Ravens Q&A with Jamison Hensley

Brandon: Despite Trevor Pryce's age and health issues, the Ravens didn't go after a defensive end in the draft. Do you think they should have drafted a pass rusher? Are they thinking about adding somebody through a trade or free agency, or is the roster pretty much set?

Jamison Hensley: The roster is basically set. The Ravens could have taken a pass rusher in the draft -- you're right that there are some depth issues --but they addressed other concerns (getting backups at running back, linebacker, safety, offensive line and receiver). In the Ravens' mind, they're hoping that there will be an addition of sorts in their pass rush. Antwan Barnes, a fourth-round pick last season out of Florida International, made little impact as a rookie, but the team still has high expectations for his ability to rush off the edge. If Barnes shows solid improvement, the Ravens will be getting to the quarterback more often this season.

Neil, Baltimore: Of all the draft picks the Ravens selected, who do you think has the best chance to be the next sleeper/steal?

Jamison Hensley: Keep an eye on Oniel Cousins, the Ravens' last of three third-round picks (the compensatory pick for losing Adalius Thomas). He is a 6-foot-4, 310-pound offensive tackle out of UTEP who has a lot of potential. Other than Joe Flacco, Cousins is the only other rookie that the Ravens have hinted at possibly starting this season. Cousins will have a shot at being the right tackle, which would allow Marshal Yanda to move inside (which could be Yanda's more natural position). But remember Cousins played defensive line until 2005, so there is still a learning curve with him.

Johnny, California.: The Sun articles I've read seem to indicate that quarterback Kyle Boller will start when the season opens if Flacco is not ready. My question is: What kind of chance does Troy Smith have, and why not go with him over Boller?

Jamison Hensley: Unlike 2003's quarterback competition (where coach Brian Billick seemed to have Boller already pegged over Chris Redman), this year's battle is wide open. Coaches have raved about Smith's improvement from his rookie season, and the former Heisman Trophy winner is smart, athletic and confident. So, don't rule him out as the Week 1 starter against the Cincinnati Bengals. But Boller has something that Smith doesn't -- experience. Because Boller has played in 53 games, the coaching staff could see him as the more dependable option (although a large part of the Ravens' fan base would probably disagree). If I had handicap this race, I would name Boller as the favorite ... at this point.

Kevin, Cornelius, N.C.: Why is starting a rookie quarterback such a bad thing? Wouldn't the Ravens be better off playing Flacco earlier so if he is a bust, they can draft another quarterback sooner rather than later?

Jamison Hensley: Going on NFL history, starting a rookie quarterback early in the season is usually a bad thing. There are always exceptions, like Ben Roethlisberger taking over for the injured Tommy Maddox in the first month of the season. But for the most part, quarterbacks need time to get accustomed to the system and the speed of defenses. Just look at Boller. He was thrown into the season opener at Pittsburgh in 2003 and took a tremendous physical and mental beating for that first half of the season. Sometimes quarterbacks aren't able to recover from that initial onslaught. I'm not saying Boller would be John Elway if he had sat the entire 2003 season. But I'm guessing he would be a better quarterback at this point if he didn't play as a rookie.

John: Why did the Ravens draft a safety (Notre Dame's Tom Zbikowski) so high? Is it strictly for depth, or are they unhappy with Dawan Landry?

Jamison Hensley: Drafting Zbikowski wasn't intended as a wake-up call for Landry. The Ravens didn't re-sign Gerome Sapp and needed to upgrade the backup spot at safety. Zbikowski could develop into a starter over the next couple of seasons, and the Ravens would welcome a competition between Landry and Zbikowski at some point. But at the very least, Zbikowski is going to be a special teams monster. If he improves the Ravens' coverage teams as a rookie, the team would be extremely pleased with him.

Related topic galleries: Cincinnati Bengals, Adalius Thomas, Trevor Pryce, John Elway, Tommy Maddox, National Football League, Brian Billick

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