[Baltimore Sun] Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Trade talk, Derrick Henry usage and Zach Orr patience | COMMENTARY
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Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens season. After a 41-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Monday Night Football,” Baltimore (5-2) looks to continue its five-game winning streak in an AFC North matchup against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers:
(Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.)
Kudos to Marlon Humphrey, but should we trade for secondary help because we still give up way too many passes and touchdowns? — Dan Gainor on X
Dan, the Ravens recently got healthy cornerbacks returning in Arthur Maulet and Jayln Armour-Davis, and both of those guys are decent. They aren’t great, but they can help, and they are familiar with the system as opposed to bringing in a new player who has to adjust, which could take a week or two.
A better trade might be for the Ravens to work a deal with the Carolina Panthers for outside linebacker-defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who had 9 1/2 sacks for the Ravens last season. Baltimore’s pass rush needs an upgrade, so why not make the deal for Clowney? He is 31, but worth the gamble. Pass rush and coverage in the secondary go hand-in-hand.
In your opinion, are the Ravens utilizing Derrick Henry properly this season? His yards per carry average is very good. Might we see his workload increase during the season? — Ed Helinski
His workload will depend on the situation. If there are teams that have a weak run defense, then the Ravens will exploit them by using Henry more. If the opposition stacks the box or line of scrimmage like the last couple teams the Ravens have faced, then they will throw.
I prefer the Ravens being balanced. Against Tampa Bay on Monday night, the Ravens threw the ball 22 times and ran it 30 times. That’s about as balanced as a team will get in a game.
I also like having a “fresh” Henry coming off the bench to close out the game in the second half. Look at the Bucs. There were times when those safeties and cornerbacks wanted no part of Henry, especially in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens have won five straight games using Henry properly. That will come in handy in the winter, when the weather turns cold, snow is on the ground and opposing teams might have problems throwing the ball. Then it’s time to go to “The King,” who has 873 yards on 136 carries.
READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ season so far?
Do you think Zach Orr is the right person to run the defense, or should he defer to Dean Pees so he can learn from him? — Jim Lahman
Jim, this reminds me of when the Ravens lost the first two games and fans wanted to run coach John Harbaugh out of town. I will give you the same advice I gave them: Chill.
Orr is a young coordinator trying to find his voice. Will it come? I don’t know, but let’s be patient. I have questions about the schematics as well, but it’s hard to give up on a coordinator after seven games. I like the addition of Pees and his experience. I have received emails from fans questioning Pees and pointing out that his “prevent defenses” weren’t very good in Baltimore when he was the defensive coordinator from 2012 through 2017.
I counter by saying that Pees was the coordinator when the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2012 and was New England’s linebackers coach when the Patriots won back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 2004 and 2005. He has worked for former Patriots coach Bill Belichick and later with Harbaugh. That’s a pretty good pedigree.
I don’t expect Pees to come in and change things overnight, but he can be a great sounding board in offering advice to Orr. It’s only been two weeks since Pees joined the Ravens as an adviser. If he can help fix this defense, then the Ravens are even more impressive. If he can’t, then it’s not like the Ravens haven’t tried. I like the addition of Pees.
The Ravens’ defense is clearly significantly worse than last year in pretty much every statistic that matters, including more yards per game, more points per game, and more penalties, but it seems like the communication on the field is also much worse and receivers are just being left completely wide-open. How much of the blame is on the players versus how much goes to the defensive coordinator who’s only 32 years old and has limited coaching experience? — Micah Kleid
It’s a combination of problems. Against Tampa Bay, the Bucs ran two or three passes with running backs out in the flat and the Ravens couldn’t stop it. That was a problem in the season opener versus Kansas City.
I fault the scheme for the Ravens trying to match up middle linebacker Roquan Smith with a running back or a receiver because he doesn’t have that kind of speed. Where is weakside linebacker Trenton Simpson, who does? I also question Smith. He got picked on one play out of the same formation, but he should have seen it coming the next time. He didn’t. That’s on him.
I look in the secondary, and sometimes the Ravens don’t even have a cornerback or a safety in the same zip code as a receiver. It’s one thing to get beat physically, but when a defensive player isn’t in the vicinity, that’s confusion and/or a lack of communication.
There are other problems as well, such as cornerback Brandon Stephens getting beat on the first move, trying to catch up and then not looking for the ball. Safety Marcus Williams and rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins have also struggled. The kid is going to be good, but he still likes to be physical near the line of scrimmage. That was great in college, but not so effective in the NFL.
But as I mentioned in the last question, maybe this all can be worked out. As I look around the NFL, few teams play good, physical defense anymore, and that’s what commissioner Roger Goodell wants. Recent rule changes protecting quarterbacks, allowing offensive linemen to extend their arms, cracking down on hits across the middle of the field and preventing defenders from being able to “chuck” a receiver at the line of scrimmage have changed the way the game is being played.
The Ravens and Chiefs have actually swapped roles. Baltimore is now an offensive team and the Chiefs are now a defensive team, even though Kansas City still has quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Who else plays great defense in the NFL?
Minnesota? Even Cleveland isn’t what it used to be compared with a year ago.
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I think we need to give some credit to coach George Warhop. He inherited a difficult situation and has these guys playing pretty well on the offensive line. Seems like they are pretty set in who is playing, and it’s nice not seeing all of the rotations in and out like last year. What can they continue to improve on for the rest of the season? — Brian P from Ellicott City
Brian, it will come down to pass blocking. They’ve improved, especially moving Patrick Mekari to left guard and inserting rookie Roger Rosengarten at right tackle to replace him. A lot of credit also has to be given to left tackle Ronnie Stanley. The Ravens asked him to redo his contract, and that hurt his personal pride in his performance the past couple of years. But Stanley has played extremely well so far. A year ago, he would get overpowered by pass rushers.
As far as Warhop, there were some people around the league who said he would come in and make changes that wouldn’t be proper. Maybe he did, but so far those changes have worked. The combination blocks have been excellent, and the Ravens have run outside, especially late in games, with authority.
So yes, no complaints here. It’s tough to come in and then try to fit in under unusual circumstances, but so far the line has improved, and that was the most suspect area heading into the season.
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
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