Getty The Baltimore Ravens' win total over/under was set at 11.5 games, which is tied for the most in the league.
The 2023 regular season was a huge success for the Baltimore Ravens, whose 13-4 record captured the AFC North and was the best in the NFL.
At least one sportsbook is expecting them to have another successful season in 2024.
DraftKings Sportsbook set the Ravens’ over-under on wins at 11.5 games.
That number is the highest in the division, with the Bengals in second at 10.5 games and the Browns and Steelers tied for third at 8.5 games.
Baltimore’s over-under on wins also puts them among the top teams in the league, tying them with the Chiefs and 49ers.
According to BaltimoreRavens.com, the Ravens should be a Super Bowl contender next season.
“Even with departures in free agency, the Ravens will remain one of the NFL’s most talented teams,” Clifton Brown wrote in February. “Their nucleus will still include league MVP Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers, Tyler Linderbaum and others. The Ravens won’t be rebuilding, they’ll be reloading.”
A Weaker Ravens Roster
In 2024, the Ravens could have a tougher time reaching the 12 wins they need to go over the number than they did last season after suffering some major losses during the 2024 offseason.
Patrick Queen left in free agency after making the All-Pro team in 2023.
Kevin Zeitler is gone after making his first Pro Bowl.
John Simpson, the team’s other starting guard in 2023, has left too.
Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy finished second and third, respectively, in sacks last season and both are still testing free agency.
Geno Stone had 7 interceptions as a backup safety and he found another team this offseason.
Morgan Moses was traded after spending last season as the team’s starting right tackle.
The only free agents they have replaced this offseason were running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. They brought in Derrick Henry to take over as the RB1.
The Ravens seem to be hoping that they can make up for these losses with some of the younger players they have on their bench, but it’s going to be difficult for them to get back to the same level they reached in 2023 after not replacing so much lost talent.
A Tougher AFC North in 2024
While the Ravens had one of the NFL’s most talented rosters in 2023, the rest of the division dealt with some major issues.
The Steelers had a quarterback problem.
The Bengals had Joe Burrow for only 10 games and he wasn’t at 100% for a good chunk of those.
Deshaun Watson missed 11 games with an injury, forcing the Browns to start four different quarterbacks. They also lost running back Nick Chubb for the season in Week 2.
This offseason, the Steelers have fixed their QB problem by bringing in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. They’ve also made other big acquisitions, like signing Queen.
The Bengals are going to have Burrow back at 100% next seasons and either already had or have found replacements for every one of their major losses.
Getting Watson back might not fix things for the Browns, but Chubb’s coming back will help their run game. They’ve also addressed most of their losses and should be at least as good as they were last season.
All of this, coupled with the first place schedule they are going to face will make winning the division a much more difficult task in 2024.