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Snaps Lost: Baltimore Ravens

snaps-lost-BALThe “Snaps Lost” series is a detailed look at the playing time void created by players that have left each team this offseason, whether they were traded, cut, left in free agency, or retired.

Because each unit plays a different number of snaps over the course of the year, we have created a “Full Time Equivalent” metric. FTE is the total number of missing snaps divided by the number of plays the team ran on that side of the ball. This is an equivalent measure of how many full-time players (100% snap count) the team would need to add on to make up for their offseason losses, even though very few players actually play a full snap count.

For example, if a team had 1,100 snaps on offense and then lost seven players who combined to play 2,200 snaps, their FTE would be 2.0 (2,200/1,100). This ensures that a team who lost a high volume of players only has a high FTE if those players racked up some significant playing time last season. FTE can only fall between zero (no players left the team) and 11 (fire everyone!) for each side of the ball.

Each team will have a ranking following their FTE, with the first-ranked team in each category (offense, defense, and total) representing the team with the smallest portion of their playing time in need of replacement.

A few caveats before getting into the good stuff:
– Suspensions and injuries that may limit 2015 snap counts are not considered.
– Biggest Losses are purely in terms of snap count, not necessarily in terms of impact.
– All snap counts are Regular Season only.

Baltimore Ravens

Overall FTE Lost: 4.14, 8th

Offense

FTE Lost: 1.85, 10th

Biggest Losses: Owen Daniels (832), Torrey Smith (801)

Summary – The Ravens suffered two big losses, but anyone else that played at least 200 snaps last year is still on the roster. After an up-and-down career, Baltimore let Smith test the free agent waters where he docked in San Francisco. In a move that surprised no one, Daniels followed Baltimore’s former Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak to Denver when his contract expired this offseason.

Replacement Plan – Baltimore addressed these two positions squarely in the draft, taking wide receiver Breshad Perriman in the first round and then following up with tight end Maxx Williams in the second. Perriman probably won’t fully replace Smith at this time, and third-year man Marlon Brown should see his role in the offense increase. Williams could split time with Crockett Gilmore as the starting tight end, especially with Dennis Pitta’s hip injury leaving his future up in the air.

Defense

FTE Lost: 2.30, 10th

Biggest Losses: Darian Stewart (782), Haloti Ngata (546), Pernell McPhee (540)

Summary – The 2.30 FTE Lost is a bit misleading here, as some of that came from guys way down the depth chart when Baltimore faced a rash of cornerback injuries last year as 13 defensive backs saw at least 140 snaps in 2014. Even so, Ngata was a cap casualty, sent to Detroit in a trade for draft picks, while McPhee was a luxury that the cap-strapped Ravens couldn’t afford to re-sign. The loss of Stewart, despite a solid year, vacates a safety spot.

Replacement Plan – Aside from Ngata, Terrence Cody (and his nine snaps) was the only other loss on the defensive line, and when you consider that none of the Ravens’ linemen played more than 570 snaps, Ngata’s play time could be replaced by modest increases from a number of guys. Third-rounder Carl Davis could also be in the mix. McPhee could be replaced to some extent by that same pool of players since he lined up virtually everywhere in the front seven, but Courtney Upshaw and rookie Za’Darius Smith should take on most of that responsibility. At the back end of the defense, Will Hill will add to his snap count (if he can stay on the field) and the recently signed Kendrick Lewis (1,097 snaps last year in Houston) will make a nice addition at free safety.

 

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