The Ravens have put strong defenses on the field for most of the last two decades, but the departure of players like C.J. Mosley, Za’Darius Smith and Terrell Suggs have raised some questions about whether this year’s edition will continue that tradition.
While there are areas of strength, linebacker Matthew Judon acknowledges that the pass rush is a spot where the team doesn’t know how things can play out. They are counting on young players like Tim Williams, Tyus Bowser and Jaylon Ferguson taking a step forward and Judon expressed confidence that they’ll do that by saying the group is “only young until we prove it.”
Judon said there is “definitely not a ceiling” to what this year’s team can do and said he believes they can be “a lot better” than the unit that finished second in points allowed and first in yards allowed last year.
“We can be legendary, one of the best,” Judon said during an appearance on 105.7 The Fan. “You’ve got to say those things, and you’ve got to believe those things to obtain those things. You can’t be shy or timid to say we can be the best defense out there. . . . Some people are going to call you crazy. They might have called us crazy last year, but we did it, and we obtained it, so that’s what we are going to do again.”
The Ravens have remade their offense this offseason and any growing pains on that side in the fall would be a lot easier to swallow if the defense is able to live up to Judon’s advance billing.