Updated March 20, 2026, 11:17 a.m. ET
The Baltimore Ravens’ landing at No. 12 in a recent NFL power ranking raises an interesting question. Is that placement a fair reflection of who they are, or an overreaction to the offseason shuffle? On one hand, it’s easy to understand the hesitation. The AFC remains loaded, and teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills have either maintained continuity or made splashy additions. Baltimore, by comparison, has taken a more measured approach, except for a big-name signing here or there. The most significant is probably Trey Hendrickson.
The ‘slow and steady’ approach doesn’t always generate headlines, but it can create the perception that teams have been passed by more aggressive contenders. Still, Baltimore’s early free agency haul earned them a B-plus grade from Pro Football Focus. That still, however, couldn’t push them to a top-ten mention on a recent NFL power ranking
CBS Sports ranks the Ravens 12th on their most recent NFL Power Rankings.
As mentioned earlier, the Ravens landed 12th in a recent ranking of NFL teams, cooked up by CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco. That seems fair, though, right? On the other hand, this is still a team led by Lamar Jackson, a former MVP who continues to redefine what elite quarterback play looks like. On the other hand, they underachieved, failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, and are smack dab in the first season of a new coaching regime.
Still, as long asLamar Jackson is under center and healthy, the Ravens’ ceiling remains as high as almost anyone in the American Football Conference. Pair that with a defense that annually finds ways to stay disruptive, and it becomes harder to justify pushing them too far down the list. What may be happening here is less about Baltimore taking a step back and more about uncertainty. Power rankings this time of year tend to reward momentum and penalize ambiguity. The Ravens haven’t made the loudest moves, and that can be mistaken for stagnation. In reality, they may simply be relying on a formula that has kept them in contention year after year.
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So, let’s ask one final time. Is ranking the Ravens at No. 12 fair? Maybe it is on paper, but history suggests a Ravens team this good will rarely be a middle-of-the-pack team when it matters most. If anything, this can be used as motivation, the kind we have seen Baltimore use before.
They can use this less like an accurate prediction and more like an invitation to prove they still belong among the NFL’s elite.