Tag: Brandon Williams

Three winners from the Ravens’ 2021 draft

The Baltimore Ravens were able to secure plenty of talent during the 2021 NFL draft. Here are three winners from the current roster

The Baltimore Ravens were able to improve their roster in a big way during the 2021 NFL draft, adding eight extremely talented players to their roster. They filled holes while also finding players who can make an impact for them immediately.

Even though there are plenty of new faces, players already on the team will still have very big roles to play. Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, Calais Campbell, Marlon Humphrey, and others will have massive roles in trying to help Baltimore achieve their goals. However, there were some players who entering the draft could have seen their playing time decrease due to a rookie coming in an challenging them for snaps.

With that being said, here are three winners from the Ravens’ 2021 draft.

Ravens Draft Prospect Profile: Christian Barmore

The Baltimore Ravens could look to invest in their defensive line early in the 2021 draft. Christian Barmore could be a nice selection

The Baltimore Ravens have a talented defensive line unit heading into the 2021 season. Led by Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams and Derek Wolfe, the group has elite run-stuffing ability while also being able to generate some interior pressure. However, with the trio all being over 30 years old, could Baltimore look towards the future and invest in a defensive lineman in the first round of the 2021 draft?

University of Alabama’s Christian Barmore is the best defensive line prospect in this draft class. He has a unique blend of size, power, and athleticism. He uses his hands to stun offensive linemen and has an array of moves that he utilizes to shed blockers with ease.

In his two years with the Crimson Tide, Barmore accumulated 63 total tackles, 10 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He was a consistent playmaker for Nick Saban’s defense, although he wasn’t always on the field due to the fact that he was rotated in with other talented players.

Barmore has the versatility to line up as either a 1-technique or 3-technique, which would help him fit in on Baltimore’s already somewhat positionless defense. Working at multiple different positions would give Don Martindale the ability to move not only Barmore around, but also players like Campbell, Williams and Wolfe.

For a Ravens defense that has sometimes struggled to generate interior pressure, Barmore would give them a great option as a pass rusher on third down if they don’t want to utilize him as a three-down player right away. With a fully healthy Campbell and an improving Justin Madubuike, Baltimore would have the potential for a much better interior rush group than in 2020.

While it’s unlikely that Barmore will be available when the Ravens pick in the first round at No. 27, Baltimore would probably entertain selecting him if he ended up falling into their lap. While drafting a defensive lineman most likely isn’t at the top of their priority list, selecting Barmore would set the Ravens up nicely for the present and for the future at the position.

4 potential surprise picks for the Ravens in the first round of the 2021 Draft

The Baltimore Ravens could surprise many in the 2021 Draft and select someone out of the ordinary. Who could they potentially target?

The Baltimore Ravens will be picking 27th in the 2021 NFL draft, which is a great opportunity to add an immediate-impact playmaker at a position at need. There are plenty of different directions that the Ravens could go in, both on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Every year in the draft, there are surprise picks made in the first round of players who many have graded as Day 2 or Day 3 prospects. Teams have their own draft boards and their own grades for every player, so if one organization falls in love with a certain prospect, they could shock the rest of the league by selecting them earlier than anticipated.

Baltimore has shown that its draft strategy is sometimes to take the best player available, regardless of need or round. While many are expecting the Ravens to take either a wide receiver, pass rusher or offensive lineman in the first round of the 2021 draft, they could go in a completely different direction.

Here are four potential prospects that Baltimore could on draft night that could come as a bit of a surprise.

Ravens renegotiate deals for Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams; freeing up cap space

The Baltimore Ravens renegotiate Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams’ contracts, freeing up $4.5 million in cap space as both take pay cuts

Like nearly every team in the NFL this offseason, the Baltimore Ravens were hit hard by the reduction in salary cap. While the Ravens started far better off than many teams, re-signing several of their own players and adding guard Kevin Zeitler took its toll on their salary cap situation. With the second wave of free agency starting and the 2021 NFL draft just around the corner, Baltimore put in a little contract work to free up some money.

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Ravens renegotiated contracts with Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams. However, the better term here is that both players effectively took pay cuts, restructuring their deals but taking less money against the salary cap. As The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec points out, both players could still earn money back through incentives, but it frees up $4.5 million in cap space without signing either to an extension.

According to the NFLPA’s public salary cap report, the Ravens now have $18.6 million available. It is important to note that Baltimore will still need to sign all of their 2021 NFL draft picks and add players to round out the roster, something that will eat up quite a bit of money from that cap total. However, the renegotiated contracts give the Ravens some spending money if they’re interested in signing some more players in free agency.

With Baltimore showing some interest in players like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kenny Golladay, and Sammy Watkins, that additional cap space could allow the Ravens to make a move ahead of the 2021 NFL draft if they wish. But it could also just be a little breathing room, which the team typically likes to have entering the second wave of free agency.

Baltimore could still have some tricks up its sleeve to free up even more cap space if they fall in love with a free agent or can acquire someone via trade. Players like left tackle Ronnie Stanley and cornerback Marlon Humphrey have contracts that are perfect for restructures, which could create roughly $7 million in additional cap space.

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8 cuts that would give the Ravens’ salary cap the biggest boost

The Baltimore Ravens don’t have much in the way of available salary-cap space. If they’re desperate, they could look to cut a few players.

Like the rest of the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens are a little light on the wallet. Thanks to the 2021 salary cap being expected to go down for the first time in over a decade, the Ravens will have far less salary-cap space than they originally envisioned. Though Baltimore has more than about half the league, they could be looking to free up some more money this offseason.

There are a few ways the Ravens could create more cap space. They could use extensions to lower the 2021 cap hit of some players. Restructuring is always an option as well, though that tends to create more cap issues in later years. However, there’s always the pink slip option, jettisoning a player who just isn’t worth their current cap hit and has limited dead money still attached to their deal.

Today, we’re going to look at the straight-up cuts to see which players would return the most money to the Ravens’ salary cap.

*Note: I’m not saying any of these players should or will get cut. These are just the ones that have the biggest savings

Ravens set to re-sign DT Justin Ellis on 1-year deal

The Baltimore Ravens are keeping some continuity on their defensive line, bringing back DT Justin Ellis on a one-year deal.

The Baltimore Ravens revamped their defensive line last offseason and apparently are looking to keep it rolling into 2021. According to NFL reporter Josina Anderson and confirmed by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens are bringing back defensive tackle Justin Ellis. It’ll be a one-year deal worth $1.2 million

Baltimore originally signed Ellis midway through the 2019 season after a short stint with the Oakland Raiders. However, he was active for just four games with the Ravens that season. Still, Baltimore brought him back last offseason where he saw far more playing time, playing 34% of the defensive snaps and starting three games while Brandon Williams was out on the COVID-19 list. While Ellis hasn’t put up much in the way of stats, the Ravens’ coaching staff clearly likes what they’ve seen from him.

Re-signing Ellis would seem to be solely for depth but it is an interesting move when you consider Baltimore selected defensive tackles Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington Jr. in the 2020 NFL draft. While Madubuike battled injuries and Washington only played on 15% of the defense’s snaps, both could be in line for far more playing time in 2021.

At the same time, the move could signal a desire to adjust Williams’ contract to free up some cap space. Williams is currently in the final year of his deal and carries a $14.42 million cap hit — the third highest on the team in 2021 — according to Over The Cap. Cutting Williams outright would free up $7.5 million, which is a massive amount considering the Ravens are currently projected to have just $18 million in available salary-cap funds. Ellis is by no means as capable as Williams but at just 8% of the cost and with Calais Campbell helping solidify the defensive line, Baltimore could be preparing to make a surprising move ahead of free agency.

Regardless of what happens elsewhere on the roster, the Ravens have brought back a defensive player they clearly like who has starting experience, and all for pretty cheap. It might not be the biggest move we’ve seen Baltimore make but it’s one that makes a lot of sense for them.

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Texans cut cornerbacks Mark Fields, Brandon Williams

The Houston Texans have cut cornerbacks Mark Fields and Brandon Williams, who both played a combined two games and 17 special teams snaps in 2020.

The Houston Texans are making moves to prepare for the new NFL year 2021, which starts March 17.

The Texans announced Wednesday they have cut cornerbacks Brandon Williams and Mark Fields.

Williams, a former Texas A&M product, did not see an activation with the Texans in 2020, and was going to count $850,000 against the Texans’ salary cap. In 2020, Williams played six games for the New York Giants, recording one tackle.

Fields played the final two games of the 2020 season with the Texans after spending Weeks 2-14 with the Minnesota Vikings. The 5-10, 192-pound cornerback collected one combined tackle amid 17 special teams snaps.

With the departures of Fields and Williams, the Texans could be looking to go with younger talent to round out their roster under new coach David Culley.

The best pick from each NFL draft class in Ravens history

We take a look back at each of the Baltimore Ravens’ drafts to find the best selection the team made.

The Baltimore Ravens have long been considered one of the best teams in the league when it comes to scouting, drafting, and developing players. The Ravens have been a part of 25 NFL drafts since being founded in 1996 and have earned their reputation by finding some real gems at a variety of rounds. In that time, Baltimore has drafted 31 players who have been to a Pro Bowl, 14 players who were named to the All-Pro team, and three players currently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

However, not every pick or even draft year has been outstanding for the Ravens, with some selections having clearly been better than others. But instead of looking at which players were the best overall, we want to break it down year-by-year to find the best player Baltimore grabbed in every draft throughout franchise history.

Let’s kick it off with that inaugural 1996 season . . .

Report: Ravens DL coach Joe Cullen top target for Jaguars defensive coordinator job

The Jaguars are starting to build their staff out after hiring Urban Meyer and Ravens’ Joe Cullen could be their defensive coordinator

The Jacksonville Jaguars finished their coaching search, bringing in former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer to right the franchise. But just because either Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman or defensive coordinator Don Martindale wasn’t chosen for the coaching vacancy doesn’t mean Baltimore’s staff isn’t still in the crosshairs.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Ravens defensive line coach Joe Cullen is a top target for the defensive coordinator job on Meyer’s staff.

Cullen has been with Baltimore for the last five seasons, joining the team in 2016 after a two-season stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’s primarily been a defensive line coach throughout his career, both in the NFL and in the college ranks.

If Cullen does leave for Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator job, he’ll be missed in Baltimore. Cullen has helped develop players like Michael Pierce, Brandon Williams, and Timmy Jernigan; while keeping the Ravens’ defense among the best against the run over that time.

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Ravens stopped Derrick Henry once before, they can do it again

The Baltimore Ravens stuffed Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry for three full quarters earlier this season. They can do it again

As the NFL playoffs have kicked off this week, one of the top storylines has been the Baltimore Ravens’ defense going up against Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry. It’s figured to be one of the main keys of this week’s wild-card matchup, with analysts and even some fans wondering if Baltimore has what it takes to stop the bruising Henry from once again dominating the game.

But analysts and fans are missing one thing . . . The Ravens have already stopped Henry earlier this season. And they did it without defensive linemen Brandon Williams and Calais Campbell. This time around, both players should be suited up and it’ll make all the difference in the world.

Let’s take a quick look back to that Week 11 tilt. If you look at just the box score, it’s easy to see why people think Henry dominated that game. He finished with 133 rushing yards and a touchdown on 28 carries — good for a 4.8 yards-per-carry average. But when you look a little closer, the bulk of those yards and his lone touchdown came late in the game and in overtime, while he was completely stifled for three quarters.

Let’s actually break down Henry’s yards and attempts by quarter to see just how impressive Baltimore’s defense was in that game.

Quarter Attempts Yards Average TDs
1st 6 22 3.67 YPC 0
2nd 7 15 2.14 YPC 0
3rd 5 7 1.4 YPC 0
4th 7 52 7.43 YPC 0
Overtime 3 37 12.33 YPC 1

As you can see, it wasn’t until the fourth quarter where Henry actually found any rushing room. And even then, it was a 24-yard run in the fourth quarter and a 29-yard run in overtime that got him the bulk of his yards on the day. While every play counts, taking out those two runs paints quite a different picture. Without them, Henry only put up 80 rushing yards and five first downs on 26 carries — a pedestrian 3.08 yards-per-carry average.

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As mentioned earlier, both Campbell and Williams were out of that game, putting more pressure on the rest of the defense to focus on containing Henry, allowing quarterback Ryan Tannehill to see less pressure and more open throwing lanes accordingly. More importantly, it meant the defensive line had little depth to rotate around, making the starters gassed by the fourth quarter. With both players back in the lineup this week and others like Jihad Ward and Justin Madubuike playing significantly better football now, there’s reason for optimism in this rematch.

The Ravens had actually owned a decent lead at one point of the game, going 21-10 shortly after halftime. But offensive inconsistencies and an interception allowed Tennessee to turn things around, eventually seeing the Titans take the lead back late in the fourth quarter. However, Baltimore’s offense has played far better football over the last five weeks and while it’s a stretch to say they’ve looked unstoppable, there is a night-and-day difference between the unit in Week 11 to now.

They’ve averaged 430 offensive-yards-per-game while putting up 37.2 points-per-game over the last five weeks, even with starters sitting for stretches due to blowout wins and a COVID-19 outbreak. The rushing attack has been leaps and bounds better than what we saw earlier in the season as the offense has moved away from Mark Ingram as the starting running back and instead are splitting the job between J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has been playing smarter and more efficient football as well, connecting on some deep passes last week against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Don’t get it twisted, slowing Henry down is a tough task no matter how good the defense. But the Ravens’ defense showed they can do it even when down their top two run-stuffing players. With the offense now in a far better position to finish the game on their own and the defense nearly back to full healthy, Baltimore has what it takes to pick up that important first playoff win.

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