The Baltimore Ravens have made the postseason six out of the past eight seasons since hiring John Harbaugh as head coach, and despite missing the playoffs two times in the last three seasons, the Ravens are confident that they can return as contenders in 2016.
The Ravens were arguably one of the biggest surprises during the 2015 season, as they finished the season with a 5-11 record, and lost their franchise quarterback, starting running back, star wide receiver and leader on defense all to season-ending injuries. The Ravens are looking to start the 2016 season healthy, and with many new playmakers on both sides of the ball.
The Ravens added some big pieces in free agency, as they have landed hard-hitting safety Eric Weddle to fill the back end of their defense, and have also acquired veteran tight end Benjamin Watson. The Ravens 2015 first round draft pick, wide receiver Breshad Perriman, will make his debut in 2016, and is expected to be fully recovered from a PCL knee injury he suffered the first day of training camp last year.
The Ravens front office are confident they can turn it around quickly in Baltimore, and given the amount of significant injuries they suffered in 2015, it wouldn't be surprising if Baltimore was significantly improved in 2016. "That's our challenge. We've seen other teams do it," said Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta. "We believe we can do it. We've done it in the past."
The Ravens have an uphill battle in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL with both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North. But with multiple key players returning healthy this upcoming season and the addition of two veterans to their locker room in Watson and Weddle, they shouldn't be ruled out as a postseason contender. "I have a lot of faith that we'll get it straightened out," said Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti back in January. "I hope we don't have as many injuries, and I hope we have a whole lot more turnovers. Yes, I think those kind of differences would get us back to where we want to be."
The 2015 season was the first time since Harbaugh arrived in Baltimore that the team had posted a losing record, and look for the Ravens to rebound in 2016, as their roster is loaded with talented playmakers and is led by one of the best coaches in the league.
