"Teams could turn their pass protection toward me and Terrell last year," Scott said. "With Trevor back, that can't happen. It's going to free us up more."
Pryce, though, has played the run better than anyone expected. He reported to training camp in great shape, and despite being a 12-year veteran, he hasn't complained one bit about Harbaugh's tough camp.
One potential problem area with the Ravens is age. Gregg has been in the league only three years fewer than Pryce. The constant pounding wears down players.
But in Bannan, the Ravens have a bigger version of Gregg, and he could be a starter on other teams. Edwards is in his fifth year. He knows the Ravens' system. Between the two of them, they can spell the starters for long stretches of time.
On the outside, the Ravens have versatility and flexibility. Suggs is a great pass rusher who has learned how to drop into coverage the past couple of years. Scott and Barnes are just as versatile.
They can bring heat on the outside as an end/outside linebacker or cover a tight end or running back in the flat. The Ravens have a lot of options and can give teams a lot of different looks.
"Years ago, calling a player a tweener was a bad word," said Mike Pettine, the Ravens' outside linebackers coach. "But we like the hybrid type, the ones who might not be big enough or fast enough but have a passion to play. We want guys who play like a Raven."
The Ravens have a bunch of them. Of all the guys on their front line, only Ngata and Pryce are near prototypes. But once the ball is snapped, it's a fearless, strong and relentless group, one of the best in the NFL.
mike.preston@baltsun.com
