Just two years removed from being voted to the top spot on the NFL Top 100 list for the 2022 season, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was the second player on the team revealed at No. 36 on August 21, when the latest two episodes of the show aired in NFL Network.
Coming in at 36, @Lj_era8 🤔
This marks Jackson’s lowest ranking on the sometimes controversial list that is voted on by active players since he made his first appearance on it following his unanimous MVP-winning season in 2019. Last year he came in at No. 24 on the list after another strong season on 2020.
Despite missing the final four games of the 2021 season and the team falling short of the playoffs for the first time since 2017, Jackson still left an indwelling impact on his opponents across the league.
Which QB is @Mathieu_Era talking about? 🤔
100 RTs and we’ll reveal the answer ❗ #NFLTop100
Even though Jackson just cracked the top 50, one could argue that he deserved to be much higher up on the list given that in the past some players that missed way more than Jackson still ended up being ranked in the top 40. One such instance was former Houston Texan and current Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt who came in at No. 35 heading into the 2017 season despite only playing in three games the previous year in 2016 and even he thought it was egregious.
Jackson was widely viewed as the front runner to win league MVP for the second time in his young career through the first 12 weeks of the season. The Ravens were 8-3, the top seed in the AFC, and he was on pace for his best and most complete season to date before injuries to himself and the rest of the team derailed their 2021 campaign down the stretch.
Mark Andrews Highest Ranked Raven
Following a phenomenal 2021 season in which he established himself as arguably the best tight end in the league, the fifth-year pro made his debut on the list as the third, final, and highest ranking Ravens player. He earned First Team All-Pro honors and his second career Pro Bowl nod after finishing fifth in the league in receptions and sixth in the league in receiving yards.
Career year for @Mandrews_81 ranks him at #32 ‼️
His 107 catches and 1,361 receiving yards not only set new franchise records but they led all tight ends and his 9 receiving touchdowns tied Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs for the most at the position. The fact that Andrews isn’t the highest-ranked tight end on this year’s list and was revealed outside of the top 30 is arguably even more questionable as Jackson’s ranking.
Who Got Left Out?
Since Andrews is the final current Ravens player revealed on this year’s list, it means there are a couple of notable snubs that didn’t make the cut. The most notable that had a strong case for consideration on this year’s list are both on the defensive side of the ball.
Six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell recorded his fewest sacks in a single season since his rookie year over a decade and a half ago but was by far the team’s most consistent and dominant defender in 2021. He was the team’s highest-graded player on defense according to Pro Football Focus with an overall grade of 80.8 which was also the eighth highest among interior defensive linemen by their rankings.
The other arguable snub is veteran free safety Marcus Williams who played for the New Orleans Saints last year. He was the Ravens’ prized free agent acquisition this offseason and is widely revered as one of the best and rangiest young defensive backs in the league.
Looking Ahead to Next Year
With so many prominent players that got hurt before or shortly after the season started, it’s understandable why there will likely only be three Ravens on this year’s list. However, if they can avoid catastrophe for a second straight year on the injury front, expect the team to be well represented on the next year’s list heading into the 2023 season.
A few players that are projected to have breakout or bounce-back seasons on defense are second-year outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, veteran cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters, third-year inside linebacker Patrick Queen, and veteran safety Chuck Clark. On offense, some potential candidates include wide receiver second-year Rashod Bateman, veteran left tackle Ronnie Stanley, and third-year running back J.K. Dobbins.
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Last 2 Ravens Revealed on NFL Top 100 List for 2022