Tee Time? Why Martin Should Replace Roman

Hot take #1:  Eric DeCosta’s defensive draft pick selections have been mediocre at best.

DeCosta, who is an excellent GM (and the team is lucky to have him), assumed the role on Feb 2, 2018. The Ravens have drafted 16 defensive players since then. Of those 16 players, four are no longer on the team (Shaun Wade, Kenny Young, Zach Sieler and Daylon Mack). The other 12 players, as a whole, haven’t produced as one would hope. Jaylon Ferguson has been a bust. Patrick Queen, who has seen improved play over the last few weeks, has already shown he was not worthy of a first-round pick. Malik Harrison was OK in his first year but has taken a big step back this season. Justin Madubuike has been serviceable but he has yet to take the leap many expected him to take in 2021. Broderick Washington is, at best, a rotational player. Geno Stone has some upside and, as a 7^th rounder, is showing that wasn’t a bad pick but he’s not making much of an impact as of yet either. Iman Marshall has basically been on IR the whole time and Daelin Hayes suffered the same fate this year (not saying that’s DeCosta’s fault but they are still two more picks he is getting nothing out of).

All that is left are Anthony Averett, DeShon Elliott, Odafe Oweh and Brandon Stephens. Averett has been solid this year and showed some flashes in the past but injuries and inconsistency plagued him for much of his career and now, just as he is showing he can be an asset, he is an UFA after the season. Elliott, who has now had three of his four seasons end on IR, has been decent when healthy but the lack of availability is a problem and, like Averett, he is an UFA after the season and I don’t see how you can keep him unless it’s on some cheap one-year deal.

That leaves us with Oweh and Stephens. I like what we are seeing from both players but they obviously have a long way to go still. It’s very possible, if not likely, that none of the 2018 or 2019 draft picks are on the team in 2022. Maybe they keep Averett. That will depend on money. They could cut Marcus Peters and keep him I guess. Even guys drafted in 2020 like Harrison and Washington could be cut.

The Ravens currently have nine picks in the first four rounds of the 2022 draft. There are a few offensive needs but this should largely be a defensive draft and DeCosta has to be much better at drafting defense or this team is going to struggle. With the impending extension for Lamar Jackson about to take up a lot of cap room, it’s imperative that they hit on some of these picks and make that defense stronger.

Hot take #2:  Greg Roman should already be gone (or at least have his role reduced).

I know I know, I can hear the critics now…another OC being blamed for the team’s woes.

The thing is, Roman isn’t the right OC for this team anymore. His defenders will point to the injury issues and say that he is handcuffed some – and those people would be correct. They are definitely hurting the run game. However, that is exactly why he isn’t the guy anymore. The Ravens are still one of the best rushing teams in the sport but they are also getting 40-ish yards per game less than they have been in recent years. Those 40 yards are really hurting them on early downs. Since Jackson took over as the starting QB, the Ravens have been great on first and second down, affording them many 3^rd (or 4th) and short situations.

That isn’t happening this year. The team isn’t running the ball effectively and efficiently and it’s causing too many 3^rd and longs, which is getting them off the field all too often. I don’t blame Roman for this (although play calling can be an issue at times). This is mainly because of the losses of Ronnie Stanley, JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards. That being said, since the running game isn’t likely to be what it has been, that means the passing game has to be a lot better, which means it must be schemed better.

It’s one thing to pile up yards when you are playing from behind and you are passing all the time. It’s another thing to be efficient in the passing game. Some of that is on Lamar. He doesn’t take what is given to him enough. Patrick Mahomes has struggled with that this year, but he reversed course on Sunday night and he lit up the Raiders.

This is the next evolution in Lamar’s game but Roman also has to scheme this up properly. This has always been something that has plagued him, going back to his days in San Francisco and Buffalo. I would like to see Roman either removed from the team or demoted to running game coordinator, while Tee Martin is elevated to OC. He has previous experience calling plays in college and he has been talked about a lot as being respected in the locker room. I would like someone to be the play caller who has a better idea of how to scheme a passing offense and make it more efficient. We don’t really know if Martin is that guy but I do know that Roman isn’t. Roman’s inability to adjust in-game is also maddening.

And by the way, I know some may point to the idea that the Ravens passing game is better this year. That’s true but I do think talent around Lamar on the outside is a big factor and, again, this team has had to play from behind a lot this year. They have been able to win games doing it but it’s obviously causing them to throw it more, which will obviously lead to more yards.

In other words, some of the improvement we see is just a volume thing. Lamar threw it 376 times last year and 401 the year before. He already has 309 attempts this year. That is over 34 times a game or about 550 passes in a 16-game season (obviously its 17 this year, but just trying to make the fair comparison to the previous two seasons).

The volume is just so much more, which will of course lead to more yards. Let’s not give Roman credit for that.

Hot take #3:  The Ravens need to get the ball in the hands of Proche and Duvernay more than Watkins.

I know that Sammy Watkins is still capable and that he will make some plays.  But the bottom line is Rashod Bateman has already passed Watkins and needs to be getting those targets. Watkins can perhaps work in a reduced role but he won’t be here next year and James Proche and especially Devin Duvernay will be.

I think they should be including these guys more. A guy like Proche, who runs crisp routes and has great hands could be a good player to use to get 5-7 yard passes and help move the chains. Duvernay provides a weapon that can do a lot of different things.

While we need to focus on this year, I think the team can do that while also looking long-term and giving these guys more chances. Taking some away from Watkins can accomplish both.

Hot take #4:  The AFC keeps getting tougher.

If you ask me, the best team in the AFC right now are the Patriots. I hate saying that but between their running game, the way they are playing defensively and the efficiency Mac Jones is showing, they look very scary right now. Couple that with having the GOAT coach and they are in great shape.

The Chiefs and Mahomes (as I mentioned earlier) took what was given to them and they destroyed the Raiders. If this is the mindset Mahomes will have and if it’s the adjustment he has made to how defenses are playing him, they become a dangerous team again.

Sure, that offense was still good before but if he isn’t turning it over and now with Clyde Edwards-Helaire set to come back, their running game can improve as well. The defense is playing better too.

In a conference where teams haven’t separated themselves at the top, we may be starting to see it. That doesn’t even mention the Titans, whose defense has really stepped up with Derrick Henry gone. If they can get him back for the playoffs, they will be a tough out.

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