Baltimore Ravens 2016 Season Preview

(photo credit: nflfemale.com)

It's pretty obvious that the 2016 season will be better that 2015 for the Ravens. Baltimore's 2015 campaign can only be described as a catastrophe. By the time Week 17 came around 22 Ravens were on the Injured Reserve. Things did not get any easier during the off-season with the passing of first year Cornerback Tray Walker.

While John Harbaugh and his staff will be happy to have starters like Joe Flacco and Terrell Suggs back in the fold they're still in a franchise re-toolling. Since they're Super Bowl victory to conclude the 2012 season a number of franchise stallwarts have left Charm City. The defensive side was hit particularly hard with the retirement of future Hall-of-Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. There have been some steps made to address these holes.

While former All-Pro Eric Weddle probably isn't the long term solution at Saftey he will help solidify a secondary which finished last in interceptions. As for the front seven two of the Ravens' first three picks were defensive linemen. Ozzie Newsome also addressed the some issues on offesne. After Eugene Monroe's injury plagued tenure Baltimore's sixth pick was used to select his replacement Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley. Newsome also signed Mike Wallace to bolster a receiving corps which was decimated by injury.

As previously stated, the Ravens will look more like the team they were in 2014 than last year. That being said they'll likely finish third in the AFC North. After spending over a decade with a top flight defense the aging of Baltimore's core has taken a toll. The Ravens will be competitive and likely finish with 9 wins and be in the hunt for the Wild Card all year.