Tag: L.J. Fort

Grading the Ravens’ 2021 offseason through one month of free agency

The Baltimore Ravens have now navigated through one month of 2021 free agency. How have they fared so far?

The Baltimore Ravens have had plenty of mixed reviews when it comes to their 2021 offseason moves so far. Many came into this offseason expecting the Ravens to be major players, but instead they’ve operated in the same way they always have.

They’ve made a few additions and re-signed multiple players that will continue to perform well in a Baltimore uniform. Although the team did see a few players depart, their current roster is still extremely competitive, even without breaking the bank for a free agent or signing a massive amount of new players.

The legal tampering period began on March 15th, so we are officially one month into 2021 free agency. How have the Ravens’ fared so far?

The team has added just three outside players throughout the first month of the offseason in guard Kevin Zeitler, tight end Josh Oliver, and wide receiver Sammy Watkins. While Oliver is more of a reclamation project after playing in just three games during his first two NFL seasons, Zeitler and Watkins instantly make Baltimore’s offense better than it already was. Zeitler will shore up an interior offensive line group that struggled at times last season, and Watkins is an extremely versatile option who brings veteran leadership to an extremely young wide receiver room.

Despite adding some impact players, they did miss out on a few as well, such as Corey Davis, Marvin Jones Jr., Emmanuel Sanders and others. They were also reported to have interest in both JuJu Smith-Schuster and T.Y. Hilton, both of which spurned the Ravens to return to their former teams. The team could have stood to make one or two more additions during the first month of free agency, but they value compensatory picks, so signing a lot of unrestricted free agents would limit their ability to acquire those picks.

When it comes to who Baltimore has re-signed, a few key names include linebackers Tyus Bowser, Pernell McPhee and L.J. Fort, defensive end Derek Wolfe, safety Anthony Levine Sr., and more. While the Ravens’ outside additions focus on the offensive side of the ball, their re-signings are defense oriented, making sure they brought back as many key pieces from a unit that proved to be one of the best in football last season. Bowser should have an increased role in 2021, while McPhee, Fort, Wolfe and others should continue to play well.

The Ravens weren’t able to re-sign everyone from their 2020 roster, losing a few key pieces that include linebackers Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue and Jihad Ward, wide receiver Willie Snead IV, and long snapper Morgan Cox. The team also opted to cut running back Mark Ingram II, who signed with the Houston Texans.

Losing Judon and Ngakoue are big blows to Baltimore’s pass rush, and losing Ward on top of both means that the Ravens will have to prioritize acquiring multiple edge rusher throughout the rest of the offseason. Snead was a key part of Baltimore’s offense for the three seasons he was with the Ravens, but with him primarily being a slot receiver, Baltimore opted to move in a different direction. For Ingram, it made sense for the Ravens to move on after a down year where he was phased out of the offense.

Overall, Baltimore has followed their blueprint from previous offseasons, so it’s not overly shocking to see the team not as active as many imagined. However, with Lamar Jackson on his rookie contract, the Ravens could have considered signing a few more unrestricted free agents, even if it meant sacrificing a compensatory pick to do so. The new players that they brought in and the old ones they re-signed keep the team extremely competitive, and as the offseason continues, Baltimore should slowly begin to sign more players and round out their roster.

Final grade: B-/C+

Ravens agree to terms to re-sign LB L.J. Fort

The Baltimore Ravens brought back a familiar face, agreeing to terms with linebacker L.J. Fort after not picking up his option weeks ago.

The Baltimore Ravens are bringing back a familiar face and stocking their linebacker depth chart. After not picking up his option a few weeks ago, letting him hit free agency, the Ravens announced they’ve agreed to terms with linebacker L.J. Fort on a one-year deal.

According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, Fort’s deal is for $1.1 million and will only count as $987,000 against Baltimore’s salary cap. That’s a good bit less than Fort was expected to make, originally scheduled to have a $3 million cap hit, according to Over The Cap. With the team handing restricted free agent linebacker Chris Board an incentive-laden one-year deal, the Ravens get both players back for around what Fort was going to cost to begin with.

Fort has been a bit of a surprise for Baltimore. The Ravens signed Fort after he spent the first four weeks with the Philadelphia Eagles, ultimately seeing him work his way into the starting lineup. Though Baltimore selected Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison in the 2020 NFL draft, Fort still managed to start eight of 14 games, play 36% of the defensive snaps while playing far more on special teams.

The Ravens have to hope Queen and Harrison will become the starting duo this upcoming season but having Fort on the roster gives defensive coordinator Don Martindale an insurance policy in case they can’t. With his experience, Fort can be a great depth piece and a mentor to the young linebackers on the roster.

Last season, Fort had a combined 53 tackles, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries including one for a touchdown.

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LB L.J. Fort becomes free agent as Ravens don’t pick up 2021 option

The Baltimore Ravens are letting LB L.J. Fort hit free agency, not picking up his 2021 option after signing Chris Board.

The Baltimore Ravens seem poised to lose another defensive starter, parting ways with linebacker L.J. Fort. According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens didn’t technically cut Fort but chose to not pick up his 2021 option, allowing him to enter free agency.

Fort came to Baltimore last season after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles just a few weeks into the season. He excelled both on defense and special teams, earning a contract extension. Over his two seasons with the Ravens, Fort played in 26 games, starting 16. He had three passes defensed, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries including one for a touchdown, two sacks, and 88 total tackles.

With Baltimore signing linebacker Chris Board to a one-year deal as well as drafting Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison last offseason, Fort became expendable. Tight up against the reduced salary cap, not picking up Fort’s option will save the Ravens an estimated $2.25 million, according to Over The Cap.

Now, that’s not to say Fort won’t eventually return to Baltimore. They clearly like what he brings to the table, especially on special teams. But after getting plenty of starting snaps with the Ravens, Fort could draw interest in free agency elsewhere.

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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’ Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams inactive vs. Titans

The Baltimore Ravens are down their top-two defensive linemen in Week 11 while the Tennessee Titans deal with their own injuries.

As expected, the Baltimore Ravens won’t have their two best defensive linemen Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. It’ll make stopping Titans running back Derrick Henry a far tougher task for the Ravens’ injury-ravaged defense.

Campbell was injured two weeks ago against the Indianapolis Colts while Williams was injured early last week against the New England Patriots. Neither player practiced this week, leading to the expectation both would sit out this game despite being listed as “doubtful” on the final injury report. There are some positives for Baltimore with cornerback Jimmy Smith and linebacker L.J. Fort both being active despite missing last week’s game.

Take a look at the full inactive list for Baltimore and Tennessee in Week 11.

Ravens rule LB L.J. Fort out of Week 9 with finger injury

The Baltimore Ravens added linebacker L.J. Fort to Week 9’s injury report, ruling him out of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Baltimore Ravens got some positive news on Saturday and some bad news as well. While the Ravens announced they activated seven players from the Reserve/COVID-19 list, the team also said linebacker L.J. Fort suffered a finger injury and was officially ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

While Fort’s absence might not seem like a massive issue, he means a great deal more to the defense that some fans might realize. Though Fort doesn’t have eye-popping stats, he has been the veteran glue in the middle of a very young linebacker corps and he’s played exceptionally well. Through seven games, Fort has an impressive 70.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. He’s been adept in run defense and has been a big help in pass defense as well.

With Fort now out of Week 9, Baltimore will have to turn to their inexperienced linebackers to pick up the difference. Chris Board and rookie Malik Harrison will undoubtedly see an increase in their defensive snap counts this week. In order for the Ravens’ defense to continue their dominance, both Harrison and Board will have to not only limit any mistakes but make their presence felt in a positive way.

That’s a tough ask of players who have played no more than 21% of the defensive snaps in any game this season. It’s also potentially a matchup nightmare this week, going up against a savvy veteran quarterback in Philip Rivers and capable young running backs in Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines.

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Ravens take 6 players off Reserve/COVID-19 list, including LB Patrick Queen

The Baltimore Ravens got everyone but Marlon Humphrey back from the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday. All are eligible to play Sunday.

The Baltimore Ravens placed eight defenders on the Reserve/COVID-19 list earlier in the week after cornerback Marlon Humphrey tested positive for the virus and seven other players were considered “high-risk close contacts.” As expected, the Ravens got back all but Humphrey by Saturday. All seven players are now eligible to play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

Baltimore activated the following players from the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday, to go along with outside linebacker Matthew Judon’s activation on Thursday:

  • CB Terrell Bonds (restored to the practice squad)
  • OLB Tyus Bowser
  • S DeShon Elliott
  • LB L.J. Fort
  • LB Malik Harrison
  • LB Patrick Queen

The moves will help a Ravens defense that is pretty beat up already. In addition to Humphrey being out of this game, Baltimore placed cornerback Jimmy Smith on the injury report with a questionable designation for Sunday’s game. Added to cornerbacks Iman Marshall, Tavon Young, and Anthony Averett all heading to injured reserve and the Ravens’ defense could use all the help they can get right now.

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Ravens place 7 defensive players on COVID-19/Reserve list

According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley and The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens will place the following seven players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

The Baltimore Ravens announced cornerback Marlon Humphrey had tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. The positive test had actually come back from just before Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately for the Ravens, it was previously reported that six other players had come into close contact with Humphrey as well, which would cause them to go into isolation per the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols.

According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley and The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens will place the following seven players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

  • CB Marlon Humphrey
  • CB Terrell Bonds
  • OLB LB Matthew Judon
  • OLB Tyus Bowser
  • LB Patrick Queen
  • LB L.J. Fort
  • LB Malik Harrison
  • S DeShon Elliott

So far, only Humphrey has tested positive for COVID-19, meaning he’ll be out for at least 10 days. The other six players were considered “high-risk close contact” cases and must isolate from the team for a minimum of five days as long as they don’t present any symptoms or test positive over that time.

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While not ideal, there’s a chance all six “close contact” players will be cleared in time for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. Unfortunately, there’s also a chance any or all of those players could show symptoms or test positive and Baltimore will be short-handed for Week 9 around its entire defense. When added to the team placing left tackle Ronnie Stanley and right guard Tyre Phillips on injured reserve, there’s a very real chance the Ravens could be missing as many as nine major contributors and starters Sunday.

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Ravens LB Patrick Queen vs. Chiefs TE Travis Kelce is the key matchup of Week 3

The Baltimore Ravens take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3. Patrick Queen will take on the tough task of guarding Travis Kelce.

The Baltimore Ravens will take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night in what will be a battle between the top two teams in the AFC. Football is a game of matchups and in this one, quite a few are important to the final outcome. But one still hangs above all others — linebacker Patrick Queen on tight end Travis Kelce.

Queen was selected by the Ravens with the 28th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s played well early, leading the team in tackles with 17 while also racking up one sack and one forced fumble in Baltimore’s first two games. He hasn’t been perfect, but he represents a clear upgrade over what the Ravens had at the position in 2019. He has the athleticism to run sideline-to-sideline, shoot gaps, and most importantly, cover running backs and tight ends.

Baltimore has had issues over the last few years covering tight ends. With players like Queen and fellow rookie Malik Harrison now on the roster, the team should be better equipped to hold tight ends in check. But through two games, those struggles have yet to go away.

Queen has been tested early in coverage, being targeted 11 times and allowing eight completions for 72 yards and a 90.0 passer rating. While the Ravens’ defense as a whole has allowed just two touchdowns so far this season, both have gone to tight ends. Opposing tight ends have been targeted 19 times, catching 15 passes for 148 yards, and two touchdowns — representing 32% of the receptions, 35% of the passing yards, and 100% of the total touchdowns Baltimore’s defense has allowed this season.

With Kelce coming to town, the Ravens will have a tall task at hand. Kelce has burned Baltimore over the past two matchups, catching 14 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. And Kelce is off to a fast start this season, catching 15 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns through two games.

In order to stop Kelce, it will have to be a group effort from Queen, Harrison, and L.J. Fort as well as any safeties who are matched up on him. While many people will have a hand in defending him, it will most likely be Queen who covers him the most. It’s a big test for the rookie, and if he can stop one of the best tight ends in the game the Ravens defense can take away a very important part of the Chiefs’ offense.

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Baltimore Ravens highlights vs. Texans: LJ Fort scoops and scores on Marlon Humphrey’s forced fumble

The Baltimore Ravens defense picked up the pace after letting up a touchdown drive, getting into the end zone themselves with a fumble.

After allowing the Houston Texans defense to drive down the field quickly and score on their previous drive, the Baltimore Ravens’ defense got some pretty instant payback. On the first play of the Texans’ next drive, cornerback Marlon Humphrey punched the ball out of the hands of Houston wide receiver Keke Coutee. Linebacker L.J. Fort picked up the ball and rumbled his way to the pylon in the end zone for the score.

You may catch this Ravens’ defense napping one time, but don’t count on it happening too often, as the Texans are quickly finding out. Any sense of security Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson and team had after their touchdown drive should be ripped away as quickly as some footballs.

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