Tag: jaylon ferguson

Stock up, stock down from Ravens’ 20-3 preseason win over Panthers

In the second week of the 2021 preseason, the Ravens had many players increase their stock, but some saw their standing fall

The Baltimore Ravens went into Carolina and came out with a preseason victory against the Panthers, winning 20-3. Baltimore held Carolina relatively in check for the entire contest, and there were plenty of standouts across the board.

Offensive and defensive players who needed strong performances to get closer to earning a roster spot impressed, and even special teams contributors got in on that action. However, there were a few players who didn’t play due to injury that had their stock drop.

We take a look at players who increased their stock against the Panthers, as well as those who saw their stock fall.

Edge rusher named Ravens’ biggest spot up for grabs during 2021 training camp by Bleacher Report

Edge rusher named Ravens’ biggest spot up for grabs during 2021 training camp by Bleacher Report

The Baltimore Ravens are able to stay competitive year in and year out due to their roster depth and talented playmakers. They can withstand unfortunate injuries at multiple positions, and how deep they are also means that they can keep their players fresh throughout games and the entire season as well.

When listing out the biggest spot up for grabs during 2021 training camp for each NFL team, Maurice Moten of Bleacher Report identified the edge rusher position as his choice for Baltimore. Moten acknowledged that the Ravens lost multiple talented pass rushers in free agency such as Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue, but highlighted players who could earn big roles during training camp at the position, including Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee.

“Tyus Bowser, a 2017 second-rounder, will likely line up as the strong-side linebacker. In March, the Ravens signed him to a four-year extension worth $22 million with $12 million guaranteed. Pernell McPhee could hold off a trio of developing players on the opposite side after starting in 13 contests last year.”

Moten also talked about Baltimore’s two edge rushers that they selected in the 2021 draft with Odafe Oweh and Daelin Hayes.

“The Ravens selected Odafe Oweh in the first round of this year’s draft. The rookie may take on a big role, though he could back up Bowser while developing his pass-rushing skills. As a collegian, the Penn State product recorded seven sacks…As a rookie fifth-rounder, Daelin Hayes has an outside shot to emerge, but he turned some heads during the spring with simulated sacks at practice.”

Finally, Moten mentioned Jaylon Ferguson, who with a strong training camp and preseason could earn a big role for himself.

“Jaylon Ferguson, who’s the all-time NCAA sack leader, hasn’t translated his pass-rushing potential into significant production yet. He’s recorded just 4.5 sacks in two seasons, but the Louisiana Tech product will have a prime opportunity to break out with a pathway to more snaps on the edge.”

How the edge rusher position performs for the Ravens will be a key in how successful this team can be in 2021. The group has a high ceiling, and if they can rush the passer at a high level, the sky’s the limit for Baltimore’s defense. Training camp should provide plenty of opportunities for the Ravens’ edge defenders to separate themselves from the pack, and the team will certainly get a good look at what they have at the position over the coming weeks.

Bleacher Report says loss of pass rushers should be Ravens’ biggest regret of 2021 offseason

The Baltimore Ravens lost Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue and Jihad Ward during the offseason. Bleacher Report says it’s their biggest regret

The Baltimore Ravens will be relying on a plethora of talent to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2021. However, a lot of that talent is relatively unproven at the edge rusher position after the team lost Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, and Jihad Ward in 2021 free agency.

Players like Tyus Bowser, Jaylon Ferguson and Odafe Oweh will most likely be asked to make up the production that the team lost during the offseason. When looking at one big regret that every NFL team should have from the 2021 offseason, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report highlighted the losses of both Judon and Ngakoue for Baltimore.

“The Baltimore Ravens did help reload their pass rush by drafting edge-defender Odafe Oweh in the first round. However, that move only came after Baltimore lost pass-rushers Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue in free agency.

Judon signed with the New England Patriots, while Ngakoue landed with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The issue isn’t necessarily that Baltimore let either Judon or Ngakoue get away. It’s that both left. The two were responsible for nine of the Ravens’ 39 sacks in 2020. Losing Judon is particularly regrettable, though, as he was a defensive mainstay with 15.5 sacks and 63 quarterback pressures over the last two seasons.”

It probably wasn’t ideal for the Ravens to lose both pass rushers. It wasn’t likely that Baltimore was going to be able to retain either due to the fact that they were expected to demand big contracts on the open market. Both ended up signing big-money deal with their new teams, and if the Ravens were to match either contract, it would have put them in a tough spot financially. Even if the team wanted to retain one or both of Judon and Ngakoue, their contracts or even sometimes spotty production likely contributed to their departures.

Knox lays out the fact that if Baltimore struggles to pressure opposing quarterbacks, their Super Bowl aspirations will become a lot more difficult to achieve.

“Baltimore looks like a Super Bowl contender in 2021, but a title will prove difficult if the Ravens struggle to pressure opposing passers.”

The Ravens certainly believes in the pass rushers on their roster, and rightfully so. Players like Bowser, Ferguson, and Oweh can thrive if put in the right situations, and with increased roles could certainly provide plenty of pressure from the outside. However, if they don’t produce as the Ravens anticipate, it could provide unanticipated problems for their defensive unit.

Ravens’ free agent pass rushing options beginning to dwindle

The Baltimore Ravens could look to sign a veteran pass rusher in free agency. However, their options are slowly dwindling

The Baltimore Ravens lost a good amount of production from the edge position during the 2021 offseason. The team saw Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, and Jihad Ward leave in free agency, creating a huge need at pass rusher.

While the Ravens did end up re-signing edge defenders Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee, along with draft Odafe Oweh and Daelin Hayes, Baltimore doesn’t have a ton of pass rushing juice from the position right now. Even throwing in third-year edge Jaylon Ferguson doesn’t do much to ease some of the concerns that many have felt about the Ravens’ pass rush heading into the season.

Baltimore has explored outside options to help their ability to get to the quarterback, including visiting with former Colts edge rusher Justin Houston. However, the veteran options are slowly dwindling as players begin to find new homes after the 2021 NFL draft. Former Washington Football Team edge defender Ryan Kerrigan is the latest pass rusher to go off of the board, signing with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.

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With Kerrigan now officially off of the market, that leaves the Ravens with only a few veteran pass rusher options remaining, with the biggest names including Houston, Melvin Ingram, and Olivier Vernon. Baltimore could opt to not sign an outside free agent and roll with who they already have, especially if they feel confident that players like Bowser, Ferguson, and Oweh can provide better production than some people anticipate.

When looking at the statistics for the edge defenders that the Ravens currently have on their roster, the combination of Bowser, McPhee, and Ferguson have combined for 52 sacks in 15 seasons between the three. For comparison, Houston has 97.5 sacks in his 10 year career. Oweh and Hayes don’t factor into the equation because they both haven’t played in and NFL game.

Overall, the Ravens have plenty of talent at the edge position. However, despite having players who can set the edge and drop back into coverage, right now it doesn’t seem like the team has any pure pass rushers who can be 10-12 sack players. That’s not to say that the pass rushers currently on Baltimore’s roster can’t develop into a sack artist with increased snaps, but the safer option could be to add a veteran who has proven that they can get to the quarterback consistently.

3 biggest needs for Ravens entering 2021 NFL draft

The Baltimore Ravens have a very competitive roster already, but they have a few needs that need to be filled. Which needs are most glaring?

The Baltimore Ravens have put together a very competitive roster. They have a plethora of stars surrounded by depth all around, which makes the team not only good at the top, but good all the way to the last man. There is a nice foundation already in place for the Ravens, as young studs such as Lamar Jackson, Ronnie Stanley, and Marlon Humphrey will carry the torch for a long time in Baltimore.

Despite having such a talented roster already, the Ravens now have the opportunity to get even better by drafting immediate impact contributors at positions of need in the 2021 NFL draft. Rounding out their roster should be a top priority for the team, so what needs are their most glaring heading into the draft?

Ravens Draft Prospect Profile: Kwity Paye

The Baltimore Ravens will most likely be looking for an impact playmaker at the edge rusher position. Could Kwity Paye fit?

The Baltimore Ravens currently have just three edge defenders on their roster in Tyus Bowser, Pernell McPhee, and Jaylon Ferguson. The team will most likely be looking for a bit of juice at the position during the 2021 NFL Draft, and they’ll have plenty of great options to choose from.

One prospect who could be an option for Baltimore is Kwity Paye. The former University of Michigan edge defender accumulated 97 total tackles and 11.5 sacks in his four years as a Wolverine, including a career high 6.5 in 2019. While his college production doesn’t pop off of the screen, his tape certainly does.

 

Paye has an unconventional stance that lets him use his athletic abilities to his advantage. He plays with an extremely high motor and gives 110% effort on every play, which are both traits that the Ravens value in potential draft picks. He also has both speed and power moves that he has shown the ability to use at times, but does need to refine his overall technique a bit.

The biggest concern with Paye is the fact that he’s a bit raw overall, but if he’s put in the right situation with the right coaches, he can thrive. He has the potential to be the best edge rusher to come out of the 2021 class, but does need to continue to grow his game.

With Paye, Baltimore would be getting an extremely talented player who uses his powerful hands to win at the point of attack and can jump through tight creases by taking near-perfect angles. He is also sound at defending the run, something the Ravens would task Paye with doing early and often when he got on the field.

The overall consensus about where Paye could be selected in the draft is all over the place. Some believe he could go as early as the 14th overall pick, while others think he’s an early Day 2 prospect. For Baltimore, if Paye somehow dropped to them at No. 27, they’d most likely seriously consider taking him. His talent is undeniable, and his potential is off of the charts. He would fill a position of need for the Ravens while giving them a great prospect both on and off of the field.

Eric DeCosta ranked as 17th best drafting general manager by NFL.com

Eric DeCosta has had a few nice drafts as the head GM in Baltimore. He was ranked 17th out of 23 in a list by NFL.com for draft abilities

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has established himself as one of the best in the business over the short amount of time he’s run the team. Taking over the position from former Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome in 2019, DeCosta has shown the ability to sign quality free agents both in and out of season, acquire playmakers via trade, and draft well.

NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal put together a list of every NFL general manager who have been in charge for two drafts or more and ranked them in terms of how well he believes they draft talent. He also didn’t go back past 2015, so any draft class before then had no impact on Rosenthal’s rankings.

Out of 23 general managers who qualified for the list, DeCosta was ranked 17th. Rosenthal’s reasoning for ranking DeCosta at No. 17 is as follows:

“Ozzie Newsome left big shoes to fill, especially after selecting Lamar Jackson, Orlando Brown and Mark Andrews in his final draft. It’s early, but DeCosta’s first two hauls look unlikely to produce a difference-maker. Last year’s first-rounder, Patrick Queen, was the lowest-graded rookie linebacker by Pro Football Focus (min. 20% of snaps), but it’s too early to put a “worst pick” tag on him. The team’s first-round pick in 2019, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, has played his best in the playoffs.”

Rosenthal lists J.K. Dobbins as Baltimore’s best selection during DeCosta’s tenure as general manager, but doesn’t list a worst pick, presumably because there hasn’t been enough time to deem anyone from his two draft classes a “bust”.

Although it’s only been two years at the helm for DeCosta, he’s shown a keen ability not only to take great prospects, but also to maneuver up and down the draft board to position himself to select impact playmakers. Some of the players that the former assistant general manager has selected include Brown, Queen, Dobbins, Justin Madubuike, Devin Duvernay and more. While his 2019 draft class that includes Jaylon Ferguson and Miles Boykin doesn’t look as strong as his 2020 haul, DeCosta has gotten enough out of the players he’s taken to rank higher on a list of general managers based off of their drafting ability.

DeCosta was most likely ranked so low on Rosenthal’s list because of his lack of experience as the true general manager plus a subpar 2019 draft class, which are both fair points. However, he worked under Newsome for years and was a key voice in prior drafts, which holds weight. DeCosta is one of the best general managers in the league, and as he gains experience as the head man for the Ravens, he will gain more respect from people outside of Baltimore.

Should the Ravens surrender a compensatory pick to sign Justin Houston?

The Baltimore Ravens have interest in pass rusher Justin Houston. Should they surrender a compensatory pick to sign him?

The Baltimore Ravens have been linked to Justin Houston for a few years now, as they had interest in him before he ended up signing a two-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Now a free agent again in 2021, the Ravens have him in for a visit in hopes of getting to know him better and understand what he wants out of his next team. Houston is a talented pass rusher, but should the Ravens surrender the compensatory pick that it would take to sign him before the draft?

In short, the answer is yes. Houston would provide the Ravens with immediate pass rush, something that they don’t have a lot of on their roster right now. The trio of Tyus Bowser, Pernell McPhee and Jaylon Ferguson have a combined 52 sacks in 15 seasons between the three. Houston has 97.5 sacks in his 10 years playing in the NFL, including a career-high 22 sacks in 2014. He still has plenty left in the tank, and would allow Baltimore to generate more pressure on quarterbacks without blitzing, something they have struggled to do at times in recent years.

If both parties are interested, signing Houston seems like a no-brainer for the Ravens. However, something that appears to be holding up Baltimore from singing any unrestricted free agent before the draft is the compensatory pick formula. The Ravens are currently in-line to receive two fourth-round picks from the departures of Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue. If the Ravens were to sign Houston, an unrestricted free agent, before May 3rd (which is when unrestricted free agents no longer negate compensatory picks), it would cancel out one of the two fourth-round picks they are currently slated to receive.

There have been a few reports signaling that Houston wants to sign before the draft, and others saying that Baltimore won’t sign another unrestricted free agent until after the May 3rd deadline. Maybe there will be a change of heart between either Houston or the Ravens, but at this point it looks like Houston will sign elsewhere before the draft, or Baltimore will have to give up a compensatory pick to add Houston.

Compensatory picks are important. Baltimore has utilized the strategy of compiling as many of them as possible for years, and it has paid off in multiple ways. Accumulating compensatory picks can help with draft night trades, player acquisitions, and having more swings in a draft to select impact players. However, despite all of the positives that compensatory picks bring, in the Ravens’ current situation, there are a few drawbacks.

Lamar Jackson is currently still on his rookie contract for two more years, including his fifth-year option. After that, Baltimore is going to have to sign him to a lucrative extension, somewhat hindering their ability to sign free agents. While Jackson is still on his rookie contract, the Ravens should be looking to add pieces to the team that can make an impact at positions of need, like Houston. While a fourth-round pick in 2022 would be a fine asset, Houston would bring Baltimore closer to a championship at this point in time, when Jackson still has a relatively low salary.

Another situation that could have implications on how much the Ravens are trying to win on Jackson’s rookie contract is the Orlando Brown Jr. dilemma that Baltimore is facing. Brown Jr. wants to play left tackle, but the Ravens can’t move him there, as Ronnie Stanley is one of the best left tackles in the league.

Brown Jr. and his party have been looking for trades, but it’s seeming less and less likely that he’s moved before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2022. The Ravens could certainly get more value by trading him now as opposed to the 2023 third-round selection they’d most likely get for him leaving Baltimore as a free agent, but the team might feel like they have a better chance to win with him on the roster for one more season. If the Ravens truly do feel like they have a higher chance to win with Brown Jr. as opposed to draft picks, then it makes sense that they should feel that way about Houston too.

Overall, Houston would be a great addition to a Ravens defense that needs a pass rusher. He is a proven option, and with Baltimore looking at a massive extension for Lamar Jackson soon and a very competitive roster with the quarterback on his rookie deal, if it comes down to it they should surrender the compensatory pick and land an impact player.

Justin Houston set to visit the Ravens on Tuesday

The Baltimore Ravens are set to host free agent pass rusher Justin Houston on Tuesday. The 10-year veteran is currently a free agent

During 2021 free agency, the Baltimore Ravens saw three of their edge rushers leave for other opportunities as Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, and Jihad Ward all signed elsewhere. While the team was able to retain both Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee, Baltimore currently only has three edge players on the roster when also factoring in Jaylon Ferguson.

Edge rusher is currently a big need for the Ravens, and it seems like the organization is looking to add a veteran option who can make an immediate impact. According to multiple reports, the team is bringing in former Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts pass rusher Justin Houston for a visit on Tuesday.

Houston is a proven player, as he’s played at the NFL level for 10 years after being selected in the third round of the 2011 Draft by the Chiefs. He has 97.5 career sacks to his name, as well as 451 total tackles, 17 forced fumbles, and 15 fumble recoveries. He has plenty of pass rush moves in his arsenal that can help Baltimore as well as plethora of experience to help develop players like Bowser and Ferguson.

This isn’t the first time that the Ravens have had interest in Houston, as back in 2019 they were talking to the pass rusher before he opted to sign a two-year deal with the Colts instead.

When Houston signed his two-year, $24 million deal with Indianapolis, people were beginning to question if he still had enough left in the tank to continue to play at a high level as a 30-year-old. He put those questions to bed and kept them buried, as over his two years with the Colts he piled up 19 sacks.

Now 32 years old, Houston is at the back end of his career. However, he still has plenty to offer an NFL team, and by bringing him in for a visit both he and the organization can get a better feel for each other. There’s no doubt that Houston would improve Baltimore’s defense, and if the Ravens are his next team he’ll have an instant chance to compete for a championship.

Ravens get OLB Jaylon Ferguson back at training camp, WR Kenjon Barner hurt

The Baltimore Ravens saw second-year outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson return to training camp after dealing with an injury this week.

The Baltimore Ravens have had a few bumps and bruises throughout training camp. Luckily (knock on wood), the Ravens have been fortunate to not have too many major injuries or too many injuries to key players. In fact, Baltimore actually returned outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson to practice on Friday, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

Ferguson missed the first three padded practices of training camp with an undisclosed injury. While coach John Harbaugh said Monday the injury was “just normal training camp-type stuff,” Baltimore is expecting big things from Ferguson this year and needs him to get as many reps in practice as possible to live up to it. With a shortened offseason due to the coronavirus pandemic, every single practice carries a lot of importance.

The Ravens are Ferguson develops into a fearsome pass rusher this season. By not addressing outside linebacker through free agency or the 2020 NFL Draft, Baltimore effectively indicated they felt their young guys will develop into their roles and have more of an impact this season. While Tyus Bowser has impressed early at training camp, Ferguson’s absence has been noticed after such an impressive ramp-up period.

Defensive coordinator Don Martindale heaped heavy praise on Ferguson in the early stages of training camp. Martindale specifically called out Ferguson’s development in the second half of last season and said the full offseason of training has him starting off strong this year. With Ferguson getting back on the practice field in pads, the hope is he’ll continue to make strides in his development and become the impact player Baltimore saw when they selected him in the 2019 NFL Draft.

The Ravens only saw Ferguson return to practice, still having wide receivers Chris Moore and Antoine Wesley, and tight end Eli Wolf out with their respective injuries. Late in practice, return specialist Kenjon Barner limped off the field after a big hit and didn’t return, according to Aaron Kasinitz of Penn Live. No update was given about his condition, however, so we’ll see if Barner returns to practice this weekend.