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5 Baltimore Ravens Primed to Break Out in 2023

The Ravens have young players ready for a breakout year in The Ravens have multiple breakout candidates entering 2023. Rashod Bateman and Odafe Oweh are the clear candidates, but who else?
Ravens Breakout Candidates 2023

The Baltimore Ravens have a number of breakout candidates in 2023. Should the team achieve the successful season they desire, their young talent will need to step up. Which Ravens are candidates for breakout seasons in 2023?

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5 Potential Ravens Breakout Players for 2023

Charlie Kolar

Charlie Kolar finds himself in a position group with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Andrews is an elite NFL tight end who is the team’s top receiver for the upcoming season.

Likely, meanwhile, flashed his potential in his rookie year in 2022. When Andrews missed time, Likely stepped up as the team’s primary tight end and put up some impressive performances.

Drafted in the same draft as Likely, Kolar is the tight end that has surprised coaches this off-season. Indeed, as it stands, Kolar is expected to enter 2023 as Baltimore’s second tight end, leapfrogging Likely in the process.

Kolar missed most of 2022 via injury. In the two games he played, he made four catches for 49 yards (and three first downs). This off-season, he has impressed the team with his receiving abilities.

2023 could, therefore, be the year that Kolar puts his name on the map. While Andrews will take up the bulk of the tight end targets, Kolar could earn more looks through the year if he continues to impress.

On top of this, Monken was known to deploy many dual-tight end formations at Georgia. As such, there will plays where both Andrews and Kolar see the field. Kolar’s ability to help in the run game makes him a more useful option than Likely in multi-tight end scenarios.

Rashod Bateman

Rashod Bateman is the obvious name for this list. The third-year receiver has yet to break out despite flashing his immense potential at times.

2023 is Bateman’s biggest year yet. After missing time in both 2021 and 2022, Bateman must show his worth amidst Baltimore’s revamped receiving room that now includes Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round rookie Zay Flowers.

For Bateman, the hope is that 2023 will be the year that his injury luck changes. The team must decide on the young wideout’s fifth-year option at the end of the season, making this a pivotal year for Bateman’s NFL future.

In his short career so far, Bateman has shown his high-end talent. What is missing is availability and consistency. Given his contract situation, it would not be a surprise to see 2023 be Bateman’s breakout year.

Kyle Hamilton

After a fantastic end to his rookie year, Kyle Hamilton is destined for a sophomore breakout. The 2022 first-round selection struggled early. However, he found a home as the team’s primary slot corner, doing an admirable job. The 82.3 PFF grade is testament to that, as Hamilton quietly cemented himself as one of Baltimore’s key contributors.

In 2023, Mike MacDonald will have a new plan drawn up for Hamilton. The Ravens safety group is sneakily underrated, consisting of Hamilton, Marcus Williams and Geno Stone. This means that, if Williams and Stone can fill in as traditional deep safeties, Hamilton will have more freedom to wander.

Should MacDonald find more creative ways to deploy Hamilton, he will certainly improve on his great rookie year.

Odafe Oweh

Like Bateman, Odafe Oweh faces the biggest year of his career yet. Eric DeCosta will have to decide on Oweh’s fifth-year option next off-season, meaning Oweh must step up if he wants to earn a long-term future in Baltimore.

Oweh’s potential breakout looks like it could come to fruition in 2023. The Ravens will be relying on the young pass rusher for most of their quarterback pressure. As such, he will have the opportunities to develop.

So far, Oweh has made the most of his first-team reps. The young pass rusher has thrived this off-season, impressing coaches and teammates alike. His newfound confidence is nothing short of palpable as he looks to assert himself as a “dominant” force in 2023.

Since he was drafted, Oweh has shown to have sufficient athleticism to succeed in the NFL. The issue has, however, been turning that into production. Many signs point to 2023 being the year it all comes together for Oweh.

John Simpson

Most non-Ravens fans will not know this final breakout candidate heading into 2023. However, after 2023, there is a chance that most NFL fans will know who Simpson is.

26-year-old Simpson was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He was waived by the Raiders in December last year, before joining Baltimore’s practice squad in the same month.

Since then, Simpson has gradually earned the approval of the coaches. This off-season, Simpson’s gradual development culminated into him being named the starting left guard for the 2023 season. The position was vacated after Ben Powers left in free agency.

Many expected Ben Cleveland to be the next man up. However, it was rookie Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Simpson that stepped up. Simpson ultimately won the battle, which is testament to the coaching staff’s faith in him.

As the new starting left guard, Simpson is primed for a breakout year. The former Raider has 21 career starts to his name and notched a subpar 59.5 PFF grade for 2022.

In Baltimore, with a fresh start, Simpson looks set to impress. The new starting left guard has impressed coaches with his football IQ so far. In Baltimore’s run-heavy scheme, the 6’4” 330lb lineman will have plenty of opportunities to show his talent.

It is also worth bearing in mind that Baltimore’s offensive line is one of the strongest in the league. With Ronnie Stanley supporting him on the left and Tyler Linderbaum at center, it is unlikely that Simpson will be exposed or isolated in many scenarios.

Other Baltimore Ravens Breakout Candidates in 2023

Some other Ravens breakout candidates in 2023 are Daniel Faalele, David Ojabo, Jalyn Armor-Davis and Travis Jones.

Faalele struggled at times last year. However, as a sophomore, he looks as if he could step up. He has impressed at camp and showed more versatility. Should Baltimore need their offensive line depth, Faalele could shine as a temporary starter.

Ojabo is an obvious breakout candidate. The former second-round pick missed nearly all of his rookie year with an Achilles tear. However, when he got on the field at the end of the 2022 season, he looked good. With few edge rushers ahead of him on the depth chart, Ojabo will step up. However, his performances in the preseason leave more to be desired. 2024 could be the season that Ojabo really steps up.

Armor-Davis was also selected in the 2022 draft. He struggled mightily in his rookie year. After getting torched against the Miami Dolphins early on, he was relegated to the Inactive list for the remainder of the year. However, reports out of Ravens camp are that Armor-Davis has impressed this off-season. With Marlon Humphrey’s injury ruling out the All Pro at the start o the season, Armor-Davis will have a chance to impress early and cement his place on the team.

Jones impressed in his few snaps last year. With Michael Pierce back, Jones will serve as a backup once again. However, after a strong rookie year, he will certainly be pushing for more starting reps in 2023.

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Main Photo: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

Curtis Leung

Curtis Leung

Curtis Leung is a UK-based writer covering the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens for LWOS since 2022. He is interested in the NFL, association football, NBA and field hockey but is keen to learn about other sports too.

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