Why the Ravens went with Michael Brockers over Michael Pierce this offseason

The Baltimore Ravens let their own defensive tackle leave in free agency in order to sign an older one for nearly the same amount of money.

The Minnesota Vikings are set to sign former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce. Pierce’s departure shouldn’t come as a shock considering the Ravens have agreed to a deal with former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers and re-signed Justin Ellis already this offseason. Yet, it signaled what we already suspected — that Baltimore was going to let Pierce leave in free agency.

Where things get a little interesting is how similar the deals for Brockers and Pierce are. While the full details of Pierce’s deal aren’t out yet, his three-year deal is set to clock in at $27 million. Meanwhile, the Ravens are handing out a three-year deal to Brockers for $30 million. Baltimore have an easy out in 2022 on their deal with Brockers but the numbers are eerily similar.

We expected Pierce would earn a sizeable deal in our free agency preview and predicted it would be more than Baltimore was willing to pay for him. But considering Pierce was among the league’s best run-stuffing defensive tackles, seeing Brockers actually get paid a little more overall has plenty of fans scratching their heads. Though the Ravens probably aren’t going to announce to the world why they decided to go in a different direction, we have a few clues to go by.

Pierce showing up to training camp heavy in a contract year earned him no brownie points last season. He was sent off the field by coach John Harbaugh for conditioning issues and that bad taste undoubtedly stuck with Baltimore throughout the entire season. Making the decision to grab Brockers was likely bolstered by getting an up-close look at him when the Los Angeles Rams came to town for joint practices in 2018.

Though he flashed at times, Pierce wasn’t really known for his pass-rushing ability. And with the addition of Calais Campbell, the Ravens are being pretty clear they want to offer more of an interior pass rush in 2020. When comparing the stat sheets for Brockers and Pierce, things begin to make a lot more sense here.

Brockers has gotten nearly triple the number of quarterback hits over Pierce since the start of the 2018 season. Pierce only had a combined eight pressures over those two years while Brockers had 17 last year alone and nine in 2018. That all boils down into sacks where Brockers had four and Pierce managed just a half-sack over that timeframe.

Simply put, Brockers was a better all-around player and seems to fit what the Ravens want to do next season. And there’s a good case to be made that Baltimore is actually getting a steal by signing Brockers over Pierce.

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Vikings to sign former Ravens DT Michael Pierce

The Baltimore Ravens have their second free-agent loss of this offseason as defensive tackle Michael Pierce is set to sign with the Vikings

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The writing was on the wall when the Baltimore Ravens added in Michael Brockers but now Michael Pierce has found himself a new home. Pierce is set to sign with the Minnesota Vikings on a three-year deal worth $27 million, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson.

Baltimore has been revamping their defensive line in the early stages before free agency began. They’ve agreed to terms on a trade for Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell, are set to sign Brockers and have re-sign defensive tackle Justin Ellis.

Pierce was one of the Ravens’ golden UDFA stories. Originally signed following the 2016 NFL Draft, Pierce made an immediate impact, playing 36% of Baltimore’s defensive snaps that season and accounting for two sacks and 35 combined tackles. Over his four year tenure with the Ravens, Pierce had 3.5 sacks, 151 combined tackles and four fumble recoveries. While that stat sheet might not be eye-popping, Pierce was often used as a space-eating block in the middle of the line to help in run defense.

Now, Pierce will join a Vikings squad that has gotten quite a lot out of their defensive linemen recently. It’s a change of scenery, a good contract for a UDFA and a chance to show what he can do when asked to rush the quarterback more often.

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Report: Vikings agree to terms with Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce

The Vikings lacked depth on the defensive line, and they reportedly added Michael Pierce to help fix it.

Linval Joseph is reportedly out, but Michael Pierce is reportedly in.

A source told NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport that Pierce agreed to a three-year deal with the Vikings that’s worth $27 million, with a max of $28 million.

The #Vikings agreed to terms former #Ravens DT Michael Pierce on a 3-year deal worth $27M, source said, with a max of $28M. He gets $18M guaranteed and is back in free agency at 30.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2020

The defensive line depth looked questionable after Joseph reportedly left the team for the Chargers, but Pierce adds all-important depth in his place.

Pierce had 35 total tackles and just .5 sacks. His stats don’t jump out, but Pro Football Focus is higher on him than you would think.

Pro Football Focus reported that Pierce earned a 69.1 grade (out of possible 100), and ranked No. 44 among interior defenders in 2019. PFF also reported that Pierce has yet to record a run defense grade below 70.8 in his four seasons in the NFL so far.

The Vikings fixed a lot of the depth problem at defensive tackle, and still have picks to add more pieces to the interior defensive line if need be. Overall, a good get.

Top free agent targets still available for the Browns

Top free agent targets still available for the Browns as the signing period officially begins on Wednesday

The first two days of free agency have reduced the supply of veteran players, but the shelves are still well-stocked with useful free agents for teams like the Browns that still have cap room to spend.

After signing tight end Austin Hooper, right tackle Jack Conklin, backup QB Case Keenum and trading for fullback Andy Janovich, the Browns needs list has changed. Defensive backs, wide receiver, linebacker and interior linemen on both sides of the ball are still positions in need of help. Left tackle remains the biggest need on offense, but that player doesn’t appear to be available in free agency.

Here are a few appealing names still available at coveted positions, with an emphasis on scheme fits or those with ties to the new coaching staff:

Safeties

Malcolm Jenkins, Eagles

Karl Joseph, Raiders

Tony Jefferson, Ravens

Jayron Kearse, Vikings

Will Parks, Broncos

Cornerbacks

Chris Harris, Broncos

Xavier Rhodes, Vikings

Mackensie Alexander, Vikings

Brian Poole, Jets

Aqib Talib, Dolphins

Linebackers

Nigel Bradham, Eagles

Wesley Woodyard, Titans

DeVondre Campbell, Falcons

Corey Nelson, Broncos

Jatavis Brown, Chargers

Wide receivers

Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos

Travis Benjamin, Chargers

Jarius Wright, Panthers

Geronimo Allison, Packers

Pharoh Cooper, Cardinals

Defensive linemen

Michael Pierce, Ravens

Linval Joseph, Vikings

Shelby Harris, Broncos

Derek Wolfe, Broncos

Sheldon Day, 49ers

Interior OL

A.Q. Shipley, Cardinals

Dakota Dozier, Vikings

Austin Blythe, Rams

Signings can officially start at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

5 defensive linemen the Patriots should consider in free agency

With a majority of DTs hitting free agency, the Patriots have a dire need for playmakers at the position.

Anticipation is at an all-time high for the New England Patriots this offseason.

Tom Brady’s future with the team appears to be very cloudy and it’s shaking up the process for free agency in Foxborough. The Patriots have around $40 million to work with in cap space, but the list of free agents doesn’t give them much flexibility to make offseason moves. The list includes prominent names like Brady, Devin McCourty, Kyle Van Noy, Matthew Slater, Jamie Collins, Joe Thuney and Danny Shelton.

The Patriots also have a dire need to replenish the tight end position after an incredibly inefficient season from the group in 2019. But, the position that may hold the second-most importance behind quarterback is defensive line. New England’s defensive line was already thin and having Shelton and Adam Butler on the free agent market doesn’t help.

Lawrence Guy is who the Patriots will build around if they can’t retain either Butler or Shelton. There are some notable free agents on the market the Patriots should consider, especially considering their lackluster run defense in 2019.

Here are five free agent defensive tackle prospects for New England.

D.J. Reader (Houston Texans)

D.J. Reader, 25, has spent his four NFL seasons with the Houston Texans. He’s sent for free agency this offseason and expecting a large payday, making it a long shot for the Patriots to attain him. But, the situation would become a lot more interesting if the Patriots let go of Shelton and/or Butler.

Reader carries a nose tackle build at 6-foot-3, 347 pounds, but his increasing ability to rush the passer brings an intriguing dynamic. He had a career-high 2.5 sacks and 13 quarterback pressures last season — surpassing 11 quarterback hits in his first three seasons. Since 2016, Reader has played in 61 of 64 possible games and proved to be durable.

The paycheck will make it difficult for New England to retain him, but Reader could be a game-changer for a struggling defensive line.

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Panthers 2020 potential free agent target profile: DT Michael Pierce

Replacing Poe means the Panthers have to find a run-stopper to take over the spot in the middle of their defensive line.

The Panthers are going to see a major change at the defensive tackle position this offseason. Veterans Gerald McCoy and Kyle Love are both about to become free agents and it sounds like the team won’t be picking up Dontari Poe’s option for 2020, as expected.

That means they’ll need to bring in a couple more interior defensive linemen to help fill the void. In that spirit, our next 2020 potential free agent target profile is Michael Pierce of the Ravens.

Career stats:

Pierce went undrafted after playing his college career at Samford. Baltimore picked him up in May of 2016. Since then, he’s played in 60 games, earning 30 starts. Pierce has totaled 3.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, 13 tackles for a loss and four forced fumbles.

Pros:

Replacing Poe means the Panthers have to find a run-stopper to take over the spot in the middle of their defensive line. That’s exactly where Pierce thrives. He has been one of the NFL’s top run defenders the last couple of years. He’s also improved as a pass rusher since coming into the league. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted 21 pressures in 2018.

Cons:

Pierce is 27 years old and there are a number of interior linemen in this free agent class who are better than he is. His production dropped off a little bit in 2019 as well, which might be a concern. The main issue with Pierce is that he’s relatively limited as he pretty much exclusively fits as a 3-4 nose tackle and early-down run stopper.

Probability: Medium

Pierce is far from the only interesting name at DT who is about to become a free agent. Guys like Javon Hargrave, Leonard Williams, D.J. Reader, Mike Daniels and Chris Jones should all command more on the open market. Given his career numbers and age, signing Pierce wouldn’t break the bank.

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PFF predicts Broncos will sign DL Michael Pierce during NFL free agency

Will the Broncos sign Ravens free agent defensive lineman Michael Pierce this offseason?

With defensive linemen Derek Wolfe, Shelby Harris and Adam Gotsis all set to become unrestricted free agents, the Denver Broncos will undoubtedly need to add more depth at defensive end and nose tackle this offseason.

One potential candidate for the Broncos to consider is Baltimore Ravens free agent defensive lineman Michael Pierce. The 27-year-old defender spent the first four years of his career in Baltimore, totaling 151 tackles and 3.5 sacks.

Anthony Treash of Pro Football Focus published a list predicting where the top 50 free agents will land this offseason and he has Denver signing Pierce to a three-year, $15 million contract with $6.5 million guaranteed.

To be clear, this is not a report that the Broncos are interesting in Pierce nor a report that he will land a $5 million-per-year contract. It’s merely a prediction from Treash — it’s a logical prediction, though.

As noted above, Denver will need reinforcements on the defensive line in 2020 and Pierce (6-0, 345 pounds) could be a good fit in Vic Fangio’s 3-4 defense. He’s a name to keep an eye on as NFL free agency approaches.

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7 free agent defensive line fits for the Cardinals

Arizona has a need along the defensive line – the good news is that there are quite a few good free agents that seem to be good fits.

With free agency around the corner, let’s go take a look at a huge position of need for Arizona – the defensive line. And there are quite a few good fits in what appears to be a somewhat deep group of free agents:

Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs

It’s obvious what Jones would possibly mean to Arizona, but it goes without saying he would be a great fit as a 3-4 DE and would add instant star power to the Cards defensive line.

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One solid but unspectacular signing the Dolphins should consider

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce doesn’t have sexy stats, but he’d be a big boost to Miami’s interior defense.

The Miami Dolphins list of team needs is rather extensive. Two positions generally not regarded as a need for the Dolphins? Wide receiver and defensive tackle. After all, Miami boasts a number of recently extended wide receivers and two young stalwarts in Davon Godchaux and Christian Wilkins along the defensive front.

The perception of a lack of need here is understanding — but it also isn’t entirely accurate. The Dolphins will have a potential need at slot wide receiver if they end up cutting wide receiver Albert Wilson. And at defensive tackle, both Godchaux and Wilkins are effective B-gap defenders — but the lack of a true nose tackle on the roster is something the Dolphins would be wise to address.

Enter Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce.

Pierce doesn’t bring sexy stats to the table, but he does bring A+ run defending skills at the heart of the defense. At 6-foot tall and a listed 340 pounds, Pierce is an anchor that interior offensive linemen simply cannot move. And he’d be an excellent, if unspectacular, addition to Miami’s defensive front.

When the Dolphins need to go into pass rush mode, Pierce is probably the first player off the field. But his presence encourages double teams in the middle because of his power, which makes life easier on both Wilkins and Godchaux. And as a true space eater in the middle of the field, Pierce would make life easier on LBs Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker as well.

What would Pierce cost on the open market? He’s probably going to command upwards of $8M per season, given he’s a niche defender but one of the best in the game at what he does. That price tag, plus Baltimore feeling as though he’s already out the door, makes him a sensible target for the Dolphins.

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Ravens 2020 free agency preview: DT Michael Pierce

DT Michael Pierce is heading for unrestricted free agency. How did he perform in 2019, and will he be back in Baltimore in 2020?

Successful teams often see a host of their key parts depart following NFL seasons. Coordinators become head coaches, position coaches become coordinators and players with expiring contracts become big-money players.

The Baltimore Ravens went 14-2 in the regular season but managed to retain their entire coaching staff this offseason. They do have players who are looking for a big payday, however. Though Baltimore is expected to have a decent amount of cap space this offseason, they’ll have a tough time re-signing all 21 pending free agents while also working to restock the roster with fresh, new talent.

One of the biggest names is the defensive tackle, Michael Pierce. So what better person to choose next on our free-agent preview than a guy Baltimore have to thank for their stout run defense over the last few seasons.

Also, check out our other Ravens free-agent previews for 2020.

Michael Pierce – 2019 review:

Michael Pierce was a vital piece of the Ravens’ defensive front, helping the team allow the fifth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL in 2019.

Baltimore doesn’t typically ask their defensive linemen to get after the quarterback. That means Pierce’s stats aren’t very impressive, with only half of a sack and two tackles-for-loss to go with 35 combined tackles in 2019.

But Pierce and Brandon Williams’s role in Wink Martindale’s unit is to occupy blockers and allow the linebackers to make the plays. This, allied to his only playing on 49% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps, goes a long way towards explaining away any apparent lack of production.

Martindale himself has nicknamed Pierce and Williams the “FSU Brothers”, due to their mucking up opposing running games. And no, FSU isn’t a school . . .

Review / Potential / Value / Chances to re-sign

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