While the Baltimore Ravens season ended in disappointing fashion following Saturday?s 15-6 AFC divisional playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts, there is still reason for optimism going into next year and beyond.
The Ravens will return a solid core of veterans who should help build a bridge toward the future on a team that had 11 rookies and 17 players overall with two years of experience or less this past season. Baltimore finished 13-4 overall and won the AFC North title.
While the Ravens added many of their younger players through first-round draft picks like second-year wide receiver Mark Clayton (67 catches, 939 yards, five touchdowns) and rookie nose tackle Haloti Ngata, (51 tackles, one sack, one interception) many more key contributors came in later rounds or as undrafted free agents.
A number of Ravens called starting safety Dawan Landry a legitimate defensive rookie of the year candidate after the sixth-round pick finished his first season with 89 tackles, five interceptions and three sacks. Another sixth-round pick, punter Sam Koch, averaged 43.6 yards per punt in his first season out of Nebraska. Also, rookie cornerback Ronnie Prude saw action in 15 games in the secondary and on special teams as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana State.
“There?s a lot we can learn from this season,” Ravens safety Ed Reed said. “There?s a bunch of young guys that stepped up. Dawan Landry, who?s rookie of the year in my books, Ronnie Prude, [defensive back] Corey Ivy and a bunch of new guys like [quarterback] Steve McNair.
“So, there?s a lot of positive things we can take from this. There?s a lot of things we can go back and look at that were negative. We?ve just go to learn from it and come back next year and come out and win this thing because there?s going to be hell to pay.”
McNair, who just completed his first year with the Ravens, said with all of the team?s young players having a year of NFL experience behind them, along with a core of key veterans returning, there?s no reason the team won?t contend in 2007.
“I feel very confident about next year with this unit because of the experience we have, the young guys can only get better and I think it?s going to be a great push this offseason, just to get away from it and come back eager and hungry again,” McNair said. “We know what we?re capable of doing.”
