Tag: Marshal Yanda

Several Ravens featured on NFL’s All-Decade team

The Baltimore Ravens have had a ton of great players over the years with several earning praise on the NFL’s All-Decade team

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The Baltimore Ravens have had a ton of success over the last decade. All under coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens have gone 98-62 with six of their 10 seasons ending in the playoffs, including a Super Bowl victory. Most NFL teams would love to have that resume and it’s largely thanks to the excellent players Baltimore has featured on their rosters over the years.

NFL.com released their All-Decade team and several Ravens players — past and present — made the cut.

  • G Marshal Yanda
  • DE Calais Campbell
  • S Earl Thomas
  • S Eric Weddle
  • K Justin Tucker
  • KR Devin Hester

It’s probably unfair to consider Campbell, Thomas and Hester as Ravens making this list though they’ve all been on the roster at some point. Campbell has yet to even put on the uniform after being traded to Baltimore this offseason, Thomas was signed last offseason and Hester played just 12 games for Baltimore. All three players really earned their place on the list well before joining the Ravens. Still, Campbell and Thomas are on Baltimore’s roster for the 2020 season, hopefully helping push the team towards a Super Bowl this decade.

Yanda and Tucker are the two homegrown Ravens — drafted or signed as a UDFA — to make the cut. They’re also two of the eight unanimous selections, joining players like quarterback Tom Brady and defensive end J.J. Watt as the obvious best players at their positions.

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Ravens cut OL James Hurst

The Baltimore Ravens have cut backup guard and tackle James Hurst, freeing up an estimated $2.75 million on the 2020 salary cap.

The Baltimore Ravens might have something against anyone with the last name “Hurst” at this point. After agreeing to a deal to trade tight end Hayden Hurst to the Atlanta Falcons, the Ravens announced they have released offensive lineman James Hurst.

According to Over The Cap, a pre-June 1 cut would free up $2.75 million on Baltimore’s 2020 salary cap. A post-June 1 cut would free up $4 million but carry $1.25 million in dead money into the 2021 season.

Hurst was signed to a four-year deal prior to the 2018 season after playing well at guard in 2017. However, Hurst struggled at right tackle in 2018 and eventually lost the starting job to Orlando Brown.

Still, the decision to cut Hurst is a shocking one. Though he’s suspended for the first four games of the 2020 season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, Hurst was thought to be Baltimore’s top backup offensive lineman at both guard and tackle. With Marshal Yanda’s retirement this offseason as well, cutting Hurst puts a pretty big dent in the Ravens’ depth chart.

With Hurst being cut, Andre Smith is the only backup tackle Baltimore has on their roster after re-signing him to a one-year deal this offseason.

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Ravens’ biggest needs before NFL free agency begins

The Ravens have done a good job of limiting their roster needs but have a few holes they still need to patch up in free agency and the draft

Even though the Baltimore Ravens went 14-2 in 2019, they didn’t achieve their ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl. However, there were a lot of positives to take away from a year that some, if not most, thought was going to be a step back from their 10-6 campaign in 2018.

As free agency approaches, Baltimore has a few holes on their roster that need filling. If the team can make a big splash and find cost-effective options to strengthen an already strong roster, it could be the beginning of another successful campaign in 2020.

Let’s take a look at some of the needs that the Ravens need to fill ahead of free agency.

Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images

EDGE

Though the Ravens have used the franchise tag on outside linebacker Matthew Judon and traded for Calais Campbell, they still need another outside linebacker to rush off the edge. This was a defense that performed well in spite of ranking 21st in the league in sacks and ranked 16th in pressure rate per dropback.

Though defensive coordinator Don Martindale utilized blitzes at the highest rate in the NFL last season, Baltimore struggled to win one-on-one matchups largely thanks to a lack of talent both inside and out, beyond Judon. They’ve certainly done a lot to fix interior pass rush with Campbell but will need more help to free up Judon from double teams.

The positive here is that the Ravens don’t necessarily need a top-tier free agent to fill that void, though it would be nice. Instead, they could look for a more cost-effective option to supplement whoever they grab in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Titans’ Taylor Lewan praises Ravens’ Marshal Yanda after retirement

Taylor Lewan showed nothing but respect for Marshal Yanda after it was announced he was retiring.

Tennessee Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan showed some respect for Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda after it was announced he was retiring from the NFL.

The announcement of Yanda’s retirement came down on Tuesday, culminating what was a sensational career for the guard, who is a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame down the road.

The 35-year-old spent all 13 of his seasons in the NFL with the Ravens and made it to eight Pro Bowls and was twice selected as a First-Team All-Pro (2014 and 2015).

It was Lewan and the Titans who ended Yanda’s final season in the NFL early. Tennessee upset Baltimore in the divisional round of the playoffs this past season, 28-12.

That game didn’t come without some controversy, though.

Following the loss, Yanda accused Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons of spitting in his face during the game, which is something Simmons didn’t admit to in his cryptic reaction to the accusation.

What Marshal Yanda’s retirement means for Ravens salary cap

The Baltimore Ravens will have to replace guard Marshal Yanda this offseason but will have a little extra cap space to do it.

Guard Marshal Yanda officially hung up his cleats today in a press conference, ending a 13-year career that will likely see him entered into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. The Baltimore Ravens now have the trouble of trying to replace Yanda, who was coming off one of the best years of his career.

Whether they look to their own roster, the 2020 NFL Draft or free agency for Yanda’s heir will have to wait to be seen but the Ravens will have a little more money to make a move if they wish.

According to Over The Cap, Yanda’s retirement will free up $7 million on Baltimore’s salary cap. The Ravens now have an estimated $37.74 million in available salary-cap space, which puts them at the 12th fewest in the league, according to OTC.

Baltimore has 15 remaining pending free agents this offseason, led by outside linebacker Matthew Judon and defensive tackle Michael Pierce. General manager Eric DeCosta and the Ravens have done a stellar job of re-signing most of their key players ahead of time, leaving them with few big-name free agents that could potentially leave this offseason. The extra cap space could help Baltimore in their quest to sign Judon and Pierce to long-term contract extensions or to go after some of the top players in free agency.

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3 early-round draft picks for Ravens to replace Marshal Yanda

The Baltimore Ravens have options to replace retiring guard Marshal Yanda, including a few early-round prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft.

An era of excellence is coming to an end for the Baltimore Ravens, with the news that guard Marshal Yanda is set to retire from the NFL. Yanda has been a bedrock of the Ravens offensive line since they took him in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft, starting 166 of the 177 games he has played. Since 2007, the Ravens have amassed the fourth-most rushing yards in the entire NFL with an appreciable chunk of their 25,883 yards coming thanks to Yanda doing work on the offensive line.

Yanda’s retirement, while maybe not totally unexpected, could force a re-think in the Ravens’ strategy with regards to team building this offseason. They could look to free agency to plug the gap left by Yanda, assuming they don’t want to hand the job to a player already on the roster. Or they could look to the NFL Draft. This is not considered a great year for interior offensive linemen, but there are few options should the Ravens want to spend a very early pick on one. Here are three names the Ravens may consider taking with their first selection.

AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

Cesar Ruiz – Michigan

Ruiz spent most of his time with the Wolverines at Center, earning the title of “Best Pass Blocking Center” in the country by PFF College in 2018. But he did play five games at guard during his time in the collegiate ranks and could slide over there once in the NFL. Ruiz has a track record of playing on productive offenses, both through the air and on the ground. According to his bio on the Wolverine website, as a senior at IMG Academy, Ruiz “anchored an offensive line that helped the offense produce 2,000 yards through the air and 1,879 yards on the ground in 11 games.”

Ruiz is widely accepted as one of the best interior offensive linemen heading into the 2020 NFL Draft. If the Ravens are looking to replace Yanda with a rookie, Ruiz could be their guy as early as the first round.

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Watch: Marshal Yanda shares story about being tased for $600

Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda was one of the toughest players in the NFL and shared a story about being tased to back it up

Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda is easily one of the toughest guys in the NFL. After 13 years in the league, Yanda is set to retire as a legend of the sport and Baltimore. But he won’t be able to hang up his cleats without some stories about his legendary toughness being replayed and discussed.

Yanda famously played through some nasty injuries, including a broken ankle that ended his 2017 season prematurely after two games and a shoulder injury that required surgery. But perhaps one of the funniest stories about Yanda’s toughness comes from the locker room itself and what the then-rookie subjected himself to for a little cold, hard cash.

Sitting down with former Ravens linebacker Bart Scott, Yanda shared the story about the time he took a taser like a champ, all for $600.

When asked about the tasing, Yanda noted it was cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle that bet he couldn’t take the shock in his rookie season. Yanda, the tough guy he is, apparently took the jolt and the veterans’ money without much of a problem.

“I don’t know if the batteries were dead or — I used to get shocked on the electric fence at the farm — I’m used to it, it wasn’t bad at all. It’s still probably the easiest $600 I’ve ever made to this day.”

That’s the stuff of legends right there.

5 free agent guards to replace Marshal Yanda

The Baltimore Ravens will have to replace Marshal Yanda this offseason following his pending retirement. They could find help in free agency

With guard Marshal Yanda set to retire this offseason, the Baltimore Ravens find themselves desperately needing an answer to his replacement. While the team could turn to their own roster to remedy the problem, free agency is about to begin and the Ravens could instead look for a more experienced option on the open market.

Sadly, finding an exact replacement for Yanda is likely going to prove impossible. Yanda was one of the best offensive linemen last season and has been consistently among the best throughout his entire career. After creating a Hall of Fame level resume over the years, matching that level of production and locker room presence is something very few teams have ever managed to pull off before.

But for Baltimore, there are a handful of options that make sense for them to look at. A few former first-round picks are set to hit free agency as well as a former member of their own team. While the best option might still be from within, the Ravens are likely to explore free agency for some competition at the position at least.

Here are five free-agent options Baltimore would be wise to consider this offseason.

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Brandon Scherff

If the Ravens want an immediate plug-and-play replacement for Yanda, Scherff is likely the guy they’d look to. The problem here is that the Washington Redskins really don’t want to lose their top offensive lineman and could turn to the franchise tag.

On the off chance Washington lets Scherff hit the free-agent market, he’s going to have plenty of suitors as the top guard available. That means he’s going to cost a fortune with $15 million a year a possibility on a long-term contract.

But there isn’t a better free-agent guard on the market this offseason and there’s little doubt Scherff would come in as a direct replacement to Yanda. According to Pro Football Focus, Scherff earned a 75 overall grade last season. Though it’s a good deal lower than Yanda’s 2019 grade, Scherff’s continued success proves he’d be a viable option, albeit an expensive one.

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Report: Ravens G Marshal Yanda to retire

Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda will retire after 13 years in the NFL following the 2019 season

The worst-case scenario for the Baltimore Ravens is set to happen. With free agency less than a week away, guard Marshal Yanda is going to retire, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. The decision immediately alters Baltimore’s priority list this offseason, putting finding Yanda’s replacement at the very top of their list.

Though Yanda played in his 13th season last year, he was still one of the best offensive linemen in the league. He showed his trademark ability to bully defenders on the field while being a quiet giant off it. Yanda had entered this offseason telling reporters that he didn’t know if he’d retire or not and would take his time to make the decision.

Baltimore’s biggest need had been at pass rusher and it still remains a key they’ll have to sort out this offseason. But given the Ravens’ run-first offense, finding a plug-and-play option at guard becomes perhaps their most pressing need now with Yanda’s retirement.

Baltimore has a few options on the table, including from within their own roster. Players like Ben Powers, Bradley Bozeman and even James Hurst could be replacements for Yanda. The Ravens could also look to free agency or early in the draft to hopefully find an immediate upper-tier heir to Yanda. Regardless, it will be difficult for Baltimore to replace Yanda’s production on the field given his Hall of Fame resume to date.

The plus side to Yanda’s retirement is that it will free up an estimated $7 million on the Ravens’ salary cap this offseason, according to Over The Cap. That extra capital could help Baltimore towards finding Yanda’s replacement or signing other free agents to bolster other holes in the roster.

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Ravens have already made their big free-agent splash

Ahead of NFL free agency, fans must remember that the Baltimore Ravens have already been aggressive by retaining their own.

As we get nearer to the start of NFL free agency, the focus has been on what players the Baltimore Ravens could get and what needs the team could fill ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. But lost in the excitement of speculation and hope is that Baltimore has already grabbed their free-agent splash this offseason.

In signing cornerback Marcus Peters to a three-year extension, the Ravens picked up one of the top players at the position. Had Peters been on the free-agent market, his deal would have been considered a huge splash and a monumental win for Baltimore. The same could be said for kicker Justin Tucker, wide receiver Willie Snead, guard Marshal Yanda and cornerback Tavon Young, who signed their deals well before they could hit free agency.

In total, the Ravens have signed nine players that would have been free agents this offseason before that ever happened. Of that group, Baltimore has signed contracts totaling $118.52 million over 18 combined years, including five deals that average $5 million per year or more. By most teams’ free-agency periods, that would be considered quite the haul and it all happened months before free agency actually kicked off.

As I’ve noted before, general manager Eric DeCosta’s philosophy of re-signing key contributors early has saved the Ravens from a difficult and uncertain offseason this year. It’s given Baltimore a little more flexibility in both free agency and the draft while helping set up their salary-cap situation for the next few years. The Ravens have also saved quite a bit of money when it comes to locking up their own players, by not having to beat other teams with more cap space to spend.

That philosophy has given Baltimore a lot of different options. They have the cap space to be in the running on one or two of the top free agents this offseason if they want. Or they could take their early signings and cap space into the second wave of free agency following the 2020 NFL Draft to find better value and plug up any remaining holes.

But regardless of how the Ravens act in free agency this offseason, fans need to remember that they’ve already done quite a lot of work and have set themselves up nicely for the 2020 season. They’ve made their low-key signings to help fill the roster depth while making a few big splashes. Anything else that happens when free agency actually begins should be considered icing on the cake.

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