9 potential cuts around the NFL the Ravens could be interested in

The Baltimore Ravens love a bargain in free agency and could look to other teams’ salary cap casualties this offseason to fill needs cheaply

NFL free agency comes in a few waves every year. Though all the attention is focused on the big-name players who have expiring contracts, the salary-cap casualties are often the free agents the Baltimore Ravens are most interested in. Around the NFL’s Gregg Rosenthal looked at a bunch of players who could get cut this offseason.

Though they have more salary-cap space expected than in previous years, I’d suspect that will once again be their strategy this offseason as they look to fill their needs with value additions.

In addition to typically being cheaper options, cut players don’t count against the compensatory pick formula. The Ravens love to play against that formula to get something in return for departing players they couldn’t afford. With outside linebacker Matthew Judon among the 21 pending free agents potentially on the way out, being savvy with who they sign would be wise for Baltimore to once again game that system this year.

Here are the 9 potential cuts that would be intriguing for the Ravens this offseason.

Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images

EDGE Trent Murphy, Buffalo Bills

Though Murphy never quite lived up to his second-round status for the Washington Redskins, he’s still been a productive member of the Bills since being drafted. Over the last three years, Murphy has 18 sacks and started 26 of the 45 games he’s been active for.

He’s not the star player many fans would want but he’s an impact contributor who could likely be signed for a steal when compared to the top pass rushers that will hit free agency. If the Ravens are trying to completely restock their outside linebacker depth chart this offseason, Murphy would likely find a good role given Baltimore only had one player (Matthew Judon) with more sacks in 2019.

Vikings currently more than $11 million over 2020 cap

The Vikings are in a tough spot as they head into the 2020 offseason.

The Vikings are in a tough spot as they head into the 2020 offseason.

According to Over The Cap, the Vikings are already $11.36 million over the 2020 cap.

Now, the Vikings do have plenty of options to create more cap space. If the Vikings cut ties with Riley Reiff ($8.8 million), Everson Griffen ($13.1 million) and Xavier Rhodes ($8.1 million), that will already free up $30 million.

Griffen’s situation is a little different because his contract will technically be voided because he had six or more sacks last season.

Of course, there are players that the Vikings will try to bring back and there’s a possibility that the team will want to restructure deals with Reiff and Griffen instead of cutting them outright. (There’s not as much hope for Rhodes.)

There’s also safety Anthony Harris, who is an unrestricted free agent after having one of the best seasons among safeties in the league in 2019.

Cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander are also unrestricted free agents.

Rick Spielman and Co. have plenty of work in front of them.

Vikings take DE Marlon Davidson in 2nd PFF mock draft

Davidson played four years at Auburn and had a career-high 6.5 sacks last season.

With the Super Bowl now over, it’s time for NFL fans to focus on the upcoming NFL Draft.

The folks over at Pro Football Focus put together their second mock draft. With the 25th overall pick, Michael Renner has the Vikings selecting Auburn defensive end Marlon Davidson.

Here’s what Renner wrote about Davidson:

Davidson was one of the biggest movers with his play at the Senior Bowl a couple of weeks ago. He has prototypical 3-tech traits even though he played mostly on the edge at Auburn. Earning an 83.8 pass-rushing grade playing out of position in the SEC is pretty dang impressive.

Most scouts think that Davidson can play both defensive end and defensive tackle at the next level, which will be big for the Vikings considering they could be without Everson Griffen next season. As far as the interior is concerned, Linval Joseph took a step back last season.

Davidson played four years at Auburn and had a career-high 6.5 sacks last season. He was named First-Team All-SEC in 2019.

Vikings’ free-agency watch: Defensive ends

Will Everson Griffen be back?

Under contract:

Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, who became the youngest player to record 50 sacks in NFL history, will be in the second year of a five-year, $72 million deal. He’ll have a $14.5 million cap hit in 2020.

Ifeadi Odenigbo, who came on late last season, is due just $660,000 in 2020 before becoming a restricted free agent.

Eddie Yarbrough signed with the Vikings before the playoffs and is due $660,000.

Free-agent(s):

After recording more than six sacks (he finished with eight), Everson Griffen’s contract is now voided in 2020 for the Vikings.

Will he be back? We saw last season even at age 32, that Griffen still has what it takes to bring it at a Pro Bowl level. It feels like the Vikings will try to make a short-term deal happen with Griffen, even with their tight cap situation. Griffen just feels like one of those guys who should be a Viking for life.

Cap casualty?

The Vikings can cut ties with Odenigbo and Yarbrough for no cap penalty.

Vikings DE Everson Griffen was an absolute stud against the Saints

Griffen finished the game with three tackles, three quarterback hits, a tackle for loss and a season-high 1.5 sacks.

After a down year in 2018, Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen was back to his ways in 2019. That continued in Sunday’s overtime win over the Saints in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Griffen finished the game with three tackles, three quarterback hits, a tackle for loss and a season-high 1.5 sacks.

Griffen, along with Danielle Hunter who had 1.5 sacks of his own, were the difference in this game. The two defensive ends got pressure on Drew Brees early and often. Brees never felt comfortable and that led in a fumble (forced by Hunter) and an interception to safety Anthony Harrirs.

The Vikings will need a repeat performance from these two against the 49ers in a matchup where they are 6.5-point underdogs. The 49ers allowed just 28 sacks this season, a mark that ranked sixth in the league.

However, the Saints allowed just 22 sacks, the best mark in the league, and the Vikings didn’t seem to have any problem with that.

Vikings’ Eric Kendricks finishes as PFF’s top-graded LB

Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith finished as the second and third-ranked safeties in the league.

The 2019 NFL regular season is over.

According to Pro Football Focus’ grading system, linebacker Eric Kendricks was the best linebacker in the NFL, finishing with a grade of 90.5, 0.4 points ahead of Saints’ Demario Davis.

A few observations on grades involving Minnesota’s defensive players:

  • Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith finished as the second and third-ranked safeties in the league, respectively, with grades of 90.5 and 89.8.
  • No Vikings cornerback graded in the top-50. Outch. Mackensie Alexander had the highest grade of 65.7, good for 51st in the league. Xavier Rhodes had a grade of 46.4, 118th in the league.
  • Nose tackle Linval Joseph finished with a grade of 71.2, his lowest since the 2014 season.
  • Defensive end Danielle Hunter finished with a grade of 89.4. That was a career-high and eighth among edge rushers in the league. Everson Griffen ranked 25th with a grade of 77.6, a 9.6 increase from last season.

Seahawks offense up for tough test against Vikings defense

The Seattle Seahawks offense is very good, but so is the Vikings defense. That sets the stage for a tough matchup in Monday Night Football.

The Seattle Seahawks are among the best teams in this league, and they didn’t get there without respecting their opponents. Led by quarterback Russell Wilson, the Seattle offense is having a great year – but the Minnesota Vikings won’t be a cakewalk.

The Vikings defensive unit is a stout one with a lot of very solid players. Add in the fact that Wilson has been sacked 11 times over the last two games and things get even more interesting.

Even with the dynamic game of Wilson, there are a lot of players on the Vikings defensive unit that can be a big problem.

“They’re such a veteran group,” Wilson said of the Vikings defensive unit. “They got everything you could want on defense. They got a great defensive line. Great linebackers. These guys are flying around making tremendous plays.”

There are a lot of names on the back of those purple jerseys to watch out for. Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks wreaked havoc as linebackers at UCLA, now they are doing the same as members of the Vikings. Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen are tough up front. However, it’s a defensive back that Wilson remembers most.

“Harrison [Smith] is is arguably one of the best in the game,” Wilson said. “I remember coming in into the 2012 class with him. Just a tremendous football player and just a guy who had the right attitude, was first in line at every drill. Just a guy who was a great leader. You really sensed that from the beginning.”

Smith is listed as questionable for Monday’s bout, but all signs indicate he is likely to suit up for the Vikings.

The Seahawks offense is no slouch. It’s gearing up to be a fun matchup to watch between offense and defense. That is what Wilson is anticipating anyway.

“It’s going to be a great battle and they coach extremely well,” Wilson said. “It’s going to be a tremendous feat. We’re looking forward to it.”

Wilson and the rest of the offense has their work cut out for them in this game. The Seahawks enter the game in search of their 10th win of the season and a spot atop the NFC West against the surging Vikings, who have won six of their last seven, losing only to the Chiefs in that stretch.

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Vikings DE Everson Griffen ranks 3rd in Comeback Player of the Year candidates

With 73.5 career sacks, Griffen ranks fourth in team history and 12 behind Jared Allen for third. 

After a rocky 2018 season in which Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen missed five games due to mental health (good job by him for getting help, by the way), he appears to be back, and better, in 2019.

In 2019, the 31-year-old three-time Pro Bowler has 36 tackles and seven sacks through 11 games. He’s on pace for 10 sacks, which would mark his fourth season with 10 or more sacks.

Chris Wesseling over at NFL.com ranked his top-10 Comeback Player candidates and Griffen ranked third.

Griffen has 58 quarterback disruptions, a mark that ranks second only to teammate Danielle Hunter, who has 71.

Per Pro Football Focus, Griffen ranks as the league’s 15th edge player with a grade of 84.6. That’s the best mark of his career and a 16.6-point improvement from last season.

With 73.5 career sacks, Griffen ranks fourth in team history and 12 behind Jared Allen for third.

Hunter, on the other hand, already has 48.5 career sacks, a mark that ranks 10th.