Tag: Baltimore Ravens offseason

Ravens start 2021 offseason at No. 5 on TD Wire’s power rankings

The Baltimore Ravens have quite a few questions but a great core, putting them high on the latest NFL power rankings list this offseason.

It’s never too early for some NFL power rankings, especially when the Baltimore Ravens are one of the highest-ranked teams on the list. The Ravens start the 2021 offseason ranked No. 5 on Touchdown Wire’s early power rankings list.

Despite a hot-and-cold regular season, Baltimore found some footing at the end of the season and into the playoffs. They notched their first playoff win in the Lamar Jackson era, beating the Tennessee Titans in the Wild-Card round to advance to the Divisional round for the second consecutive season. While it’s unfortunate the Ravens couldn’t go further, there’s some light at the end of the tunnel, according to writer Mark Schofield.

Baltimore is still in position to make a run, with Jackson’s athleticism at the quarterback position and the pieces they have in place around him. The biggest question facing him and the rest of the Ravens offense is how they take the next step forward in the passing game. If they solve that riddle, the Ravens will be in position for perhaps an even deeper run into the postseason.

It’s not quite as simple as Schofield makes it seem but it’s a task that is certainly doable this offseason if Baltimore is smart. As I’ve detailed before, there are a handful of things the Ravens need to do to fix their passing attack, starting with improving the offensive line.

If there’s one thing the playoffs and even Super Bowl LV taught everyone, it’s that an offense’s success starts upfront. Both Jackson and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes were battered behind injury-ravaged offensive lines, taking away some of their best traits in the process. While there are other things Baltimore can do, including improving their route concepts and finding a possession receiver, giving Jackson more time to read the defense should see the Ravens’ offense flourish.

Unfortunately, Baltimore might actually be heading backward currently. Pro Bowl tackle Orlando Brown Jr. wants to be traded this offseason as he wants to continue to play at left tackle. But with Ronnie Stanley expected back next season, it’s a position already filled with amazing talent, leaving Brown the odd-man-out. With the offensive line already one of the bigger question marks the Ravens face this offseason, they could be in serious danger if they lose Brown and cannot adequately replace him.

As is the case with every power rankings list ever, things are subject to change. How Baltimore handles their situation with Brown and what they do both in free agency and the 2021 NFL draft will ultimately improve or decrease their standing on lists like these over the next few months. But for now, the Ravens are sitting pretty.

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Matthew Judon thinks Ravens’ offseason additions are ‘huge’ for defense

The Baltimore Ravens added Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe this offseason, and Matthew Judon is happy with what they bring to the team.

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The Baltimore Ravens went into this offseason with a pretty clearly defined mission. After getting run all over by the Tennessee Titans and being booted from the playoffs, Baltimore obviously wanted to revamp its defensive line and ability to defend the run. They took little time in addressing the issues this offseason and outside linebacker Matthew Judon is pretty happy with the results.

Before free agency even started, Baltimore pulled off a trade for Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell, inking him to a short contract extension to lower his cap hit as well. While a deal for former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers fell through, the Ravens went back to free agency and picked up former Denver Broncos defensive tackle Derek Wolfe instead.

“I thought it was huge as a defense,” Judon said in a video conference with reporters Monday. “We kind of lost a couple of guys in the middle. Then we went and traded for Calais [Campbell] and then we signed Derek Wolfe in free agency.”

Though both are stout against the run, they also bring some upside as pass rushers too. The moves should give Baltimore an interior pass rush, something it’s lacked for years now while bringing even more experience to the roster.

“Both of those players, their resumes speak for themselves,” Judon continued. “They know how to get to the quarterback; they know how to make plays, and they also know how to make plays in big games. You don’t really need to talk about guys like that, because you just turn on the tape and you can see them.”

With the Ravens performing so well last year, they feel close to a Super Bowl. Those windows don’t stay open for long, and with Judon and Wolfe only signed through the 2020 season, Baltimore is betting on its newest defensive additions getting them over the hump to Super Bowl LV.

“I think they’re just going to fit in perfectly,” said Judon.

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Ravens waive recently signed LB Jake Ryan

The Baltimore Ravens added two linebackers through the 2020 NFL Draft, making recently-signed LB Jake Ryan expendable.

Linebacker Jake Ryan will be looking for his third team in just a few months. Less than two months after agreeing to terms with Ryan and roughly a month after officially inking the deal, the Baltimore Ravens have decided to waive the veteran linebacker, according to the team’s Twitter account.

While it’s somewhat shocking to see a player waived so quickly after being signed, Baltimore remedied their woes at linebacker through the 2020 NFL Draft. The Ravens used their first-round pick on LSU linebacker Patrick Queen, while also picking Malik Harrison in the third round. With L.J. Fort signed to an extension late last season, Baltimore seemingly has their top linebackers already on the roster. The Ravens also have quite a bit of depth with Chris Board and Otaro Alaka returning from last year, as well as a few UDFAs signed following the 2020 NFL Draft.

When initially signed, Ryan was figured to be experienced depth for Baltimore. When healthy, Ryan was productive over three years with the Green Bay Packers. However, Ryan went on injured reserve in each of the last two seasons, playing just two games since the start of the 2018 season. With two new starting-caliber linebackers added to the Ravens’ roster and the experience Fort brings to the table, Ryan was clearly expendable.

Waiving Ryan will save Baltimore $845,000, according to Over The Cap. While not a ton of money considering the 2020 salary cap is set at $198.2 million, it does bring the Ravens up to $9.15 million available still, according to OTC. It will also open up a spot on Baltimore’s 90-man roster, paving the way for another signing at a position of more need.

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Ravens salary cap 2020: Start of the offseason review

We take a closer look at where the Baltimore Ravens’ salary cap stands at the beginning of the 2020 NFL offseason and what they can do.

The Baltimore Ravens will be in a somewhat unfamiliar land this offseason. After years of being cash strapped due to large contracts and tons of dead money counting against them, Baltimore is expected to have a decent bit of room in their salary cap to use in free agency.

According to Over The Cap, the Ravens have $171.38 million in salary cap liabilities right now. While the 2020 NFL salary cap isn’t finalized yet, it’s expected to be between $196.8 million and $201.2 million. That means Baltimore should have around $25.42 million – $29.82 million in salary-cap space before making any moves.

Granted, that still places the Ravens in the bottom third of the league (No. 22 specifically). However, that’s a bit of an illusion since general manager Eric DeCosta has worked hard to ink players to contracts early. That includes cornerback Marcus Peters who was expected to be one of Baltimore’s top pending free agents this offseason before signing a three-year extension worth $42 million at the end of the season.

While the Ravens still have 21 pending free agents to deal with, including outside linebacker Matthew Judon, Baltimore doesn’t have nearly as many big holes on its roster as the rest of the league. Barring guard Marshal Yanda retiring this offseason, the Ravens really have two positions they’ll need to address in free agency and the draft.

Baltimore also has ways of creating additional salary cap space simply by cutting players already under contract. Safety Tony Jefferson, cornerback Brandon Carr and offensive lineman James Hurst are among the salary cap casualties many expect this offseason and would free up roughly another $15.75 million if cut, giving the Ravens as much as $45.57 million available in their 2020 NFL salary cap.

Of course, contract restructures and extensions could buy the Ravens additional cap space if needed as well. However, those would also create larger financial liabilities in the future that Baltimore would likely want to avoid if possible. Still, the option is on the table for the Ravens if they fall in love with a free agent or trade and need money quickly.

Baltimore might not be able to go on the type of spending spree we’ve seen from teams like the Cleveland Browns, but they have plenty of space to re-sign their key players and make moves for some of the top pending free agents this offseason. If they team that up with great drafting — something we’ve come to expect from the franchise — they’ll be in great shape for 2020 and beyond.

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6 biggest questions facing the Ravens this offseason

The Baltimore Ravens head into the offseason with a lot of cap space and draft picks, but they still have some questions to answer.

After their 14-2 regular season campaign that saw them pegged as Super Bowl favorites by many, the Baltimore Ravens were shown the door in the playoffs by the Tennessee Titans, losing 28-12 in the divisional round. While the Ravens proved to everyone that they have the talent to compete with any team in the NFL, being ousted from the playoffs after one game for the second year in a row has raised a lot of questions about this team.

In order to get over the hump and make a push for a Super Bowl, Baltimore is going to need to focus on a few key aspects. From players to scheme, let’s take a look at the six biggest questions the Ravens face this offseason.

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Wide receiver corps

Baltimore has changed their wide receiver room each offseason for the last two years heading into this season. Two years ago they let Jeremy Maclin and Mike Wallace go. Last year, they let Michael Crabtree and John Brown walk. While Marquise Brown, Willie Snead and Miles Boykin are all returning for 2020, it’s safe to say Baltimore needs to get Lamar Jackson some more help on the outside.

Both Seth Roberts and Chris Moore are some of the Ravens’ pending free agents and I wouldn’t expect either to be back. Moore has never really made the most of his opportunities and after being supplanted as the team’s deep threat by Brown, it’s difficult to tell what his role would be if re-signed. There are more scenarios where Roberts could come back but a huge drop against the Titans will be fresh in Baltimore’s mind if they sit down at the negotiating table. After being selected in the 2018 NFL draft, Jaleel Scott has been active in just three games and has caught just one pass for six yards. He’ll likely return for training camp but he’s in real danger of being cut if he can’t impress early and often.

At his end of the season press conference, coach John Harbaugh noted that they have their eyes on two different style of wide receivers this offseason.

Though he failed to expand upon what they were or if they’d be draft prospects or free agents, there’s plenty of room for the Ravens to add talent.

If Baltimore decides to keep six wide receivers on the 53 man roster like they did in 2019, the Ravens would have three wide-open spots if Roberts, Moore and Scott don’t return. The Ravens will have to ask themselves if they want to bring in free agents like A.J. Green, Emmanuel Sanders or Robby Anderson, or look towards the early rounds of the NFL Draft with players like Henry Ruggs III, Justin Jefferson or Tee Higgins to fill the void.

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How Marcus Peters’ signing affects Ravens offseason plans

The Baltimore Ravens have made it far clearer what they plan on doing this offseason after inking CB Marcus Peters to a three-year deal

The Baltimore Ravens continued their new tradition of re-signing their high priority free agents early with the three-year contract extension given to cornerback Marcus Peters. Peters is now one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league with quite a lot of guaranteed money on his deal. Though the 2019 season hasn’t even ended yet, Peters’ signing has pretty big implications on what the Ravens will end up doing in the offseason.

Peters will join Marlon Humphrey as the two top cornerbacks on the team with Tavon Young returning to his typical slot role after ending this season on injured reserve. While the Ravens have loved having a wealth of top cornerbacks this season, they’ll have quite a bit of money invested in the position after giving Young a three-year, $25.8 million deal in February. That will likely jeopardize the standing of both Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr this offseason.

Smith is set to hit free agency this offseason after yet another down year in which he missed a bunch of games due to injury. Smith went down in Week 1 with a knee sprain after just six snaps, sitting out until Week 9. His 10 games played this season are his fewest since 2014 and make 19 games missed in the last four seasons. Though it’s possible Smith could return on a short-term deal with a low cap hit, it seems far more likely he’ll find bigger money elsewhere if another team is willing to bet he can remain healthy for 16 games.

Carr is still signed through the 2020 season but has a $1.5 million roster bonus due on March 10, according to Over The Cap. With only $1 million in dead money for next season, Baltimore would effectively save $6 million by cutting Carr before his roster bonus is due.

Much like Smith, it’s possible Carr could return to Baltimore, especially if the Ravens want to retain some experienced depth. Carr has played both inside and outside coverages and has even bounced back to safety this season in a floater role that allows him to still see plenty of snaps in spite of being the fourth cornerback on the depth chart. Given the injuries the Ravens have had at cornerback over the last few years and Carr’s age (he’ll be 34 next season), he could be a low-cost option to be cut and re-sign for Baltimore.

More importantly, Peters’ signing gives the Ravens a little more flexibility with regards to Humphrey in a few years. As a first-round pick, Humphrey has a fifth-year option available that would keep him signed through 2021. Baltimore would then have a clearer picture of their salary cap at that time and which cornerback they’d want to retain long-term.

Peters’ signing effectively makes him the Ravens’ No. 2 cornerback next season and continues Baltimore’s infatuation with having the league’s most talented and deep secondary. It also ensures the defense won’t change too much, continuing their Super Bowl window a little further.

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