The Baltimore Ravens may have a depth problem that continues through extending only players they develop.
The Baltimore Ravens ended their 2025 season in a heartbreaking way, which saw rookie kicker Tyler Loop shank a field goal attempt to win the game and send the team to the playoffs.
While many can try to pin the game all on Loop, the Ravens should not have been put in that position to even begin with.
Baltimore began the season 1-5, which occurred even before Lamar Jackson suffered his hamstring injury that knocked him out for three games. The issue might go far deeper, which is the construction of the roster and the lack of depth.
The Ravens are one of the teams in the NFL that continually reward the players they develop and draft, which is not a bad course of action to take. However, not taking a flyer on other free agents is a sure-fire way for a roster to eventually have some problems.
ESPN analyst Ben Solak pointed to just that on an appearance with Kay Adams on "The Kay Adams Show."
"You have your cornerstones – Lamar Jackson, Kyle Hamilton, Tyler Linderbaum, Ronnie Stanley – you build around these guys. Everything else around them has been draft and develop," Solak said on FanDuel TV's "Up & Adams Show." "Save for Derrick Henry, the last big free-agent contract they signed was in like 2016. They do not spend big money on outside guys. That's fine. That's very professional and a long-term way of building. I understand that."
Despite a wealth of good players, Solak alludes to the Ravens only relying on players they draft and develop, and also the shocking bit that Derrick Henry was the last big free-agent signing in 2016.
"But you can't draft this good. You cannot only keep your guys. When all you do is draft, develop and extend your own dudes, at some point you're going to catch two or three bad years even if you're a good GM, and you just don't have enough talent. The Ravens have such good blue-chip players. They have the stars, they absolutely do. [The problem is] when you get to the second and third tier of players," Solak added.
There is a major depth issue here for the Ravens. Take the Kyle Hamilton injury as an example.
When Hamilton went down in the season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the secondary completely crumbled. Marlon Humphrey has experienced a regression, and the Ravens could not stop Aaron Rodgers and his offense for much longer after that.
Nate Wiggins was also shaken up, adding another issue to an already banged-up secondary. Alohi Gilman was a significant trade, and he has done well, but more secondary help is needed.
If for nothing else but to be the best insurance when an injury like Hamilton's occurs. The Ravens' defense held the Steelers to three points through the first half, but they eventually wilted and allowed a ton of points starting in the third quarter.
This is also not to mention the pass rushing department, which was almost non-existent. Kyle Van Noy and Dre'Mont Jones were decent, but the Ravens need to take a big swing on a dynamic pass rusher that can change the makeup of the defense.
The same can be said for the offense. The Ravens do have Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely, but who are their true pass-catching weapons beyond that?
It is a matter of getting in those presumed lower-tier players that can eventually showcase they belong in bigger roles. The Ravens have to find a way to invest more in outside help, as opposed to extending only the players who have spent a few seasons or more in the building.
There could be some sizable changes happening with the Ravens organization, or rather, there should be. Ending the season in this manner and also not being able to get over the hump of making it past the Wild Card or Divisional Round of the playoffs in recent years means something is off.
It is just up to the Ravens to see it, admit it, and make changes to ensure they can compete in the right manner.