The Baltimore Ravens possess star talent throughout their roster heading into 2025, headlined by multiple returning All-Pro and Pro Bowl players on both sides of the ball. However, teams rarely have contenders for more than one of the NFL’s several prestigious award honors.
Which Ravens’ players profile as candidates for national awards this upcoming season? Let’s run through and break down some options.
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Candidates: QB Lamar Jackson
Jackson is already a two-time league MVP winner and fell just short of earning a third trophy last season, finishing only a few votes behind Josh Allen. Based on his historical statistical campaign and first-team All-Pro status, there’s a good argument to be made that Jackson should have in fact won.
Regardless, Jackson has been in serious MVP contention pretty much every season in which he’s been fully healthy. He ascended to a new performance level last year and should once again thrive in 2025.
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY)
Candidates: QB Lamar Jackson, RB Derrick Henry
Often times, OPOY is awarded to the quarterback that comes up short of winning MVP but has a great statistical season — or a skill position player that has a standout year. Last season, Jackson finished a distant second in OPOY voting behind RB Saquon Barkley. He could similarly be in the discussion again next year.
So too could Henry, who received one first place vote and 18 third place votes for OPOY in 2024, placing him fourth overall. Henry may have a hard time matching last year’s statistical dominance but should have another strong season nonetheless.
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY)
Candidate: S Kyle Hamilton
The Ravens project to have one of the league’s best defensive units again with well-rounded position groups across the board. They have a total of four All-Pro talents on defense, but Hamilton stands out as the one who could creep into DPOY conversations. He garnered some limited attention already last year, finishing ninth overall in DPOY voting.
Entering just his fourth season, Hamilton’s earned a strong national reputation as arguably the best overall safety in the NFL. He’s on the heels of consecutive All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods. A safety has not won DPOY since 2010 and traditionally defensive backs have not been frequent winners. However, Hamilton is a unique talent and has the potential to take yet another step forward in 2025.
Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY)
Candidates: S Malaki Starks, EDGE Mike Green
Despite drafting towards the end of Rounds 1-2, the Ravens added two premier defensive talents from this year’s rookie class. Both Starks and Green figure to play key roles in their first year, with the former projected to take on a full-time starting safety role right away.
Both rookie of the year awards, offensive and defensive, tend to be competitive and the favorites are rookies who were top draft picks. Starks will have a great opportunity to put together a good case as a valuable contributor on a top-ranked defense, especially if he can come up with some notable splash plays. As for Green, his role likely won’t be as fruitful, but his pass-rushing upside gives him an outside chance of emerging as a candidate as well.
Comeback Player of the Year (CPOY)
Candidates: CB Jaire Alexander
CPOY is traditionally given to a player who has a good season after returning from an extended injury or negative circumstances the year prior. Alexander, who had both his 2023 and 2024 seasons cut short by injury and missed a combined 20 games, fits the bill of the former.
Working against him is recent historical trends: the past seven CPOY winners have been quarterbacks and prior to that, two wide receivers won back-to-back. Only four defensive players ever have been awarded CPOY. However, longshot or not, Alexander could still have a case if he returns to All-Pro form and plays a vital role for an elite Ravens’ defense. There’s no other Raven that profiles as a legitimate CPOY candidate.