Pro Football Focus identifies three main players for Ravens to build around entering 2021 season

The Baltimore Ravens have plenty of great players on their roster. They have a nice balance of young and veteran talent, something that makes them competitive during most seasons.

Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus put together a list of three players for each NFL team to build around entering the 2021 season. For Baltimore, he identified a trio that is crucial for the Ravens’ success on both sides of the ball in quarterback Lamar Jackson, tackle Ronnie Stanley, and cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

Linsey explained his choice for all three, starting with Jackson and Stanley.

“Jackson is one of the most polarizing players in the NFL. He has received his fair share of criticism for his postseason performances. But the truth is, Baltimore’s offense — which has been built entirely around Jackson’s unique skill set as a runner — ranks behind only the Chiefs in expected points added per play since 2019. That’s worth building around. Stanley is the other major cornerstone on offense, ranking in the 88th percentile of all tackles in pass-blocking grade since 2016.”

Humphrey was the next topic of discussion for Linsey, saying that he’s one of the top defenders in the league.

“Humphrey would be one of the top defenders to build around in the league. He just turned 25 years old and is the only qualifying cornerback in the NFL to record coverage grades of at least 80.0 in the slot and out wide since 2017.”

Both Stanley and Humphrey have already received long-term extensions from the organization, with Jackson presumably not far behind. Quarterback, offensive tackle, and cornerback are considered three of the premium positions in football, and with Baltimore having a star at each, they’re set up to have future success for a long time.