In a break from previous tradition, the Baltimore Ravens will have season-long player captains this coming season. Previously under John Harbaugh, the Ravens would rotate different captains each week, but new head coach Jesse Minter is opting for a new approach.
The captains were decided via a vote from the players this week and the results were as follows:
- QB Lamar Jackson
- RB Derrick Henry
- DL Calais Campbell
- LB Roquan Smith
- S Kyle Hamilton
The Ravens will also have a leadership team that features five other veterans, in addition to the team captains: TE Mark Andrews, WR Zay Flowers, LS Nick Moore, OT Ronnie Stanley and EDGE Trey Hendrickson.
Many other teams around the league similarly have season-long captains, but this is a first for the Ravens and another change to user in a new era. The captain selections are not surprising, although it is noteworthy that Campbell was voted despite having just signed with the team again. That speaks to the respect he garners from teammates and his first-class leadership skills on and off the field.
Jackson and Henry are obvious choices on offense, as are Hamilton and Smith on defense. Smith has been the leading communicator and energizer of the Ravens’ defense since arriving a few years ago, and Hamilton has grown into a leadership role in short order as a four-year veteran.
In years past, the Ravens had a small “leadership council” of players during Harbaugh’s tenure, featuring the likes of Jackson, Stanley, Marlon Humphrey, and Matthew Judon, among others. This new leadership team is likely a similar concept but expands the group of players a bit.
A somewhat surprising exclusion from both the captains and leadership team is Humphrey, who is the second-most tenured player on the roster behind Stanley.
