A Hat-Trick of Raven’s Birthdays: A Look at What Has, Or Is To Come
Today we celebrate an array of Baltimore Raven’s birthdays ranging from the first decade of Raven’s football to this year’s draft in Las Vegas. A player from each side of the football we will take a look at what has yet to come and what has already been done for our possible longest tenured Raven.
#65 Patrick Mekari: 2nd year offensive lineman turns 23. #4 Sam Koch: 15th year veteran punter turns 38. #48 Patrick Queen: Rookie linebacker turns 21.
Sam Koch started with the Baltimore Ravens in 2006 under the tenure of Brian Billick, where the Ravens showed out with a powerful 13-3 record in the regular season. Fast forward to 2019-2020 season Koch was also a part of the Raven’s 14-2 standout season. Koch has a career average of 45.4 yards per punt and with the Ravens potent offense the past two years he has only been on the field for 100 punts in 32 games. Koch had just recently signed a two-year extension to his contract through 2022 which if played out he will surpass Raven’s legend Ray Lewis for longest tenured Baltimore Raven.
Going in order of experience next we have Patrick Mekari. An undrafted rookie who found himself in 11 games, starting 5 of them in his rookie campaign. Mekari’s first NFL snaps came against one of the league’s best in Aaron Donald on Monday Night Football against the Rams. In an absolute rout 45-6 the rookie offensive lineman held Donald to only one tackle. Could say that is a pretty decent day at the office.
Last but certainly not least the Ravens first round pick out of National Champion LSU’s linebacker core our rookie linebacker Patrick Queen. Being a first round pick has seemed to not phase Queen as he is ready to get started. Just as every linebacker who puts on the purple and black there are some hefty shoes to fill where #52 Ray Lewis used to roam the field. In 3 years Patrick Queen saw 29 games in the purple and gold of LSU, and the Ravens hope to get that versatility out of him as well.
