With the NFL preseason behind us, we’ve finally reached the dawn of the regular season.
The elation that football fans feel right now is unmatched to any other point during the cycle of a season. The final rosters are set, most teams are at or near full health, and no “real” games have been played.
At this point, it truly seems as if the Lombardi Trophy is anyone’s for the taking.
That cozy feeling of optimism will quickly devolve into all-out panic as soon as your favorite team loses a game, but it’s refreshing to relish in this hopefulness before then.
For Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs fans, they could fall into that pit of despair on opening night of the season. Baltimore will take on the defending champions on Sept. 5 at 8:20 p.m. in Arrowhead Stadium.
While everyone is frothing at the mouth to watch the Ravens exact revenge for completely falling apart in the 2023 AFC Championship, it’s important to keep in mind that this is only one game.
An NFL season is a roller-coaster experience for every team in the league.
What keeps us hooked each year to watch how it unfolds is parity, hence the saying “Any given Sunday” — which means that any team has the chance to win regardless of their standing.
Nothing epitomized the unpredictability of a season more than last year when Joe Flacco led the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs after sitting on his couch alongside you, me, and the rest of America for 11 NFL Sundays.
Flacco came out of nowhere to put together a late season run that captivated our hearts in such a magical way that we all ignored how strange it was to see him in a Browns uniform.
The Ravens won’t experience a Cinderella story quite like that, but general manager Eric DeCosta has built a roster with several players who could potentially make a similar impact this year.
So let’s examine some unheralded Ravens who could turn out to be key contributors for the team over the course of the 2024 season…
Five potential X factors to watch this season
- Marcus Williams, safety
Naming a bona fide starter as an X factor typically qualifies as malpractice for this sort of list. But injuries have prevented Williams from finding his footing in Baltimore since he joined the team in 2022.
The No. 1 rule for any sport is that the best ability is availability. Williams has played in just 21 games for the Ravens in two seasons. Most people may look at that as a red flag, but the fact that he even played that many games is an indication of his toughness.
In his first season with the team, he was tied for second in the NFL in interceptions before he suffered a dislocated wrist in Week 5 that led to him missing seven games.
He missed six games last season due to pectoral and hamstring issues. There were many times when it looked like he was playing with one arm, resulting in a career-low 35 solo tackles.
Although he was able to return, he never looked 100% in 2023. But these setbacks haven’t shaken his confidence whatsoever.
Now that he’s back to full health, Williams will play a crucial role for a defense that’s coming off a season as the first unit to ever lead the league in points allowed, sacks, and takeaways.
Defensive coordinator Zach Orr looks to mix and match Williams in different spots with safety Kyle Hamilton, cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Arthur Maulet, and the rest of Baltimore’s versatile secondary.
There’s no way this defense will maintain the historically elite level of play it did in 2023, but Williams’ health will be a critical factor in minimizing the inevitable drop-off that’s coming.
- Justice Hill, running back
The Ravens are finally on the other side of watching running back Derrick Henry steamroll defenders, but he’s not Baltimore’s only dynamic threat out of the backfield.
Hill may not boast gaudy statistics, but he has quietly been a solid contributor for the Ravens on special teams and offense.
Last season, he set career highs in yards (387), carries (84), and touchdowns (3) in 16 games. He also posted 28 catches for 206 yards, establishing himself as a consistent safety valve for quarterback Lamar Jackson when called upon.
Henry figures to receive the bulk of the workload this season, but Hill can flourish as a reliable No. 2 option while running back Keaton Mitchell recovers from the torn ACL he suffered in last season’s Week 15 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Mitchell was electric when healthy and will serve as an explosive counterpunch for defenders once they’re battered from having to tackle Henry all game.
Add Hill into the mix as a rushing and receiving threat, and defenses could have major problems trying to decipher the Ravens’ method of attack on any given play. His opportunities may be limited once Mitchell returns, but he could be the final piece of Baltimore’s three-headed backfield.
- Ben Cleveland, offensive lineman
It’s extremely difficult to evaluate Cleveland’s career since the Ravens selected him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Remember, head coach John Harbaugh was outspoken in his praise of Cleveland following that draft. Harbaugh even admitted he wanted DeCosta to trade up to ensure Baltimore didn’t miss out on taking the 6-foot-6 and 370-pound behemoth.
At the time, the general consensus was that the Ravens got their guy and Cleveland would eventually join Baltimore’s long lineage of mid- to late-round offensive linemen who develop into starters.
We’re in the final year of Cleveland’s rookie contract, but it’s still unclear how the Ravens feel about him. He has performed well when given the chance, but he’s only started 7 out of the 37 games he’s played. And it’s not as Baltimore has a stable of reliable lineman right now.
The projected starting line currently consists of center Tyler Linderbaum, tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, guard Andrew Vorhees, and an open competition for the second guard spot.
Offensive lineman Daniel Faalele has gotten a majority of first team reps at right guard, but his shaky run blocking has made Baltimore reluctant to officially name him as the starter. If Cleveland wants to solidify himself as a viable lineman in this league, he needs to prove that he can be consistent.
Not only could he parlay a full season of solid play into a huge contract, but he could be a key piece of offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s plan to surround Jackson with a more athletic offensive line.
- Rashod Bateman, wide receiver / David Ojabo, outside linebacker
Bateman and Ojabo are essentially two sides of the same coin — players who have shown massive potential but haven’t been on the field enough to fully realize it.
Injuries robbed Ojabo of his first two seasons while Bateman has struggled with several short- and long-term issues throughout his first three seasons. While both players may feel immense pressure to finally put it all together, it’s clear the Ravens have a lot of confidence in them to perform.
Baltimore re-signed Bateman to a two-year extension in April that keeps him here throughout the 2026 season, making him just the second receiver in franchise history to earn an extension.
Meanwhile, Ojabo had a solid preseason — flashing his signature spin move to great success several times. He was touted for his pass rushing ability coming out of the University of Michigan, especially his propensity to force fumbles, and he has lived up to that billing when he’s been healthy.
All that’s holding these two back from becoming the players they could be is opportunity. Bateman doesn’t need to rack up 70 to 100 catches, 1,000-plus yards, and 12 touchdowns in order for his 2024 campaign to be considered a success. And no one is expecting 15 sacks and eight forced fumbles from Ojabo.
As long as Bateman and Ojabo can stay on the field and be stars in their respective roles as a reliable weapon for Jackson and disruptive defensive lineman, they can make impact plays that result in crucial wins throughout the regular season and especially come January.
