The ' 2021 season can be summed up by Lightning McQueen's opening race in the original movie. Like the Ravens, McQueen started out strong before stumbling to the finish line. The difference was that while McQueen's rocky finish was self-inflicted, there wasn't much the Ravens could do to stop their free fall.After an 8-3 start, the Ravens faltered to a 8-9 finish to mi s the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Five of their final six lo ses were in one po se sion games. Despite their slide, the Ravens still had playoff hope entering this past Sunday's game against the . But any chance of a postseason berth was extinguished by , who provided one last headache to Ravens fans in leading Pittsburgh's game-winning drive in overtime.With the Ravens at home for the playoffs, let's take a look at the things they can do this offseason to ensure that they are back in the postseason in 2022.Sure, the Ravens' season may have been different had a few of their two-point conversion attempts late in the year gone their way. But Baltimore's 8-9 finish after an 8-3 start Jalen Lecque Jersey  was mostly due to the team's alarming injury rate. Over 20 Ravens players went on injured reserve during the season that included running backs , , ; cornerbacks and ; offensive tackle ; guard ; and defensive end . Baltimore largely weathered the storm until 's ankle injury sidelined him for the season's final four weeks.  Getting their injured players back will be a big boost for the 2022 season. And while these injuries ultimately doomed their 2021 season, the Ravens received significant contributions from several other players who will likely be back in 2022. proved to be a very capable backup quarterback, as he became the first quarterback in franchise history to throw and run for two touchdowns in one game. He developed a rapport with rookie receiver , who finished the season as the Ravens' third-leading receiver after starting the year on injured reserve. The defensive received solid play from linebackers , and rookie . Bowser's offseason will unfortunately start with him Jason Kidd Jersey  recovering from a torn Achilles sustained in Week 18.         Pick Six Newsletter   Crafted By The Best NFL Experts   Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings.     I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies.  By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to  Grant Hill Jersey the and acknowledge Paramount's .                 Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.       Thanks for signing up!   Keep an eye on your inbox.     Sorry!   There was an error proce sing your subscription.     Injuries certainly contributed to the Ravens' dip in offensive line production. But the fact remains that the Ravens allowed their quarterbacks to be sacked 57 times this season. Last offseason's departure of tackle created a void that remains unfilled. Baltimore will likely use multiple draft picks to improve its offensive line that may include the 16th overall pick.In his , CBS Sports NFL Draft expert Josh Edwards has the Ravens using their first-round pick to select former Texas A&M lineman Kenyon Green. One of the draft's top offensive line prospects, Green was an immediate starter in college while showing the ability to play tackle as well as both guard positions.  This was a known weakne s entering the 2021 season. Baltimore tried to mask this deficiency by signing veteran , who finished third on the team with 4.5 sacks. While Houston helped, the Ravens nonethele s finished with just 34 sacks. Their lack of pa s rush was evident in Week 18, as Roethlisberger had plenty of time to scan the field during Pittsburgh's game-winning drive in overtime.Look for the Ravens to bolster their pa s  Ricky Rubio Jersey rush in both the draft as well as in free agency. would be an ideal fit but may be too costly. , , , , , and are among the other po sible free agent options the Ravens could explore to improve their pa s rush.Like many of their units, injuries took a toll on Baltimore's secondary in 2021. The Ravens finished dead last in the NFL in pa s defense after allowing opposing quarterbacks to throw for a combined 4,472 yards in 17 games. Along with giving up a ton of yards, the unit recorded just nine interceptions while often failing to make a big play in a pivotal spot.  The Ravens may try to retain cornerback , the team's leader with three interceptions. Baltimore may also addre s the secondary with its first-round pick. currently has the Ravens using the 16th overall pick on Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam. Fellow has the Ravens using the pick to select former Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner. Po sible free agent targets include , , , III, and .The Ravens reportedly tried to lure away from the Steelers last offseason before he decided to return to Pittsburgh on a one-year deal. The market is pretty unclear as it relates to Smith-Schuster, who mi sed all but five games this season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Charles Barkley Jersey The Ravens can choose to either re-sign or bring in another veteran to round out their receiving corps. Watkins was productive last season, but Smith-Schuster would add a different dimension to Baltimore's pa sing attack. In Pittsburgh, Smith-Schuster flourished as a slot receiver opposite . While his stats fell off following Brown's departure, Smith-Schuster reinvented himself as a po se sion receiver who when healthy served as a security blanket for Roethlisberger. Smith-Schuster is also a physical receiver who often helped created space for the Steelers' running backs and other receivers.  The still just 25-year-old Smith-Schuster could serve as a dependable target for Jackson while also bringing some added toughne s to the Ravens offense. It may also help return the rivalry's balance of power back to Baltimore after residing in Pittsburgh over the last two years.