Three things Ravens' accomplished this offseason to help return to defensive dominance

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Cornerback Marlon Humphrey recently gave himself a history lesson.

He watched the 2000 Baltimore Ravens team's playoff games, the squad that won Super Bowl XXXV on the strength of their record-setting defense.

"You didn't really need an offense, honestly," Humphrey said. "They were making so many plays [and forcing] turnovers."

This underscored to Humphrey how the recent Ravens defenses have failed to uphold that tradition set by the likes of Ray Lewis. Baltimore has not forced a turnover in its last five playoff games, including last season's 27-25 AFC divisional playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The lack of game-changing plays by the Ravens' defense in the postseason doesn't sit well with Humphrey, who is entering his ninth season in Baltimore after being a first-round pick in 2017.

"Being [I'm] the longest [tenured] defensive guy, I feel like I've let that standard kind of slip, and that's something that I want to get back," Humphrey said. "Obviously, we love Lamar Jackson. He's a great player, but I want the Ravens' identity to be defense like it was when I first got here. So that's something that we're chirping in our room."

Here is what the Ravens have done this offseason to help the defense better live up to its legacy:

The draft

For the first time in eight years, the Ravens used their first two draft picks on defense. Baltimore selected Georgia safety Malaki Starks in the first round and Marshall edge-rusher Mike Green in the second round, giving the Ravens two of Mel Kiper Jr.'s top 10 defensive prospects in this year's draft.

Starks has worked with the starting defense since the first full-team practice of the spring, and he proved to be a leader even before that. At the Ravens' rookie minicamp, he was organizing walkthroughs at the team hotel.

"He can answer any question in a meeting," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "We may be back there and say, 'Hey, alright, Malaki,' and you throw a situation at him, and he knows. I've never seen him make a real mistake yet. He's very much a pro, probably way advanced beyond his years."

Green, who led FBS with 17 sacks last season, is expected to figure heavily in the pass-rush rotation with linebackers Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy.

"Mike is the best example of this new generation that have learned from the pros, and he comes in already really highly skilled up," Ravens pass rush coach Chuck Smith said. "So, I give him a lot of credit. His 'get-off'... I'm just amazed that he's in his base two-point stance, and he has no false steps. He gets off on the ball fast. The Mike Green that we've seen so far is everything that we thought he would be when we decided to draft him."

Chuck Pagano's hiring

Starks, Baltimore's top pick, woke up one morning this offseason at 5 a.m. to a text from Pagano.

The Ravens' new senior secondary coach sent Starks film from a recent practice that he wanted the rookie to review.

"I think every time he says something in the meeting room with all the DBs, it's like he's just dropping knowledge," Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said.

Pagano, 64, was lured out of a four-year retirement to solve one of the team's biggest puzzles. The Ravens had one of the most talented secondary rosters last season, but Baltimore's pass defense finished second-to-last in the NFL.

Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said Pagano's focus is improving the technique in the defensive backfield. The Ravens gave up big plays -- ones that a secondary of this caliber shouldn't -- because their eyes, leverage or body position wasn't right.

Orr has seen several players ask Pagano to give them one aspect of their game that needs improvement. Pagano gave each one a detailed summary.

"Don't be fooled by his age," Orr said. "This dude has real juice and energy and knowledge. So, I'm fired up."

Adding cornerback Jaire Alexander

Baltimore signed Alexander on June 18, a day after Jackson pushed for the Ravens to sign his former Louisville teammate. But the Ravens had been looking to add Alexander since the Green Bay Packers released him on June 9. Alexander has played in seven regular-season games over last two seasons, last appearing for the Packers in Week 11 despite sustaining what he said was a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9.

Team officials just didn't expect to land Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler who turned 28 this offseason. Then, after nine days on the market, Alexander turned down more money to sign a contract with Baltimore, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Carolina Panthers were among the teams interested in Alexander, Schefter added.

Now, Baltimore's secondary is filled with first-round picks from three corners (Alexander, Humphrey and Nate Wiggins) to two safeties (Hamilton and Starks).