Tag: 2019 Baltimore Ravens

Ravens 2020 free agency preview: DT Michael Pierce

DT Michael Pierce is heading for unrestricted free agency. How did he perform in 2019, and will he be back in Baltimore in 2020?

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:

Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images

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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Ravens 2020 free agency preview: OLB Matthew Judon

Baltimore Ravens OLB Matthew Judon is the team’s top free agent this offseason and could get the franchise tag if they can’t work out a deal

After a fantastic 2019 season that saw the Baltimore Ravens go 14-2 and claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, they’ll head into the offseason on less than stellar terms. The team that many pegged as the best in the NFL at one point will try to retain as much of their roster as possible to make another run at a Super Bowl.

However, the Ravens have 21 pending free agents this offseason and it seems unlikely they’ll be able to re-sign them all. At the very top of the list is outside linebacker Matthew Judon, who is likely going to earn a huge contract this offseason. So what better person to choose next on our free-agent preview than the guy Baltimore will try the hardest to ink to a long-term deal.

Also, check out our other Ravens free-agent previews for 2020.

Matthew Judon – 2019 review:

Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

2019 was a career year for Judon, who started all 16 games for the first time. He had 9.5 sacks, 14 tackles-for-loss and forced four fumbles. Even when not getting the sack, he still made sure the quarterbacks knew he was around. Judon dished out 33 quarterback hits, the fourth-most of any player in the NFL.

Judon played 793 defensive snaps in 2019, 80.9% of the Ravens total defensive plays and more than any other linebacker on the roster. He was also named to his first Pro Bowl. All of this came at a perfect time for Judon as he will be an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins.

Review / Potential / Value / Chances to re-sign

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Ravens 2020 free agency preview: CB Jimmy Smith

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith is set to hit free agency this offseason but could have difficulty getting a long-term deal

The 2019 season is over for the Baltimore Ravens. Now they’ll look forward to the offseason and especially free agency in order to gear up for the 2020 season.

While the Ravens will surely be interested in quite a few free agents that’ll hit the market, their biggest goal will be to retain some of their own key players. With that in mind, we’re going to do a deep dive on what Baltimore’s pending free agents are looking at this offseason.

We start things off with cornerback Jimmy Smith.

Jimmy Smith – 2019 review:

Smith carried one of the highest-paid players on Baltimore’s roster and was expected to return to full strength more than a year removed from a torn Achilles. However, Smith missed six games after suffering a knee sprain on the very first drive in Week 1. He was also held out of Week 17 along with several other starters since the Ravens had already secured the No. 1 seed.

Smith finished the season with one interception for seven yards, six passes defended, one sack and 30 combined tackles in nine games. He played just 425 total defensive snaps, losing time not only to injury but to Baltimore’s deep secondary that added Marcus Peters prior to Week 7.

Review / Potential / Value / Chances to re-sign

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21 Ravens set to hit free agency in 2020 offseason

The Baltimore Ravens have 21 players set to hit free agency in the 2020 NFL offseason, including OLB Matthew Judon and CB Jimmy Smith

The Baltimore Ravens’ 2019 season is far from over, with hopefully a deep playoff run still on the cards. However, the business of football goes on and it’s important to look ahead at what the Ravens roster could like look in 2020.

Going into this offseason, Baltimore has 21 players set to hit free agency, including 16 unrestricted free agents. While fans will key in on potential free agents the Ravens can sign, they’ll have their work cut out for them in retaining some of their own impact players.

Let’s take a look at the full list of pending free agents for Baltimore.

Ravens 2020 unrestricted free agents:

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Player Position
Jimmy Smith CB
Michael Pierce DT
Patrick Onwuasor ILB
Seth Roberts WR
Domata Peko DT
Anthony Levine S
Pernell McPhee OLB
Josh Bynes ILB
Brynden Trawick S
Justin Ellis DE
De’Anthony Thomas WR
Jordan Richards S
Chris Moore WR
Jihad Ward DE
Hroniss Grasu C
Matthew Judon OLB

UFAs are the ones you’ll hear the most about when free agency hits. They’re able to negotiate solely with their teams until free agency starts, where they then enter the open market and can then sign with any team.

The biggest names on this list are Jimmy Smith and Matt Judon. Smith has been with the Ravens for his whole NFL career but injury has kept him from playing a full season since 2015. This, plus the fact that the Ravens already have more cap salary dedicated to the cornerback position than any team in the NFL in 2020 may lead to a breakup.

Judon has enjoyed a career season with 9.5 sacks, 43 solo tackles and 14 tackles for loss. You would think the Ravens would love to keep him around based on these numbers but they did let Za’Darius Smith walk last season, remember. The classic Ravens tactic has been to let their free agents go out and find out what the market is and then give the team a chance to match or pass. This could be on the cards here again this offseason with Judon.

The other players on this list are mostly rotational players and given the stage of their careers, they may struggle to find better deals on the open market. However, there are players at positions that the Ravens could certainly look to get younger (and cheaper) at.

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Lamar Jackson highlight: Jackson sets new Ravens record for TD passes

Lamar Jackson’s 39-yard strike to Mark Andrews set a new Ravens single-season record for touchdown passes.

In a season full of highlights and displays of individual brilliance, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson set a new team record in the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns.

With his 39-yard strike to tight end Mark Andrews that gave the Ravens the lead over the Browns, Jackson now has 34 touchdown passes on the season (he threw his 35th right before halftime). This score breaks the tie for the previous single-season best for the Ravens shared by Jackson and Vinny Testaverde. Testaverde threw his 33 touchdowns back in 1996, the first year the Ravens played in the NFL.

With another touchdown throw right before halftime, Jackson now has an incredible 42 total touchdowns in 2019, with seven on the ground to go with his 35 through the air. What a special campaign this has been for the MVP front runner, and everyone else associated with the Ravens. But the Ravens still need more from him, with just a one-point lead with halftime looming.

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Mark Ingram goes over 1,000 rushing yards, sets Ravens record with Lamar Jackson

Ravens running back Mark Ingram has rushed for 1,000 yards for the third time in his NFL career.

Some people may have questioned just how much running back Mark Ingram had left in the tank after he signed with the Baltimore Ravens prior to the 2019 season. He was coming off a down year in New Orleans in which he rushed for just 645 yards — his lowest total since 2013. But it is safe to say that Ingram has justified the faith Baltimore showed in signing him.

With a six-yard scamper in the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns, Ingram went past the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season. This is his third season with 1,000 yards on the ground after getting there with the Saints in 2016 and 2017.

Ingram is the second Ravens player to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark this season after his teammate Lamar Jackson did so back in Week 14. Jackson and Ingram are the first pair of teammates to have 1,000 yards in the same season since Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams for the Carolina Panthers back in 2009. They’re also the first pair of Ravens to reach the mark together in a single season.

The Ravens will be looking for more from Ingram and the rest of the offense, as they currently trail the Browns 6-0.

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Scouting the Cleveland Browns for Week 16

A look at the stats and tendencies of the Cleveland Browns ahead of their Week 16 clash with the Ravens

Proud owners of a ten-game winning streak, the Baltimore Ravens will look to make it eleven in a row when they play the last team to beat them this season in Week 16. The Cleveland Browns were 40-25 victors at M&T Bank Stadium back in Week 4 thanks to 165 rushing yards and three touchdowns from running back Nick Chubb.

Famously, the Baltimore Ravens were born after Art Modell took his Browns team out of Cleveland following the 1995 season. A “new” Browns team was born prior to the 1999 campaign and placed in the same division as the “old” Browns. Since then, the two teams have met 41 times, with the Ravens enjoying a 30-11 advantage. When playing in Cleveland, the Ravens have a 14-6 record although they lost 12-9 in overtime in 2018.

Let’s take a closer look at the 2019 Browns to see what we can expect to see from them on offense and defense.

Browns offense

Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Coming into the 2019 season, many had high hopes for the Browns on offense. Second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield, Chubb and veteran wide receiver Jarvis Landry were joined by Odell Beckham, and many were ready to kiss the Browns all the way to the Super Bowl. Things haven’t exactly gone to plan.

Employing a pass:run ratio of 59%:41%, the Browns are 21st in points and 17th in total offense this season. They’ve been better rushing than passing, with the tenth most rushing yards and only the 19th most yards through the air. Mayfield has only thrown 17 touchdowns whilst tossing an identical number of interceptions.

34.2% of Cleveland’s offensive drives have ended with a score this season, the 14th worst rate in the NFL. 14.3% of them have ended with the Browns coughing the ball up to their opponents. That’s “good” for the ninth most. Despite major question marks across their offensive line, the Browns have seen their quarterback sacked on only 6.6% of their total dropbacks. This is the 17th highest rate of all teams.

The Browns have the seventh-best explosive play rate in the NFL, thanks in large part to big plays made on the ground. 14% of their runs have been for 20 yards or more, the 4th best rate in the NFL. Their explosive pass rate is the 13th best, standing at 10%.

The Browns operate out of the shotgun on 66% of their offensive plays and favor 11 personnel on offense (three wide receivers, one running back and one tight end), although the rate at which they line up in 11 is only the 21st highest in the NFL (59%).

The Browns pass on 70% of their plays when deployed in 11 but average a far from stellar 6.7 yards per pass attempt whilst throwing 15 interceptions against 11 touchdowns. They’ve gobbled up 5.1 yards per attempt on the ground though, which makes you wonder why they don’t run out of 11 more often. They instead choose to mainly run when in 12, with two tight ends joining two wide receivers and a back on the field. But much like when in 11, they should be doing the opposite of what they are doing. The Browns average 8.7 yards per pass attempt and 4.5 yards per rush in this formation.

Since Kareem Hunt joined the team following a suspension to start the season, the Browns have made a concerted effort to get both him and Chubb on the field at the same time. This is evidenced by their use of 21 personnel since Week 10. The Browns have turned to this formation on 13% of their offensive snaps, and have averaged 7.3 yards per pass attempt and 7.0 yards on the ground.

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Which Browns player would you most want on the Ravens’ roster?

For a team supposedly stacked on offense, it is a fairly easy choice as to which Browns player would feel like the ideal fit for the Ravens

In 2019 the Baltimore Ravens offense has shattered the team record for most rushing yards in a season and is on pace to finish as one of only three teams in NFL history to rush for more than 3,000 yards in a single campaign. The offense led more-than-ably by quarterback Lamar Jackson (who won yet another AFC Offensive Player of the Week award in Week 15) and veteran running back Mark Ingram, has done very well indeed this season. But imagine how much better they could have been if the Ravens had Nick Chubb on their roster.

The Ravens take on the Cleveland Browns this week and the two teams could hardly have gone in more wildly directions since their first meeting this season. Back in Week 4, the Browns put Baltimore to the sword as they ran out 40-25 winners, thanks in no small part to 165 rushing yards and three touchdowns from Chubb. The Ravens have won all ten of their games since they lost to the Browns, while Cleveland has gone 4-6.

The drama surrounding the Browns in recent weeks, from players like Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry pleading with other teams to “come and get them” to star defensive end Myles Garrett being suspended for an ugly incident at the end of their game with the Steelers, has taken a great deal of shine off Chubb. This is completely unfair to the former Georgia Bulldog who has enjoyed a terrific second season in the NFL despite the dysfunction of his franchise.

Truth be told, Chubb has been incredible ever since the Browns finally decided to fully unleash him partway through his rookie season. Over the last two seasons, he ranks No. 3 among all running backs with 2,401 rushing yards. He has more rushing touchdowns (17) than all but six players at his position and these deeds have made him a must-start in fantasy football circles. Chubb has the 11th-most PPR points among all running backs since the beginning of the 2018 campaign.

As well as he played as a rookie, Chubb has been simply fantastic in 2019. He leads the NFL with 1,408 rushing yards at a league-high pace of 100.6 yards per game. Chubb has demonstrated remarkable slickness of movement, with no player breaking more tackles this past season than the 32 Chubb has evaded. Chubb has done a wonderful job both before and after contact, fighting to gain additional yards despite having defenders hanging off him at times. He is No. 2 among all running backs with 834 rushing yards before contact and No.4 with 574 yards after. Chubb leads all running backs with 17 runs of 15 yards or more in 2019.

As the Ravens found out earlier this season Chubb can be a formidable foe once he gets going. He has rushed for at least 62 yards in all but one game this season with his best outing coming in that Week 4 pummeling in M&T Bank Stadium. Chubb is genuinely a player that could offer something special to an already special offensive unit, but instead, he is simply a player that the Ravens will hope they can slow down in Week 16.

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Lamar Jackson has been worth his weight in fantasy gold in 2019

A look at the season Lamar Jackson has put together in fantasy football in 2019

After Thursday night’s dismantling of the New York Jets, there can surely be no doubt as to the identity of the 2019 MVP. Lamar Jackson was masterful once again as a passer and a rusher, with his third game with five passing touchdowns and his setting the new single-season rushing record for a quarterback. It has truly been a season to remember for Jackson.

But as good as he has been in “real” life, we cannot overstate how great Jackson has been in fantasy football. As crazy as it seems now, according to average draft position data from My Fantasy League, Jackson was the 15th quarterback selected in fantasy drafts in August. People who picked him up this late are all looking pretty clever now, as Jackson is the leading point scorer in ALL of fantasy football.

His 37.1 fantasy points against the New York Jets marked the seventh time this season Jackson has amassed 30 or more points in a single game. Since the dawn of the 21st century, only three players have had more 30 point games in a single season. Marshall Faulk (2000), former Ravens running back Priest Holmes (2003) and LaDanian Tomlinson (2006) all had nine such games. Jackson has two games left in 2019, but it is by no means certain that he’ll play a full role in either of them. Jackson has been the overall QB3 or better eight times in 2019, with three weeks as the overall QB1 (potentially four, pending the rest of the Week 15 games).

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Jackson has a whopping 387.9 Points per Reception (PPR) fantasy points after 14 games. This is a new Ravens single-season record, beating Ray Rice’s 372.8 from 2011. Jackson has also averaged a whopping 27.7 PPR points per game in 2019, another Ravens record. Jackson is one of three Ravens players to average more than 20 PPR points per game in a season, joining Rice (2009 and 2011) and Jamal Lewis (2003).

As crazy as it sounds, Jackson could have had an even greater season if it were not his deeds in blowing out some of the teams he has played against. As Matthew Stevens pointed out, Jackson has sat in the 4th quarter of all three of the games in which he tossed five touchdowns.

But for all the greatness, there could be a sting in the tail for Jackson’s owners this season. Some scenarios could occur this weekend that would lock up the No. 1 seed for the Ravens, clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and making the final regular-season game meaningless. Ravens coach John Harbaugh could decide to give his superstar an extended break, which would mean Jackson being unavailable for the fantasy football championships (usually played in Week 16, unless your commissioner is a psychopath).

Whether he plays in the final game or not, Jackson has been a true fantasy superstar in 2019. Ravens fans and fantasy football fans alike have been truly blessed to have him in our lives this season.

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Ravens’ rushing attack has set franchise record — on pace for NFL record in 2019

The 2019 Ravens have broken the franchise record for rushing yards in a single season and are on pace for an NFL record in a passing league

The modern NFL is a passing league, we are constantly reminded. Running the ball is inefficient and the forward pass is the only way to move the football effectively in 2019. No point even bothering trying to run the ball. Throw, throw and then throw some more.

This is something of an exaggeration of course. But the idea that you can set rushing records in 2019 AND be one of the best offenses in football would have seemed fanciful in August. Yet, with two games still remaining this season, the Baltimore Ravens sit atop the AFC North (and many pundits’ power rankings too) on the back of a historic ground attack.

After 14 games, the Ravens have amassed 2,830 rushing yards at an average of 5.53 yards per attempt and an astonishing 202.1 yards per game. The next most run-happy team is the San Francisco 49ers. Most years San Francisco’s 149.1 yards per game would easily be the most. But not this year.

The Ravens still have two games left to play, but this is still the most rushing yards they have amassed in a single season in team history. They already have 156 yards more than they managed in 2003, the previous best when thanks to 2,066 yards from Jamal Lewis they powered their way to 2,674.

Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

To put Baltimore’s achievement into historical context, you have to go back to the 1978 New England Patriots for the last time a team had this many rushing yards after 14 games. The Chuck Fairbanks-led Patriots had 2,839 after 14 games and finished with 3,165.

That Patriots team is one of only two teams to finish a season with more than 3,000 rushing yards. The 1973 Buffalo Bills were the other and like the 2003 Baltimore team, they got there on the back off a historic season by a running back. Hall of Fame runner O.J. Simpson rushed for 2,003 yards in a 14 game season for the Bills.

It is possible that if results go Baltimore’s way in Week 16, the team may be able to clinch the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, making the final somewhat meaningless. You would suspect that it would make the Ravens reaching their per game rushing average in the next two contests difficult, especially if starters are rested. But if they are able to maintain their pace, then the 2019 Ravens would finish with 3,234 rushing yards. This would be good enough to set an all-time NFL record . . . in a passing league.

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