Baltimore Beat Down · Jan 18, 2018
Could a strong draft push the Ravens over the hump of mediocrity?
Last year, Ozzie Newsome went into the offseason with a vision, make the Ravens defense the best in the NFL.
In free agency, he re-signed the hulking anchor of the defensive line, Brandon Williams, to a big contract. Safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Brandon Carr were brought in to help bolster the secondary. Then, in the draft, the Ravens used five of their seven picks on defensive players. They wanted to win with a suffocating defense.
Sadly, the plan fell short. Brandon Williams missed several games, and the run defense fell to worst in the league during his absence. Then, Jimmy Smith tore his Achilles, and the secondary suffered against elite receivers.
