The Baltimore Ravens came up short yet again in their title aspirations as they previously succumbed to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round last season. Heading to 2021, the Ravens are expected to emerge as another strong playoff contender with quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the team's attack once more.
Even with their star playmaker at the helm, the team will still have to fill the holes around him in order to maximize their potential and make a long run in the postseason this time around. Unfortunately, Baltimore missed out on addressing some of their needs in the 2021 NFL Draft. Here are the two draft mistakes made by the Ravens in the recently concluded proceedings:
1. Baltimore failed to snag a young offensive tackle
Prior to the draft, the Ravens decided to part ways with Pro Bowl right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. as they traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2021 first-round pick along with a multitude of draft assets. Indeed, Brown's talent will definitely be missed by the Ravens and his departure will be a huge hit to their offensive line.
Despite the situation, Baltimore still opted not to get a young replacement for Brown. Instead, they turned to the services of former Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Alejandro Villanueva who was signed to a two-year contract in the offseason.
It is also worth mentioning that Villanueva is already entering the 2021 season at the age of 33. He won't be a long-term solution for the right tackle position and the Ravens missed out on a chance at drafting a young prospect who could learn from the veteran for a couple of seasons. Hopefully, Villanueva will be able to make a valuable impact on the team and give the Ravens more time to assess who they will put in place to be Brown's replacement in the long run.
2. The Ravens could've added another running back
Baltimore already prides itself as a team that utilizes its ground game as its primary weapon against its opponents. However, they could've added more competition to their running back group if only they managed to select a rookie rusher from the draft.
Heading to the 2021 season, the Ravens will be without veteran running back Mark Ingram Jr. who suited up for the team from 2019 to 2020. The former Heisman Trophy winner was a dominant force in his first season in Baltimore but eventually found himself riding the pine in his second campaign with the squad.
Even though he only saw limited action in the 2020 season, Ingram was still a valuable contributor for the Ravens on and off the field which meant that his departure left a big hole in the unit. Now that he is gone, the running back room will now be headlined by young talents in J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill.
Though both Dobbins and Edwards were impressive last season, it remains to be seen if Hill can come in and handle an elevated role within the group moving forward. In 12 appearances, he only tallied 60 rushing yards on 12 attempts to go without a touchdown scored for the Ravens last season.
Drafting a young running back could've made the competition even better between the current rushers and ultimately challenge the entire running back room to be stronger heading into next season. The Ravens are hoping that their young running backs led by Dobbins will be able to come out and replicate the same success that they've had in recent seasons when they still had Mark Ingram in their corner.
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