Successful teams often see a host of their key parts depart following NFL seasons. Coordinators become head coaches, position coaches become coordinators and players with expiring contracts become big-money players.
The Baltimore Ravens went 14-2 in the regular season but managed to retain their entire coaching staff this offseason. They do have players who are looking for a big payday, however. Though Baltimore is expected to have a decent amount of cap space this offseason, they’ll have a tough time re-signing all 21 pending free agents while also working to restock the roster with fresh, new talent.
One of the biggest names is the defensive tackle, Michael Pierce. So what better person to choose next on our free-agent preview than a guy Baltimore have to thank for their stout run defense over the last few seasons.
Also, check out our other Ravens free-agent previews for 2020.
Michael Pierce – 2019 review:
Michael Pierce was a vital piece of the Ravens’ defensive front, helping the team allow the fifth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL in 2019.
Baltimore doesn’t typically ask their defensive linemen to get after the quarterback. That means Pierce’s stats aren’t very impressive, with only half of a sack and two tackles-for-loss to go with 35 combined tackles in 2019.
But Pierce and Brandon Williams’s role in Wink Martindale’s unit is to occupy blockers and allow the linebackers to make the plays. This, allied to his only playing on 49% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps, goes a long way towards explaining away any apparent lack of production.
Martindale himself has nicknamed Pierce and Williams the “FSU Brothers”, due to their mucking up opposing running games. And no, FSU isn’t a school . . .
Review / Potential / Value / Chances to re-sign
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