30 Years of Baltimore Football: A Ravens Roster for the Ages

Thirty years of Baltimore Ravens football.

That’s thirty years of bone-crushing hits, running backs breaking into the open field, two instances of purple and black confetti falling from the rafters, spectacular quarterback performances and, well, a few years mixed in with a quarterback room resembling the current iteration of the Cleveland Browns.

There have been ups, and there have been downs, just like with any NFL franchise. But suffice it to say, fans of the Ravens have had a pretty darn good run over the years, with some eye-popping memories and a collection of players and coaches that would be the envy of the vast majority of fanbases out there.

So, with the dawn of their 30^th anniversary season upon us, and a week filled with talks of roster-building, let’s see what we can do to compile the all-time Ravens roster.

Head Coach

John Harbaugh

This doesn’t take a lot of thinking, as there have only been three coaches to lead this team over the past 30 years, and Harbaugh has been leading the charge for 17 of them. During that time, he has one Super Bowl win, taken the division six times, finished second another seven times and made the playoffs 12 times. His overall record sits at 172-104, and he has the 14^th-best winning percentage in NFL history of coaches who have held the position at least 10 years.

Offensive Coordinator

Todd Monken

Monken has shown an ability to adjust his game plans to maximize his own players’ best attributes, while attacking the weak points of opposing defenses. That’s about as high a compliment as you can pay a coordinator. He has led the Ravens offense for two seasons, and both of them rank in the top four seasons of offense in the franchise’s history, including an eye-popping 7,224 yards in 2024.

Defensive Coordinator

Rex Ryan

This is close, with Marvin Lewis getting a lot of consideration for his work in Charm City. But Ryan brought a swagger and sense of mayhem to the team that he was able to successfully carry over to his teams in New York, and his influences are still seen around the league today. He was loud. He was brash. But he was ours.

Quarterbacks

Lamar Jackson, Joe Flacco

I did this exercise five years ago and gave Flacco the starting nod. Those days are gone. Jackson is one of the most exciting and best players in the league today and has probably already etched his name in the NFL annals with his play. To his credit, Flacco was a great first-round pick for the Ravens who led the team to a Super Bowl win with his remarkable 11-0 TD-to-interception rate in that year’s playoff run, and had a 96-67 record in Baltimore.

Running Backs

Jamal Lewis, Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Derrick Henry

Lewis rushed for 1,700 more yards than second on this list, Ray Rice, and he had that magical 2003 season when he rushed for 2,066 yards and 14 touchdowns. Not to be forgotten is his rookie year, where he finished second for Offensive Rookie of the Year and helped the team to their first Super Bowl win. Rice was a stalwart on those early Harbaugh squads, and was one of the best all-purpose backs in the league. McGahee’s time in Baltimore wasn’t long, but he did put up the fifth-most rushing yards in franchise history and 31 touchdowns. Henry has only been on the team one year, but… come on. It was pretty darn good.

Fullback

Patrick Ricard

This was actually a tough one, as Vonta Leach, Sam Gash, Lorenzo Neal, Kyle Juszczyk and Le’Ron McClain all wiped out defenders in their time here. But I’ll take Ricard, and his ability to lock down the edge to blast open holes.

Receivers

Derrick Mason, Zay Flowers, Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Michael Jackson, Steve Smith Sr.

Derrick Mason had the most unstoppable route I’ve ever seen on the Ravens with his comeback on the sideline. He and Flacco were nearly unstoppable on that play on third downs. Flowers is young, but has also shown to be the best receiver the Ravens have ever drafted. Boldin and Smith were a great tandem for some terrific teams, and Michael Jackson was explosive during the Ravens down years when they were still washing the stench of the Browns off the franchise. Like Henry, Smith had a short but fantastic run.

Tight Ends

Mark Andrews, Todd Heap, Dennis Pitta

Forget that drop last year. And the fumble. Just wipe out that second half against the Bills in that Divisional game for a minute. Andrews has been a stud, sitting less than 500 yards from overtaking Mason as the team’s all-time receiving leader, pacing the franchise in touchdowns and only sitting 35 catches behind Mason for the team’s record in that department. Heap was the sole offensive star during the Boller Years, and sacrificed his well-being on too many catches to count. Pitta was a smooth pass-catcher who was a key component on a Super Bowl champion.

Offensive Line

Jonathan Ogden, Ben Grubbs, Tyler Linderbaum, Marshal Yanda, Orlando Brown, Sr., Ronnie Stanley, Matt Birk, Edwin Mulitalo, Mike Flynn

Ogden and Yanda stand alone as all-time greats in franchise history. They are a tier above everything else on this list. Grubbs, Birk and Brown were good for multiple franchises, and Mulitalo and Flynn helped pave the way for some great rushing attacks.

Defensive Line

Haloti Ngata, Brandon Williams, Nnamdi Madubuike, Tony Siragusa, Sam Adams

This is the kind of line that makes quarterbacks and running backs lose a ton of sleep. Ngata is a legendary figure from some of the best defenses in franchise history, and was a solid mass of violence and explosion. Williams was one of the best run defenders in the league, and Madubuike is carving out a place as a penetrating force for the current team. Siragusa and Adams were the fulcrum of that 2000 defense, and kept blockers off Ray Lewis and company.

Edge

Terrell Suggs, Peter Boulware, Michael McCrary, Elvis Dumervil, Rob Burnett

Suggs is in a league of his own here, racking up more than 60 sacks more than second place on this list, Boulware. McCrary teamed with Burnett and Boulware to form a terrifying trio on that 2000 defense. Dumervil had a short stint in Baltimore, but was disruptive — compiling 35.5 sacks in his four seasons in town.

Linebackers

Ray Lewis, Roquan Smith, C.J. Mosley, Bart Scott, Daryl Smith, Jarret Johnson

Lewis could be the greatest linebacker in league history, as well as one of its finest leaders. Smith is doing a good job carrying the torch on the current team, and Mosley gave every ounce he had every snap he played. Scott was a ferocious player who was the ultimate Rex Ryan chess piece, and Smith was a solid vet who led the defense for several seasons. You could make Johnson an edge. You can include him with the linebackers. Whatever. I just want that guy on my team.

Defensive Backs

Ed Reed, Kyle Hamilton, Chris McAlister, Marlon Humphrey, Rod Woodson, Jimmy Smith, Lardarius Webb, Duane Starks, Samari Rolle

Just close your eyes and imagine a backfield with Reed and Hamilton at safeties. Right? Pretty tasty. Reed is in the argument as the greatest safety in the history of the game, and Hamilton is building a case as the best in today’s league. Woodson was a bit older when he got to Baltimore, but we still got outstanding play and leadership from him. Humphrey can line up anywhere, as could Webb. Smith, Starks and Rolle were all good outside corners who could cover anybody.

Special Teams

The Wolfpack

Sam Koch, Morgan Cox and Justin Tucker formed one of the best long-snapper-holder-punter-kicker combinations in NFL history. Koch was the master of wielding an arsenal of different punts to deploy in varying situations, Cox was as dependable as they came and Tucker is arguably the greatest kicker in the history of the game, before an embarrassing end to his run here.

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