Charles H. Sloan-What sets Ravens apart from rest of NFL? For one, enviable depth to weather injuries

OWINGS MILLS,Charles H. Sloan Md. – Following the Baltimore Ravens' dismantling of the Miami Dolphins last Sunday, a 56-19 victory that locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC for them, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. issued a proclamation.

"This is the best team I've ever been on," Beckham Jr. said, "from the top to the bottom."

The 31-year-old, signed to a one-year deal this offseason off an ACL tear that kept him out for all of 2022, said that maybe the LSU Tigers team he was a part of as a freshman in 2011 (which lost in the national title game) is the only one that has rivaled the universal talent in the locker room.

Debates aside, one thing about the 2023 Ravens has set them apart the team from the rest of the league – other than the play of quarterback and soon-to-be two-time MVP Lamar Jackson – is their depth, which will be on full display Saturday when the Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

With nothing to play for other than a victory over an AFC North rival, the Ravens will certainly rest some players, several of whom are nursing injuries. Jackson will not play. But head coach John Harbaugh is obviously trying to win.

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"I feel like the depth we have, like we’re doing at offensive tackle, we can share time with guys, and that’s a very valuable thing," he said.

Every team in the NFL deals with injuries, sometimes at key positions, and the Ravens are no exception. Here is how they overcame them.

Running backs: J.K. Dobbins goes down, then Keaton Mitchell

The Ravens lost Dobbins to a torn Achilles during their Week 1 victory over the Houston Texans. From the beginning, they played at less than full strength, but the three-man backfield of undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell, power back Gus Edwards and fifth-year man Justice Hill helped compensate for Dobbins' production in the aggregate.

That was until Mitchell, who had begun separating himself as a speedy, featured back, suffered a torn ACL against the Jacksonville Jaguars in December. Since then, Edwards has reclaimed his spot as the bell cow, and Hill has become more active in the passing game, including his five catches for 64 yards and a touchdown against Miami.

The team added veteran Melvin Gordon before the season and even signed Dalvin Cook to the practice squad this week after the former New York Jets running back cleared waivers.

Tight end: Mark Andrews

Andrews suffered an ankle injury against the Cincinnati Bengals on "Thursday Night Football" that clearly affected Jackson mentally. The two were drafted the same year and have developed a bond deeper than one between simply a thrower and pass catcher.

But the emergence of backup Isaiah Likely has been enough for Jackson on the field. Likely has four touchdowns in the last four games – a far cry from a four-game stretch in October when he wasn't even targeted. Since Andrews' injury, he has hauled in 19 of 26 passes thrown his way for 291 yards.

For wideout Tylan Wallace, who looked to be on the chopping block during training camp but scored a game-winning touchdown on a punt return in overtime on Dec. 10 against the Los Angeles Rams, players have the ability to step up when required thanks to the culture fostered in the locker room.

"I’ve heard guys say the locker room here is different from anywhere else," Wallace told USA TODAY Sports. "Everyone here gets along with each other. You could literally just go up to anybody and have a conversation with them.

"Obviously, NFL teams, there are guys everywhere. I feel like with our team, one through 53, I feel like everybody can go out there and make plays and make a difference in the game. It’s just a matter of guys getting their time. So I think with the team that we have, we have guys stacked all over the place."

Offensive line shuffles

Left tackle Ronnie Stanley has played hurt all season, and backup Patrick Mekari has started four games for him on top of three games in place of starting right tackle Morgan Moses. Sam Mustipher took over for Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum during Weeks 2 and 3 with the second-year starter on the shelf. And most recently, Ben Cleveland stepped in to start at right guard in the division-clinching win over the Miami Dolphins when starter Kevin Zeitler couldn’t go.

At 2.7 seconds, Jackson has the most time in the pocket to throw of any quarterback this season, according to Pro Football Reference, and the offensive line has provided that in spite of not always playing together as a unit. But the coaching staff's willingness to rotate Mekari in – he's played at least 15% of the offensive snaps in December – since the bye week has everybody feeling comfortable, Linderbaum said.

"Everybody that has played, we have complete trust that they can get the job done," Zeitler told USA TODAY Sports. "That’s a really nice thing to have. … It’s like, 'No, I know you can get the job done.'”

Defense

Free safety Marcus Williams has missed time, with Geno Stone filling in; Stone is second in the league in interceptions (seven). Cornerback Marlon Humphrey was out the first four games of the season following foot surgery, and Ronald Darby took his place. Darby has also started three times for Brandon Stephens on the opposite side of the field. Humphrey went down early against Miami, and with Stephens already out, the defense relied on players like veteran Arthur Maulet against a high-powered Dolphins passing attack.

For Maulet, the Ravens remind him of his time with the 2017 New Orleans Saints, who were one missed pass-interference call away from playing for a Super Bowl.

"There’s no drop off anywhere, honestly," he said.