the Steelers in the division and in the playoffs.

24-year old Ray Rice is going to be the main man in the running game for the Ravens once again in 2011.  Rice played in 16 games (14 starts) for the Ravens last year and he carried the ball 307 times for 1,220 yards (4.0 ypc) with 5 TD runs.  He also caught 63 passes for 556 yards (8.8 avg) with 1 TD grab last year.  The Ravens will likely still take out Rice in short yardage and goal line situations in 2011.  Rice has now played in 45 games (33 starts) in his first three years with the Ravens and he has carried the ball 668 times for 3,013 yards (4.5 ypc) with 12 TD runs.  He has also caught 174 passes for 1,531 yards (8.8 avg) with 2 TD grabs so far in his NFL career.  I look for another 1,000+ yard rushing season for Rice in 2011 with at least 50 catches.

34-year old Ricky Williams is going to handle the rough stuff for the Ravens in 2011.  Williams played in 16 games (0 starts) for the Dolphins last year and he carried the ball 159 times for 673 yards (4.2 ypc) with 2 TD carries.  He also caught 19 passes for 141 yards (7.4 avg) with 1 TD grab last year.  Williams has now played in 131 games (84 starts) in his first 10 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 2,323 times for 9,565 yards (4.1 ypc) with 64 TD runs.  He has also caught 329 passes for 2,523 yards (7.7 avg) with 8 TD grabs so far in his career.  Williams should be good for 10 carries and a couple of catches per game for the Ravens in 2011.

25-year old RB Jalen Parmele goes into this season as the Ravens’ #3 back.  He played in 7 games (0 starts) for the Ravens last year and he carried the ball 5 times for 17 yards (3.4 ypc).  Parmele has now played in 24 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Ravens and he has carried the ball 7 times for 44 yards (6.3 ypc). 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS RBS IN 2011:  B

26-year old QB Joe Flacco’s QB Rating has went up three years in a row now.  The Ravens hope he makes it four years in a row in 2011.  Flacco played in 16 games (all starts) for the Ravens last year and he completed 306 of 489 passes (62.6%) for 3,622 yards with 25 TD passes and 10 INTs (93.6 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 43 times for 84 yards (2.0 ypc) with 1 TD run last year.  Flacco has a great arm and he has played really solid football during the regular season, but to become a true franchise QB, he is going to have to play better in the playoffs.  He needs to come out and prove his mettle this year with the first game being against the Ravens’ main nemesis….the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 11th.  Flacco has now played in 48 games (all starts) in his first three years with the Ravens and he has completed 878 of 1,416 passes (62%) for 10,206 yards with 60 TD passes and 34 INTs (87.9 QB Rating).  Flacco has also carried the ball 130 times for 320 yards (2.5 ypc) with 3 TD runs so far in his career.  Flacco has even caught 1 pass for 43 yards in his career.  Flacco has a 32-16 (66.7%) record as the Ravens’ starting QB during the regular season.   The Ravens don’t have a QB with NFL playing experience behind him so they can’t afford to have Flacco get injured or their season will go down the tubes.

22-year old rookie Tyrod Taylor will battle 25-year old Hunter Cantwell for the backup job.  Taylor was a sixth round pick out of Virginia Tech and he has the edge in this competition due to his big arm and mobility.   Hunter Cantwell was with the Carolina Panthers in training camp last year but he didn’t make the team. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS QBS IN 2011:  B+

It will be interesting to see if the Ravens still use 24-year old cornerback Lardarius Webb as the kick returner seeing how he’s starting on defense this year.  Webb played in 14 games for the Ravens as a rookie last season and he returned 35 kickoffs for 918 yards (26.2 avg) with 1 TD return.  He is by far the biggest weapon the Ravens have on special teams but he’s only 5’10″, 179 pounds so it’s up in the air as to whether his body can handle returning kicks while starting on defense.

27-year old CB Chris Carr has a lot of experience returning kicks.  He played in all 16 games for the Ravens last year and he returned 13 kickoffs for 315 yards (24.2 avg).  Carr has now played in 80 games in his NFL career and he has returned 249 kickoffs for 6,140 yards (24.7 avg).  My gut is telling me that Webb will be returning the kicks in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  A-

It appears that the Ravens are going to flip sides with their offensive tackles in 2010 using Michael Oher on the left side and Jared Gaither on the right side.  Oher played well as a rookie and his future in on the blind side where he will be Joe Flacco’s best buddy.  Oher was solid both run and pass blocking as a rookie last season and he has a bright future.  Left guard Ben Grubbs is a tough guy who excels in run blocking.  Center Matt Birk is a solid all-around technician which is what most teams want their center to be.  RG Marshal Yanda came on strong late last season to earn the starting job at RG in 2010.  Jared Gaither is a huge man at tackle (6’9″) and he’s a better run blocker than a pass blocker.  This is a very formidable unit for the Ravens as it makes the offense go.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS’ O-LINE in 2010:  B+

47-year old John Harbaugh is bringing the Ravens back to relevance as he is a darn good football coach.  The Ravens were 9-7 (56.3%) last season as they won a Wild Card spot in the AFC.  They went on to thump the Patriots 33-14 at Foxboro before falling to the Colts in Indy the next week 20-3.  Harbaugh has been the head coach of the Ravens for two years now and he has compiled a 20-12 record (62.5%) during the regular season and he’s 3-2 (60%) in the playoffs.  Harbaugh will be expected to get the Ravens further in 2010 due to the upgrades the Ravens have made to the roster.

32-year old Shayne Graham will battle 30-year old Billy Cundiff during training camp and the pre-season to see who will win the kicking job for 2010.  Graham played in all 16 games for the Bengals last season and he made 23 of 28 field goals (82.1%).  He also made 28 of 29 extra points as he finished up with 97 points for the Bengals last year.  Graham has now played in 127 games in his NFL career and he has connected on 196 of 230 field goals (85.2%).  He has also made 276 of 279 extra points in his career and he has 864 points in his career.  Graham had problems in the post season with the Bengals and that’s the only reason they let him go.

Billy Cundiff played in 12 games for the Browns & Ravens last season.  He made 18 of 23 field goals (78.3%) last season and he connected on all 23 of his extra points good for 77 points.  Cundiff has now played in 70 games in his NFL career and he has made 78 of 106 field goals (73.6%).  He has also made 123 of 124 extra points in his career and he now has 357 points in his career.  Cundiff appears to be a slight underdog as training camp opens.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS KICKERS in 2010:  C+

Acquiring 29-year old WR Anquan Boldin was a outstanding move during the off-season for the Ravens.  He played in 15 games (all starts) for the Cardinals last season and he caught 84 passes for 1,024 yards (12.2 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  Boldin also carried the ball 3 times for 12 yards (4.0 ypc) with 1 TD run last year.  Boldin has now played in 95 games (92 starts) in his 7 years in the NFL and he has caught 586 passes for 7,520 yards (12.8 avg) with 44 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 36 times for 209 yards (5.8 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.  Boldin has been to 3 Pro Bowls in his career and he brings a very physical receiver to the Ravens.  He’s definitely not shy about going over the middle or throwing a block downfield in the running game.

36-year old Derrick Mason is coming back for another season with the Ravens.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Ravens last season and he caught 73 passes for 1,028 yards (14.1 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  Mason has now played in 202 games (153 starts) in his 13 years in the NFL and he has caught 863 passes for 11,089 yards (12.8 avg) with 59 TD grabs in his career.  Mason has played in two Pro Bowls in his NFL career and he definitely still has a lot of game left.

29-year old Donte’ Stallworth will likely be the Ravens’ #3 WR in 2010.  He did not play last season due to a league suspension for running over and killing a man in a accident in Miami.  Stallworth is trying to pick up the pieces from the tragedy that he was the cause for in Baltimore.  Stallworth has played in 95 games (60 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 296 passes for 4,383 yards (14.8 avg) with 32 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 13 times for 52 yards (4.0 ypc) in his NFL career.  He still has speed but he will have to work hard to get his NFL career back on track.

28-year old Mark Clayton will likely fight Stallworth for the #3 WR job in training camp.  Clayton played in 14 games (12 starts) for the Ravens last season and he caught 34 passes for 480 yards (14.1 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  He has now played in 76 games (59 starts) in his five years in the NFL and he has caught 234 passes for 3,116 yards (13.3 avg) with 12 TD grabs.  Clayton has also carried the ball 25 times for 112 yards (4.2 ypc) with 2 TD runs in his career.  Not many teams in the NFL boast a 4th WR like Mark Clayton.

27-year old Demetrius Williams might be the fastest receiver on the Ravens but it has never really helped him that much on the football field.  Williams played in 12 games (0 starts) for the Ravens last season and he caught 8 passes for 142 yards (17.8 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Williams has now played in 44 games (4 starts) in his 4 years in the NFL and he has caught 63 passes for 1,008 yards (16.0 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  He will have to beat out rookie David Reed a fifth round pick out of Utah if he wants to keep his job with the Ravens.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS WRs in 2010:  A-

30-year old Todd Heap will still be the Ravens’ starting TE in 2010 and he is a good one.  Heap played in 16 games (all starts) last season for the Ravens and he caught 53 passes for 593 yards (11.2 avg) with 6 TD grabs.  He has now played in 120 games (115 starts) in his nine years in Baltimore and he has caught 427 passes for 4,893 yards (11.5 avg) with 36 TD grabs.  Heap has made 2 Pro Bowls with the Ravens.

Rookies Dennis Pitta (4th round, BYU) and Ed Dickson (3rd round, Oregon) will back up Heap in 2010 and one of them will replace him down the road.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAVENS TEs in 2010:  B

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