Ravens Thin(ner) at WR, Might Not Matter

It happens every year at training camp, yet every year seems worse than the ones that preceded it: players get injured, sometimes seriously, and an offseason worth of plans suddenly become meaningless.

The Eagles will be without middle linebacker Stewart Bradley for the season, and things aren't looking good for Falcons wide receiver Harry Douglas (and this is while the club tries to negotiate an extension with Roddy White).

And on Sunday, the Ravens' No. 2 wideout, Mark Clayton, strained a hamstring that will keep him out 2-3 preseason games. Compared to Bradley or Douglas, that's good news, but Baltimore also doesn't have much depth at receiver. More than that, quarterback Joe Flacco is just in his second season. Spreading the offensive burden seems like the best strategy to build on the success he had last year, but that becomes problematic if Flacco doesn't have anybody to throw to. Or maybe it doesn't.

Clayton, the team's 2005 first-round pick, has never progressed into a No. 1 receiver, so his loss, even temporarily, is much less an issue than, say, Derrick Mason's retirement. Also: Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap is finally healthy. That may not sound like much, but when Kyle Boller was running Brian Billick's career into the ground, Heap was his favorite target. The addition of L.J. Smith, another pass-catching tight end, only helps.

Baltimore also has a stout running game, one that was underrated a year ago. Willis McGahee isn't a marquee player, but he doesn't have to be. Le'Ron McClain and Ray Rice will help share the load, and the offensive line, inconsistent and inexperienced a year ago, has a chance to be one of the best units in the league.

As long as the offensive line can open up holes in the running game, Flacco will have opportunities to throw the ball. Worst case: The Ray Lewis All-Stars will do the heavy lifting and everything will take care of itself.

(I actually considered the chance that the Ravens' defense would be less tenacious without Rex Ryan dialing up insane blitz schemes, but this unit has been successful with Marvin Lewis and Mike Nolan, too. As much as it pains me to say, it's all about Ray-Ray. If he's healthy, the D will be typically menacing. If he's not, they won't.)