Tag: Baltimore Ravens offseason

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.

Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

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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