Joseph Acosta, of SB Nation, ranked the Ravens as No. The Ravens are so loaded on both sides of the ball that SB Nation’s Joseph Acosta ranked them as the No. No. 1 defense entering the regular season.

Acosta wrote about the Ravens’ offense . They were not only one of the most efficient and explosive offenses in the NFL, but they retained all of their key pieces. Since 2023, the relationship between Todd Monken and QB Lamar Jackson has been a symbiotic one. Last year, the Ravens offense led the NFL for EPA (energy per play) and EPA (energy per pass).

They get all their stars back, including RB Derrick Henry and WR Zay flowers, TE Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and paid left tackle Ronnie Stanley for his services. The offense is much more dynamic with their full backfield, including RB Keaton Mitchel, who has fully recovered from his injury.

Acosta wrote about the defense: “They’re getting another year with coordinator Zach Orr who really found his rhythm in the second half the season. The front seven is stacked with talent, including the ageless Kyle Van Noy leading the pass rush along with DT Nnamdi Madubuike and LB Roquan. Malaki Starks replaces ArDarius, a player I highly rated for the 2025 NFL Draft. The team also signed CB Jaire Alexander as a free agent, which allowed Marlon Humphrey the opportunity to play in slot, and gave them a formidable three-man defense of Alexander, Humphrey, and Nate Wiggins.

Sheil Kapadia of The Ringer revealed his defense rankings for each team, ranking the Ravens No. 1. 5.

Kapadia wrote: “The Ravens are blessed with premier talent on all three levels of defense, from defensive tackle Nnamdia Madubuike and linebacker Roquann Smith to safety Kyle Hamilton.” The Ravens’ depth will be tested this year more than last, when they were the most fortunate defense in terms of injuries. I do trust Baltimore’s talent and infrastructure.