In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a lot of hype around the Ravens this season. They’re a popular Super Bowl pick. They’re expected to win the AFC North again. And their quarterback, Lamar Jackson, is among the favorites for NFL Most Valuable Player honors.
But who in Baltimore isn’t getting the love they deserve? On Wednesday and Thursday, 13 Ravens veterans on offense were asked to name an under-the-radar teammate they think is poised for a breakout year. Some players couldn’t stop at just one pick. Here’s how they answered, including explanations from a handful of respondents.
OLB Mike Green (4 votes)
RT Roger Rosengarten: “I’m really excited to see what Mike Green can do. He had a really good training and now going into the season.”
OT Carson Vinson: “We go against each other every single day, and he’s a great player. ... He’s able to do it all. He can give you speed. He can give you speed to power. He can give you power. He’s good in the run game. He has elite bend and is really good with his hands. So, yeah, he’s complete. Some guys, you know, ‘OK, he’s a speed rusher. This guy’s a power rusher.’ Mike can give you all three.”
DL Travis Jones (3)
C Tyler Linderbaum: “Well, I go against him every day, ‘Big Trav.’ I know what he’s capable of doing. I know how hard he is to block, and I think guys know around the league how hard he is to block and how good he is. Obviously, he’s dealt with some injuries, but I think there’s just so many good defenders over there, he maybe doesn’t get all the credit. But I think Big Trav is going to have a breakout year.”
LG Andrew Vorhees: “He’s a phenomenal athlete and literally stronger than an ox. I think he’s worked really hard to put it all together, and I think it finally is all there for him. So I think he’s going to be as good as he wants to be. I think it’s all up to him and what he decides to do, but I think he could be the best nose tackle in the National Football League this year.”
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TE Charlie Kolar: “Big Trav, he looks great.”
S Malaki Starks (2)
WR Rashod Bateman: “Dude been balling out all of camp. He’s definitely shown that he can play ball.”
QB Cooper Rush: “He’s special.”
LG Andrew Vorhees (2)
Bateman: “Hasn’t played a lot a lot. He’s been kind of on and off the field, but it’s his first year going full battle at left guard. I’m excited to see him play.”
Kolar: “He was a top pick who fell because of his knee. He was kind of a starter and then he wasn’t last year. Now he’s healthy and confident.”
TE Charlie Kolar (2)
WR Tylan Wallace: “He had a great camp.”
Devontez Walker (2)
K Tyler Loop (1)
Wallace: “He’s done a lot in the preseason, looking pretty good. I think he’s going to show up in a lot of games and win us a lot of games.”
RT Roger Rosengarten (1)
LT Ronnie Stanley: “People just sleep on him. I think he’s a really good player. I think he’s going to go against some good people this year, and I think he’s going to play really well this year — like he did last year, but even better.”
RB Justice Hill (1)
Rosengarten: “Not really a breakout, but I think Justice Hill is phenomenal, coming in and stepping in. Him and Derrick [Henry] had that rotation going, but he comes in and has huge plays for us.”
ILB Trenton Simpson (1)
RB Justice Hill: “I think they [Simpson and Green] had really good camps and are really focused. I feel like they both have a chip on their shoulder and really want to go out there and prove themselves. They both have the capability of being really great players. Maybe the circumstances and all hadn’t worked out, at least for Trent, but I really feel like they’ll have a good year.”
ILB Jay Higgins IV (1)
RB Rasheen Ali: “Physical guy — do everything the right way. Being a rookie, doing that, I feel like he’s on the right track to making big plays for this team."
CB Keyon Martin (1)
Banner reporter Jonas Shaffer contributed to this report.
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