ESPN.com polled 21 Baltimore media members for their top 20 players on the 2015 Baltimore Ravens roster. The countdown will run through the end of the month, just before the start of training camp.
Let's continue to wind down the countdown ...
No. 2: Joe Flacco
Position: Quarterback
Total points: 394. First-place votes: Seven.
Highest ranking: No. 1. Lowest ranking: No. 6.
2015 salary-cap figure ranking: First ($14.55 million)
2014 ranking: No. 1
Biggest question: How will Flacco fare with a new coordinator and new targets?
Storyline: Flacco followed up the worst season of his career with his best one. He set career highs last season with 3,986 passing yards (second-most in franchise history) and 27 touchdowns. But gone are offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak and wide receiver Torrey Smith. The Ravens brought in Marc Trestman along with his quick-hitting passing attack and used their top two draft picks on wide receiver Breshad Perriman and Maxx Williams. The challenge for Flacco is to increase his passing yards for the fourth straight season despite the changes. His image would get even stronger if can reach 4,000 yards passing for the first time in his career while throwing to mostly unproven targets outside of Steve Smith.
Where Flacco should be ranked: The only question is where he should land at the top of these rankings. Of the 21 voters, 15 placed him first or second. Some might be surprised that Flacco didn't finish No. 1 for a second straight year. But he isn't a Pro Bowl player. He can be wildly inconsistent in the regular season. Still, he raises his game when it counts the most. Flacco has guided the Ravens to the playoffs in six of his seven seasons. His impact can't be diminished. The Ravens are 34-5 when Flacco produces a passer rating over 100 in the regular season, and he has thrown 24 touchdowns and four interceptions in his last 10 playoff games.
File this away: Flacco's 82 victories (including playoffs) are the most by a quarterback since 2008, his first season in the league. Tom Brady is second with 81 wins.
What the Ravens are saying about Flacco: "This guy is a superstar in the National Football League. I'm thrilled to have him and I can't wait to see what he does this year with all of that young talent around him" -- coach John Harbaugh
Here is the panel of voters: Morgan Adsit (WBFF-TV), Clifton Brown (Comcast SportsNet Baltimore), Jerry Coleman (105.7 The Fan), Bruce Cunnningham (WBFF-TV), Steve Davis (105.7 The Fan), John Eisenberg (Baltimore Ravens website), Pete Gilbert (WBAL-TV), David Ginsburg (Associated Press), Brent Harris (Comcast SportsNet Baltimore), Brett Hollander (WBAL Radio), Qadry Ismail (WBAL Radio), Luke Jones (WNST Radio), Rob Long (105.7 The Fan), Jon Meoli (Baltimore Sun), Keith Mills (WBAL Radio), Joe Platania (the Press Box), Gerry Sandusky (WBAL-TV), Mark Viviano (WJZ-TV), Aaron Wilson (Baltimore Sun), Jeff Zrebiec (Baltimore Sun) and Jamison Hensley (ESPN.com).
Recapping the 2015 Ravens' top 20 player rankings:
No. 3: Jimmy Smith
No. 4: C.J. Mosley
No. 5: Terrell Suggs
No. 6: Elvis Dumervil
No. 7: Steve Smith
No. 8: Justin Tucker
No. 9: Justin Forsett
No. 10: Kelechi Osemele
No. 11: Daryl Smith
No. 12: Brandon Williams
No. 13: Lardarius Webb
No. 14: Rick Wagner
No. 15: Timmy Jernigan
No. 16: Courtney Uphsaw
No. 17: Eugene Monroe
No. 18: Sam Koch
No. 19: Dennis Pitta
No. 20: Breshad Perriman