NFL free agency 2020 – Syndication Server

Derek Wolfe thinks Ravens’ defense can be historically great in 2020

Paired with Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams, new addition Derek Wolfe believes the Baltimore Ravens’ defense could break records

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When you think about the Baltimore Ravens, you likely think of suffocating, hard-hitting defense. Even with quarterback Lamar Jackson earning the 2019 NFL MVP award, setting a ton of franchise and league records and the rushing attack becoming the most prolific in history, the defense is still king in Baltimore.

Derek Wolfe had wanted to join the Ravens last season via trade and kept his eye on Baltimore this offseason as a free agent before getting his wish. With the Ravens trading for Calais Campbell to pair with Brandon Williams, Wolfe thinks Baltimore could have something serious going on defense . . . Historic, even.

“When I saw that Calais was going up there and I know Brandon was up there already, it was a no brainer for me,” Wolfe said in his introductory press conference. “I think we can have the best defensive line in the league, for sure. We can break records, we can break the rushing record — yards per rush and stuff like that.

“I think we’re going to be able to shut that run game down and then when it comes to our offense keeping us up by 10, 20 points a game, it’s going to get ugly for these quarterbacks.”

Defensive coordinator Don Martindale is back for 2020 after the Ravens gave him a hefty contract extension this offseason. Martindale’s reputation for having an aggressive and confusing scheme precedes him. When asked if he thinks it’ll mean he can improve upon his seven sacks over 12 games last season, Wolfe wasn’t reserved in his expectations but noted he’d have to take advantage of the opportunities created.

“Absolutely,” Wolfe said. “I feel like he’s definitely going to open up opportunities for me to make plays. It’s just a matter of going in there and making them. If the one-on-one is created, you have to win.”

Martindale will definitely open up opportunities for Wolfe and the rest of the pass rushers, simply by how often he sends blitzes. While maybe a coverup of Baltimore’s weak pass-rush depth last season, Martindale sent blitzes an amazing 54.9% of the time, leading the league by a wide margin. It’s something Wolfe took note of coming to Baltimore and has him excited for the defense.

“He sends a ton of pressure and that gets quarterbacks guessing and makes them do things out of character, makes them step up in the pocket and stuff like that,” Wolfe continued. “I feel like, as a defense line and as a defense as a whole, I think we’re going to be able to eat these quarterbacks up, especially with this secondary that we have.”

Wolfe is on a one-year deal that is heavily incentivized. Performing well could next him a lot of money this year and a hefty contract extension from the RAvens next offseason. Furthermore, Wolfe might be one of the final pieces of the puzzle to get Baltimore over the hump and back to the Super Bowl. A lot is riding on Wolfe playing extremely well but he isn’t lacking on confidence.

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Derek Wolfe said he wanted to be a Raven all along: ‘I really don’t care about the money’

After the Ravens’ deal with Michael Brockers fell through, Derek Wolfe got another chance to join and bugged his agent to get a deal done.

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This offseason, free-agent defensive lineman Derek Wolfe kept close tabs on what the Baltimore Ravens were doing, hoping to be a part of their plans. Though he decided against asking for a trade last season, the Denver Broncos didn’t bring him back for 2020, giving Wolfe a chance to join what he called his “first choice” in Baltimore.

But the Ravens were aggressive to start free agency, trading for Calais Campbell and agreeing to terms on a three-year deal with defensive tackle Michael Brockers. It was then that Wolfe thought his offseason hopes had been dashed.

“At the beginning there, when they signed Brockers, I was like ‘ah, I maybe missed my chance there’ and I assumed it was because of my injuries.”

However, that door wasn’t really closed after all.

Brockers’ physical gave the Ravens some pause due to an ankle injury. Though the team tried to work out a new deal given the injury information, they pulled their current offer and Brockers ended up re-signing with the Los Angeles Rams instead.

With the top of the free-agent market already picked over and former Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce set to join the Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore turned their attention to Wolfe. Once he heard Brockers was out, Wolfe pushed his agent to get a deal done with the Ravens.

“When I saw that [Michael] Brockers didn’t pass his physical, I immediately called my agent and said ‘what’s going on with the Ravens.’ And he said ‘I’m already on the phone.’

“I said ‘I really don’t care about the money at this point, I just want to get on that team.’ That’s the team I want to be on because I feel like if I can come in there and prove myself, they’ll extend me for a few years and I can be a part of the organization for more than just one year. That was my goal.”

Wolfe got his wish, signing with Baltimore on a one-year deal worth $3 million with another $3 million in incentives. After having eyes on the Ravens all the way back to last season, everything worked itself out in the end and Wolfe will get another chance to contend for a Super Bowl in Baltimore.

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Michael Brockers explains why things fell apart with Ravens, says his ankle is good

After failing a physical over an ankle injury and getting his deal with the Ravens pulled, Michael Brockers detailed his experience

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Michael Brockers had been a Baltimore Raven, unofficially, for nearly two weeks. But Brockers’ foray into free agency was an odd one this offseason and he ended up back with the Los Angeles Rams thanks to some concerns over his ankle.

With the coronavirus pandemic making getting physicals tougher, teams and players have had to turn to independent physicians to get things done. According to Brockers, it was there that things began to fall apart with the Ravens.

“I did my physical here in Houston,” Brockers said on the Green Light podcast, according to Rams Wire’s Cameron Da Silva. “I go to the doctor, they take X-rays and I did an MRI. The doctor sent it to Baltimore and Baltimore’s doctor gets to look at it and he says, ‘You know, I’m not a specialist, but I’m going to send it to a guy that I truly trust and he’s a third-party doctor. He’ll just tell me what’s up.’ I guess that doctor told him I might need something like a surgery and they were like, ‘Oh.’

“They get my MRI, they get all this stuff. Then we don’t hear from them after that. And I guess that’s the process where they were sending MRIs to Anderson or whoever and getting his word for it.”

It was at this point the Ravens pulled their offer and tried to work on a new deal with those concerns in mind, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. However, minutes after Baltimore announced the deal had fallen through, Brockers had agreed to terms with the Rams, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Brockers passed his physical with Los Angeles, making the deal official. According to Brockers, the injury came in the last game of the 2019 season but was never really a problem to begin with.

“I feel great. I’ve been working out the whole time,” Brockers continued.

This isn’t Baltimore’s first time having a deal fall through at the last minute thanks to injury concerns. The Ravens had agreed to terms with free-agent wide receiver Ryan Grant in 2018 before a failing a physical with an ankle injury. The Ravens pulled out of the deal and Grant ended up signing with the Indianapolis Colts but he ended up playing in just 14 games thanks to an ankle injury suffered in Week 6 against the New York Jets.

With Brockers out of the picture, Baltimore turned to Derek Wolfe on a one-year contract, getting their replacement defensive lineman. For Brockers, “it worked out the way it was supposed to.”

Calais Campbell: Ravens are ‘a great opportunity’ and gave me a ‘chance to win’

Though he said he could have earned more money elsewhere, Calais Campbell said it was the Baltimore Ravens’ potential that got him to sign

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The Baltimore Ravens’ prized acquisition this offseason came via a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Defensive end Calais Campbell was the first part of the Ravens’ eventual plan to solidify their defensive line while bringing pass-rushing acumen to help outside linebacker Matthew Judon get to the quarterback.

Much like fellow offseason addition, Derek Wolfe, Baltimore contending for a Super Bowl has Campbell excited.

“Baltimore is a great opportunity for me,” Campbell said on the Rapsheet and Friends podcast. “On the football field, it’s very obvious. The team is 14-2, young and talented, full of potential. I know I bring some good things in that can add some value and hopefully get over the hump and go out there and hoist the Lombardi Trophy a year from now.”

Campbell said the trade was contingent on getting a contract extension done and it had to be done pretty quickly. While Campbell said his agent believed he could get more money elsewhere, it was winning that was his ultimate goal.

“I told him [Campbell’s agent] that ‘my main goal was to have a chance to win'”

Campbell hasn’t been on many winning teams in his 12 years in the NFL. He spent three years with the Jaguars with only one winning season that ended at the conference championship. Campbell’s nine years with the Arizona Cardinals had more opportunities but he still wasn’t able to get over the hump, losing Super bowl XLIII to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In Baltimore, Campbell will be joining a team that was 14-2 last season and is one of the favorites to win Super Bowl LV. As he noted, hopefully the revamping of the defensive line with Campbell at the head of it will be enough to push the Ravens the rest of the way.

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Instant analysis of Derek Wolfe signing with Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are set to sign defensive lineman Derek Wolfe. But what does he bring to the team that should get people excited?

A day after a failed deal between the Baltimore Ravens and defensive tackle Michael Brockers, the Ravens found their replacement. Baltimore is set to sign defensive lineman Derek Wolfe to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million. What had been panic from quite a lot of Ravens fans turned into Baltimore being calm, cool and collected to find a player that might actually be a better bargain when everything is said and done.

The Ravens’ deal with Wolfe should be viewed as a “prove-it” contract. At 30 years old, a one-year deal allows Wolfe to prove his worth this season and perhaps earn another Super Bowl ring before getting back on the free-agent market. If Wolfe plays well in Baltimore and stays healthy, he has a shot to earn one last large contract next offseason. And with top defensive lineman earning contracts paying above $10 million per year this offseason, that’s a bet Wolfe and the Ravens are eager to make.

However, that excitement comes with a caveat and is likely the reason Wolfe remained unsigned thus far. Wolfe has struggled to stay healthy, missing 15 games over the last five seasons alone. Over his eight-year career, Wolfe has managed to play a full 16-game season just three times. But when on the field, Wolfe is a stout run defender that offers upside as a pass rusher.

Just last season, in 12 games before going on injured reserve, Wolfe accounted for seven sacks, 12 quarterback hits and 18 pressures. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 25th in pass-rush grade in 2019 with a 68.5 overall grade.

Wolfe also brings flexibility to the Ravens’ defense. He’s capable of playing at defensive end or bouncing inside as a defensive tackle. Being able to line up all over the defensive line, when combined with the productivity and flexibility of Brandon Williams and Calais Campbell, should give defensive coordinator Don Martindale plenty of different looks he can give opposing quarterbacks. Considering Martindale blitzed the most of any team in the NFL by a wide margin last season, that added flexibility often means havoc for opponents and ultimately more pressure and sacks.

However, what the Ravens are going to ask Wolfe to do primarily is stop the run. That just so happens to be what Wolfe does best from the inside. According to Pro Football Focus, Wolfe’s lowest grade as an interior defensive lineman was 82.9 (19th at the position) in 2016 while his highest was 87.7 (sixth at the position) in 2015.

While there should be no doubt Wolfe isn’t Baltimore’s first option considering they had agreed to terms with Brockers and showed interest in Ndamukong Suh, he’s a great option that still makes the Ravens’ defense better. But everything seems to be riding on how healthy Wolfe can stay this season and if he can live up to last year’s production as a pass rusher. If so, Wolfe might end up being a better bargain than Brockers.

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6 positions the Ravens need to stock up on for the future

The Ravens aren’t just looking at their 2020 roster when making moves but will keep an eye towards the future & address these eventual needs

The Baltimore Ravens have been filling a bunch of their needs thanks to an aggressive approach in the first week of free agency. They’ve pulled off some trades, signed one of the top free agents and re-signed a bunch of their own players. With fewer immediate needs to fill, the Ravens can turn their attention to the future and start finding players that will turn into starters in another few years.

The best teams in the league not only look at their immediate needs but keep an eye a few years in the future as well. They look at what positions could be ripe for salary cap casualties and where the next few drafts might line up with talent. Upcoming pending free agents and potential trade scenarios all go through the mind of a good general manager so they can keep their roster stacked with talent for the long term.

That’s exactly what Baltimore has done well over its franchise history. Guys like outside linebacker Matthew Judon, guard Marshal Yanda, center Ryan Jensen, tackle Rick Wagner and linebacker Adalius Thomas were all drafted with the expectations they’d sit and develop for a while before getting thrust into the starting lineup. Most got a chance to learn while on the bench and others impressed so much initially that they secured starting jobs and never looked back.

While the Ravens still have a bunch of immediate needs to fill this offseason, look for general manager Eric DeCosta and Baltimore to find some talent they’ll want to stash as well. These are the six positions where the Ravens will want to look for long-term replacement options now in order to save themselves trouble later.

Running back:

Ingram will turn 31 years old during the 2020 season and he hasn’t been known for his health to begin with, missing 23 games over his career. With an easy out on his contract next offseason that will save Baltimore $5 million on their 2021 salary cap, looking for an eventual replacement for him is a wise investment.

While the Ravens have Gus Edwards on an ERFA deal this year, there are no guarantees that he’ll have the same level of production to warrant coming back next year on an RFA contract. Baltimore also has an exciting player in Justice Hill but that’s simply not enough insurance by itself.

With such a run-heavy offense, keeping a steady flow of talent at running back will allow the Ravens to keep chugging forward for even more years.

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11 best remaining free agents the Ravens should be interested in

The Ravens made some noise in the early part of free agency but could still be looking for help. These 11 free agents could be the answer

With the first wave of high-profile free agents being signed, we now enter the next phase of free agency. This is where the second and third tier of players end up getting short-term contracts as a way to finish out their careers or hopefully rejuvenate them. This is also when the Baltimore Ravens typically are a little more aggressive in signing free agents.

While many of the big names are off the market, it’s these smaller deals that help round out a roster and can actually make a bigger overall impact for a team. For Baltimore, this is where they’ve added guys like Robert Griffin III, Mike Wallace, John Brown and Brandon Carr over the last three years.

So who is still available and who makes sense for the Ravens to sign? I picked out 11 free agents still on the market that could be on Baltimore’s radar still.

OLB Jadeveon Clowney

Clowney was the top free-agent outside linebacker this offseason, largely thanks to so many others getting tagged instead. With such a shallow market, Clowney doesn’t seem to be getting the type of attention he was hoping for, which might have lowered his value considerably.

While the Ravens are a little cash strapped at the moment, teams have a way of finding the money to get deals done when they need to. If Clowney is looking at a bunch of one-year deals, Baltimore being so close to a Super Bowl and having a major need at outside linebacker might be able to boost his value for next offseason.

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NFL Quarterback Free Agents, Draft, All 32 Week 1 Starters Will Be …

Bold, crazy, stupid, daring, wacky predictions about who the 32 NFL starting quarterbacks will be after free agency and the NFL Draft.

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Bold, crazy, stupid, daring, wacky predictions about who the 32 NFL starting quarterbacks will be after free agency and the NFL Draft.

Free Agent, NFL Draft Week 1 Quarterback Predictions

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

The NFL rolls on.

Who knows when the season will actually start, but the NFL Draft is going to happen in late April, and the free agency period has filled the empty sports void with several historic moves.

Where will all the top NFL Draft quarterbacks go? Who will be everyone’s Week 1 starter?

AFC East

Buffalo Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Josh Allen – And now he has Stefon Diggs to throw to. He has his No. 1 receiver.

Miami Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Justin Herbert – The Dolphins will try to move up to get Joe Burrow. They’ll think about Tua Tagovailoa, but won’t want to worry about the health issues.

New England Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Jarrett Stidham – However, Bill Belichick wants to change things up, packages a few of his third round draft picks to move up, and takes Jalen Hurts to come in and compete. Or he just goes and gets Andy Dalton.

New York Jets Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Sam Darnold – Growing into a nice starter, Year Three is when it’s all supposed to kick it in.

AFC North

Baltimore Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Lamar Jackson – Everyone wants their own version, and it doesn’t exist.

Cincinnati Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Joe Burrow – The Bengals will be offered deals they absolutely should take to move down and take one of the other top quarterbacks, but they’ll build the next decade around Burrow.

Cleveland Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Baker Mayfield – You can’t say you weren’t warned, Cleveland. He’s fine, but the original pre-2018 draft analysis stands – are you going to win a Super Bowl because you have Baker Mayfield?

Pittsburgh Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Ben Roethlisberger – The Steelers have to seriously look at coming up with a quarterback option in the draft. Mason Rudolph doesn’t appear to be the future.

AFC South

Houston Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Deshaun Watson – Bill O’Brien, you have a superstar talent who can carry you to a Super Bowl. You had better know what you’re doing getting rid of DeAndre Hopkins.

Indianapolis Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Philip Rivers – The Colts have plenty of parts in place to be special, and Rivers gets the O line to play behind he was missing with the Chargers. With the one-year, $25-million deal, they can still draft Jordan Love, Tua Tagovailoa, or any of the top quarterback options that might fall to the 13.

Colts are giving Philip Rivers a one-year, $25 million deal, per source. https://t.co/Nhdjuf1250

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2020

Jacksonville Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Jordan Love – Here’s the call. 1) No, Gardner Minshew isn’t it. 2) Nick Foles will stay around as the mentor for the young star (sound familiar?) and 3) Love falls past Miami and the Chargers to the 9. OR 4) Change around Love for Tua Tagovailoa.

Tennessee Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Ryan Tannehill – In an epic free agency singing period for quarterbacks … four years, $118 million. There’s a huge call happening here.

AFC West

Denver Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Drew Lock – All the tools are there to be a statistical superstar. He’s not going to be Patrick Mahomes, but he’s the QB to keep up in shootouts.

Kansas City Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Patrick Mahomes – He’s pretty good at football.

Los Angeles Chargers Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Tom Brady – He’d have the receivers to work with at Tampa Bay, but LA is LA. The Charger franchise is effectively rebooting, and it needs the signature star to generate a buzz.

Las Vegas Week 1 Starter Will Be …

Derek Carr – This is the shakiest of all the 32 calls. The Gruden/Mayock braintrust appears to be desperate for an upgrade, but Marcus Mariota isn’t it. If this whole scenario plays out like it might, the Raiders go with Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love or Justin Herbert – one of them will fall – at the 12.

NEXT: NFC Starting Quarterback Projections

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NFL franchise tag deadline pushed back again, giving Ravens more time to negotiate with Matthew Judon

The deadline for the franchise tag has been pushed back again to before free agency, giving the Ravens more time to sign Matthew Judon

As the NFL owners and NFLPA continue negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement, the league has been fiddling with their offseason dates. After initially pushing back the start and deadline for the franchise and transition tags, the NFL has once again altered the deadline to a second before noon on March 16, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, giving teams an extra four days. The beginning of the NFL’s legal tampering period — effectively known as the real start of free agency — begins a second later at noon.

The Baltimore Ravens are expected to franchise tag outside linebacker Matthew Judon if they can’t come to a deal on a long-term contract. While the extra time could mean a final push to get a deal signed before having to use the franchise tag — something general manager Eric DeCosta said he’d like to do — if the Ravens and Judon have gone this far, it seems unlikely to suddenly change.

Unlike in previous years, teams are able to use both the transition and franchise tags in the final year of the CBA. However, that isn’t likely for Baltimore this offseason as the transition tag also carries a huge cost but without the security of the non-exclusive franchise tag’s two first-round picks in return for losing a player. Since defensive tackle Michael Pierce is the Ravens’ next biggest pending free agent, the cost of the transition tag on him wouldn’t make much sense.

Though the exact figures aren’t known yet, it’s expected the franchise tag for Judon will cost Baltimore approximately $16.27 million, according to Over The Cap. It will lock Judon up through the 2020 season, barring him refusing to sign the tender and holding out.

The Ravens could decide to tag and then trade Judon if they feel they won’t be able to sign him to a long-term contract. With most of the top pending free agent pass rushers expected to be franchise tagged this offseason, Judon could garner quite a lot of attention and tons of value for Baltimore if they put him on the trading block. However, it would put the Ravens in quite the predicament in not only replacing Judon’s production but improving a pass rush that struggled mightily to win one-on-one matchups last season.

It looks like we’ll have to wait a few more days to figure out exactly what Baltimore is going to do with Judon and the franchise tag.

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