Purple Rain: This Year's Baltimore Ravens, Offense

With the arrival of both football seasons imminent, combined with the fact that I haven't written a blog in over a month, I have decided to take it upon myself to predict the 53 men who, injury permitting, will stand on the sideline for the AFC North divisional battle with the Cincinnati Bengals on September 4th. Upcoming blogs will have my predictions for each team in the Premier League, but predicting 53 takes a bit more time than 20, so I'll start right here.

Quarterbacks:
Joe Flacco: 18 months removed from a Superbowl MVP award, and coming into the second year of his monster contract, this is possibly the biggest no-brainer on the team. Needs to step up in the new West Coast system employed by newly-hired OC Gary Kubiak, though. Could put up huge numbers, with the right direction.
Tyrod Taylor: The 4th year backup from Virginia Tech looked sharp in the preseason game against the 49ers on Thursday night. Unlikely to see much game time due to Flacco's unnerving durability, but a good man to have as a backup, who could thrive in the new system, if the time comes.

Running Backs:
Ray Rice: Suspended for the first 2 games of the season for...an altercation with his wife in an Atlantic City casino, Rice has trimmed down to 206lbs, and looks more like the man we knew during his first 4 seasons in the league, rather than the overweight human cannonball of last season.
Bernard Pierce: The man who will pick up the slack left by Rice against Cincy and Pittsburgh, Pierce has the potential to thrive in Kubiak's zone spread run game. A more bruising RB at 6'0", 230lbs, BP can run between the tackles, or stretch it to the outside, and could even see more carries than Rice after Ray comes back from suspension.
Justin Forsett: A veteran who knows Kubiak's scheme, having played under him last season in Houston, Forsett will fill the role of backup during Rice's suspension.
Lorenzo Taliaferro: A 4th-round draft pick from Coastal Carolina, Taliaferro will likely spend a lot of this season on special teams, seeing the occasional carry in blowout wins for the Ravens. Looks like he could be a steal in years to come, though.

JUICE!

Kyle Juszczyk: Pronouned "juice-check", or simply Juice, the Harvard graduate will play the role vacated by Vonta Leach, laying down leading blocks for the other RBs. Occasionally, Kubiak will flex him out wide, or use him as another tight end in jumbo packages. A very versatile player who is sure to become a fan favourite at M&T Bank for a while to come.


Wide Receivers:
Torrey Smith: In this, his contract year, expect to see Torrey rack up yards and touchdowns like never before. With teams having to cover more dangerous receivers this year, the former Maryland Terp will see a lot more single coverage, and could haul in 8 or 9 touchdowns for 1,300-ish yards. He'll get paid next year, too, he's too good to let go, and he'll only improve.
Steve Smith, Sr.: The Carolina Panthers' all-time leading receiver joined the Ravens this year on a 3-year, $11m deal. He's in the twilight of his career, but, like Ravens legend Ray Lewis, still trains and practices as if it's his first year. He'll bring a lot of fire and passion to the locker room and the offense, as well as providing Joe Flacco with the slot receiver he's so sorely missed since Anquan Boldin left town.

Ravens fans hope to see more of this

Jacoby Jones: Arguably the best player on the field in Super Bowl XLVII, Jones is a dangerman of the highest order. Primarily a kick/punt returner, he's also a useful target for Flacco, stretching the field, and giving players like Smith Sr. and Pitta a chance to produce underneath. Another man familiar with Kubiak's system, Jones could post career high number this year.
Marlon Brown: Last year's rookie sensation is a big target with strong hands who runs good routes, so it's no surprise then that Brown is a favourite target of Flacco's in the red zone, not least in that see-saw game in the snow against Minnesota last year, when Brown caught the winning touchdown with 10 seconds left. Could well see less of the ball, but is still a tremendous player to watch in years to come.
Michael Campanaro: A 7th-round draft pick out of nearby Wake Forest, Campanaro is a small slot receiver in the mould of Wes Welker and Danny Amendola. Drawing rave reviews from those present at training camp, Campanaro also has return abilities which could see him force his way onto the roster for the opening day.
Kamar Aiken: Another man receiving the plaudits of those at camp, Aiken spent his first few years in the league bouncing around practice squads in Green Bay and New York, among others. He sees this as his last opportunity to make a roster, and like any good receiver, he's grabbing it with both hands. A taller, faster slot receiver, Aiken seems to play in a similar way to Marlon Brown. He's likely to make the team on special teams, but injuries could see him land playing time on offense.

Tight Ends:
Dennis Pitta: Joe Flacco's best friend, and favourite target missed the majority of last season with a dislocated hip, but came back with a vengeance in the last couple of weeks. With a full preseason under his belt, and a new 5-year, $32 million contract behind him, Pitta will once again be Flacco's safety blanket. In a new-look offense that favours receiving tight ends, Pitta could well end the season as one of the Top 5 TE's in the league. A Ravens fan favourite, we'll all be hoping for him to stay fit to increase our chances of making the postseason.
Owen Daniels: Yet another man familiar with Gary Kubiak's offense, Daniels signed a 1 year deal and immediately jumped to second on the depth chart below Pitta. A well-known name around the league, Daniels is a dependable receiver and a decent blocker, so will be useful in Kubiak's regular 2 TE sets on the field, and could shape up to be a decent leader.
Crockett Gilmore: This year's 3rd-round pick from Colorado State, Gilmore is a blocking tight end with receiving potential who could well jump above Daniels towards the end of the season. Additionally, Juszczyk could be used as a TE in some looks, so the Ravens will only keep 3 traditional TE's for this season.

Offensive Line:
Eugene Monroe: One of the top tackles in the league last year according to ProFootballFocus, Monroe is an absolute workhorse who is just entering his prime, and should be able to keep even the best pass rushers at bay for a lot of the season.
Kelechi Osemele: Coming off a season-ending back injury from last year, the explosive and physical KO will be looking to recreate his form from his rookie season, which ended with a Super Bowl ring. He has the ability to get upfield and make second level blocks on screens and run plays, and Kubiak will be looking to exploit this as much as possible.
Jeremy Zuttah: An offseason acquisition from Tampa Bay, Zuttah is a slightly above average center in the league, but is a massive upgrade on the turnstile that was Gino Gradkowski. Someone who should be able to make calls at the line of scrimmage, Zuttah should bring some security to the O-Line, especially with the players either side of him helping out.
Marshal Yanda: The hard-nosed guard from Iowa is entering his 9th NFL season with the Ravens, and shows no signs of slowing down, as he is well-known as one of the toughest players out there. Similar to KO, he can make blocks all over the field, and always has his teammates' backs.
Ricky Wagner: Not much is known about this second year player, but after Michael Oher moved on to pastures new in Tennessee, Wagner has stepped up over other players jostling to start at right tackle, and looks destined to start in Week 1. He hasn't been highlighted very much during game time or practice, which can only be a good thing for an O-Lineman.
Other O-Linemen: Gino Gradkowski, Jah Reid, John Urschel, James Hurst, Ryan Jensen.