Commentary

Top offseason needs: AFC North

What the Ravens, Bengals, Browns and Steelers need to address this offseason

Originally Published: February 13, 2012
By Danny Tuccitto | Football Outsiders

This is the third part of an eight-part series in which Football Outsiders looks at the biggest holes remaining on each team going into the offseason. Remember, some of these holes might not actually be holes if teams re-sign their own players, and other holes will be filled during free agency and the draft.

Today, Outsiders looks at the AFC North.

Baltimore Ravens: Special teams, interior offensive line

According to Football Outsiders, the Ravens ranked 30th this season in special teams, but they are only one year removed from their No. 4 ranking in 2010. Given how Baltimore's season ended, it's tempting to scapegoat kicker Billy Cundiff, but there was plenty of blame to go around. Indeed, although the Ravens did rank 23rd in place-kicking, scoring 5.0 fewer points than expected, they also ranked 28th in kickoff value (minus-7.4 net expected points added), 27th in punt value (minus-7.7), and 29th on kick returns (minus-5.9).

To read the rest of Football Outsiders' analysis of the Ravens, plus the biggest offseason holes for every team in the AFC North, sign up for ESPN Insider.

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