Ravens in a rush to get after opposing quarterbacks again

Less than a week into training camp, Za'Darius Smith has gotten after the quarterback from the rush-linebacker position. He's set the edge as the strong-side linebacker, dropped back in coverage and moved inside as a three-technique defensive lineman.Rookie linebacker Kamalei Correa has been used both on the inside and outside, and fellow second-day draft pick Bronson Kaufusi has played both defensive end and linebacker.A clear theme has emerged early this summer for the Ravens' defense: get as many pass rushers on the field as possible and allow them to get after the quarterback from a variety of places.&quot;That's a big part of our plan,&quot; coach John Harbaugh said. &quot;We want everybody on our defense to be a pass rusher. We are working really hard at that to try to train all of our guys to be pass rushers.&quot;For the Ravens, the philosophy represents a nod to the great Ravens defenses, and an acknowledgment that getting to and hitting the quarterback is imperative in today's pass-happy NFL.Nine of the league's top 10 teams in sacks last year -- all but the the Detroit Lions (7-9) -- made the playoffs. The Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50 with a statistically average offense and an imposing defense led by Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. That defense led the league in sacks and in the playoffs beat up Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady and Cam Newton en route to a championship.After losing Terrell Suggs in Week 1 to a season-ending Achilles injury, the Ravens finished the season with 37 sacks. Only 13 teams had fewer. Not long after the season ended, team owner Steve Bisciotti cited Suggs' injury as the biggest factor in a 5-11 season.The desire to have another quarterback-harassing defense led the Ravens to draft Correa, Kaufusi and Matt Judon, three players who combined for 26 ½ sacks last season in college. It also has spurred some expected tweaks to a defense team officials believe was too predictable with its coverages and pass rush last season.Many of those changes likely won't be evident until the start of the regular season, as teams don't give away many secrets in the preseason. However, it's become clear in the early stages of training camp that the Ravens are prioritizing moving players around and making the opposing quarterback more uncomfortable.&quot;I'm hoping we can get to the point where [opposing teams] have got to kind of figure out who the heck is rushing and who is dropping [into coverage],&quot; defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. &quot;A lot of these guys are linebacker types. We are kind of experimenting with all that stuff. We did in OTAs, but you are going to find out more now when the pads come on, because it is actually live contact, and we will see how it is.&quot;We are cross-training a lot of guys. Outside linebackers are playing inside, we've got defensive ends playing outside linebacker. We are interchanging a lot of guys.&quot;That's true throughout the Ravens' defense. Defensive linemen are shifting around. Defensive back Anthony Levine is being used as an inside linebacker, and safety Matt Elam has seen some time at that spot, too. But team officials believe one of the keys to making it all work is to revive the pass rush.Whether it was Michael McCrary and Peter Boulware, Adalius Thomas and Trevor Pryce, or Suggs and any combination of Paul Kruger, Elvis Dumervil and Pernell McPhee, the Ravens have always had the weapons to hound quarterbacks. In 2014, the Ravens tied for second in the NFL with 49 sacks. That team had Dumervil and Suggs rushing from the edge, the relentless McPhee moving around to take advantage of mismatches, and inside linebackers Daryl Smith and C.J. Mosley applying pressure with well-timed blitzes.McPhee, though, departed in free agency to the Chicago Bears, and nose tackle Haloti Ngata, who could be counted on to occupy blockers and collapse the pocket, was traded before the 2016 season. Suggs, the franchise's all-time leader in sacks and forced fumbles, then went down in Week 1. The undersized and banged-up Dumervil wore down while playing so many snaps and finished with just six sacks, the second fewest total in his career. Given a chance to play more, strong-side linebacker Courtney Upshaw never showed a consistent ability to get to the quarterback.Pees and his defensive staff pieced things together well enough for the team to have the second best defense statistically over the second half of the season. However, the team obviously recognized the need for reinforcements.Correa, Kaufusi and Judon join a group of pass rushers that include Suggs and Dumervil, who currently rank in the top five in sacks among active NFL players. Za' DariusSmith, who had 5 ½ sacks last year, and interior rushers Timmy Jernigan and Brent Urban also return.&quot;A lot of the young guys that came in here, they got heart,&quot; Smith said. &quot;That's one thing that I like about them, they got the dog in them. I think they did a great job this year with the draft of getting a lot of good pass rushers.&quot;Suggs is 33 and is coming off his second Achilles surgery in four years. Dumervil is 32 and had foot surgery earlier this year. Both are currently on the physically unable to perform list and yet to practice. However, they are expected to return to action soon, and their absence has allowed the Ravens to get their young pass rushers more repetitions. Harbaugh said that's been a positive and confirmed Suggs and Dumervil wouldn't be playing much this preseason even if they were healthy.The Ravens have been impressed with what they've seen from Correa, although they apparently believe he is needed more as an inside linebacker.&quot;I'm still going to rush the passer, and I'm still going to drop. In my eyes, I'm going to do whatever they say,&quot; Correa said. &quot;That is my job, and I'm trying to keep my job. It's simple.&quot;The Ravens have repeated to the defense that it will be everybody's job to get to the quarterback. For years, the ability to do that has almost been a staple for a Ravens defense. At least one of the Ravens pass rushers predicted that it will be again this season.&quot;I promise you,&quot; Smith said, &quot;they're going to see it this year.&quot;jeff.zrebiec@baltsun.comtwitter.com/jeffzrebiecsun

Ravens in a rush to get after opposing quarterbacks again

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