With Josh Bynes, Patrick Onwuasor signing elsewhere emphasis is put on the 2020 NFL Draft for Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have a huge hole in the middle of their defense at inside linebacker and now both of their free agents are gone.

One of the Baltimore Ravens’ biggest needs remaining is at inside linebacker. While they’ve shored up their defensive line, which should help outside linebacker Matthew Judon get better matchups, Baltimore doesn’t even have enough inside linebackers on the roster to go into the regular season.

The Ravens had shown some interest in both of their free-agent inside linebackers — Josh Bynes and Patrick Onwuasor — during free agency. With how Baltimore was re-signing their own players this offseason, it seemed as though a reunion was forthcoming with at least one of them. However, Onwuasor is signing a one-year deal with the New York Jets while Bynes is signing with the Cincinnati Bengals, taking both familiar options off the table. Now with only lesser or older options still remaining in free agency, the Ravens might be forced to remedy the problem in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Mock drafts have frequently given Baltimore Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray or LSU’s Patrick Queen in the first round, filling a need with a quality player. But there are no guarantees when it comes to the draft — either in a player falling or in any prospect being good.

If there’s a run on wide receivers, pass rushers and quarterbacks, the Ravens might see either Queen or Murray fall into their laps. But just as easily, both could be off the board which would force Baltimore to either hope they can get one of the second-tier linebackers in a later round or reach for one of them there. While the second wave of free agency following the draft could still net them a starter-quality player at inside linebacker, it’s something the Ravens rarely leave to chance.

This hypothetical is exactly why the Ravens like to address as many of their needs as possible ahead of the draft. Instead of drafting the players they like most, Baltimore is now eyeing up the possibility of having to adjust their entire draft to find a starter at a key position.

4 things to know about new Jets LB Patrick Onwuasor

Here are four things to know about new Jets LB Patrick Onwuasor, who spent his previous for seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

With Joe Douglas’ latest move in free agency, he reunited a pair of Ravens linebackers.

Douglas signed Patrick Onwuasor to a one-year deal on Wednesday, ensuring that the Portland State product will get to play alongside C.J. Mosley again. The two enjoyed success playing next to each other during the 2018 season. That could happen once again in New York, though it’s unclear what Onwuasor’s role will be.

Adding Onwuasor to the mix means the Jets have six inside linebackers on their depth chart. While someone may have to go, Onwuasor’s versatility allows them to get creative.

With that, let’s get to now the Jets’ newest addition to their defense. Here are four things to know about Onwuasor.

Versatile chess piece

( Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports)

While the Jets now have six inside linebackers on the active roster, Patrick Onwuasor adds a bit of versatility that his position-mates do not.

For the majority of Onwuasor’s career in Baltimore, he played as the weakside linebacker next to C.J. Mosley. Once Mosley signed a lucrative contract with the Jets last offseason, Onwuasor was supposed to be his strongside heir. Instead, he struggled in place of Mosley and was moved back to the weakside.

Over the last three seasons, Onwuasor has recorded 9.5 sacks in addition to creating five turnovers. Not only can Onwuasor rush the passer from the middle of the defense, but he also excels in coverage.

Onwuasor is a versatile chess piece that Gregg Williams could use a number of ways, but his arrival could also allow New York to move some money around. Onwuasor could replace Avery Williamson, who can still end up a cap casualty. Cutting him saves Joe Douglas roughly $6.5 million in cap space.

Jets suddenly very deep at inside linebacker

Joe Douglas bolster the Jets’ inside linebacker corps to insulate the defense from another bout of injuries.

The inside linebacker position was a mess for the Jets in 2019.

Avery Williamson missed the entire season following an avoidable preseason injury and C.J. Mosley was out for 14 games. With the two starters essentially non-factors, the Jets were forced to go with a bevy of unproven players up the middle. At times, the defense suffered because of it. 

But with the return of Mosley, Blake Cashman, Neville Hewitt and James Burgess, along with the addition of Patrick Onwuasoar, Joe Douglas is looking to turn one of the Jets’ weakest defensive positions in 2019 into one of the deepest in 2020.

(Williamson is also due back, but there’s a chance he becomes a cap casualty.)

The Jets fielded a ragtag group of inside linebackers in 2019 between Cashman, Hewitt and Burgess after Williamson and Mosley went down with injuries. That trio combined for 22 starts in 71 games prior to 2019 and proved the Jets’ true lack of depth. Journeymen B.J. Bello and Albert McClellan barely contributed with 14 combined tackles in 13 combined starts.

Douglas realized he needed to fix that and it’s likely a big reason why he brought back Hewitt and Burgess and signed Onwuasoar. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams now has a solid group of six linebackers with ample amounts of starts at his disposal, something he had for only a week or two in 2019.

Onwuasoar is an interesting addition considering his versatility at linebacker. He started 25 games alongside Mosley in the middle of the Ravens’ defense in 2017 and 2018, but played some outside linebacker in 2019. With the Jets currently thin on the outside – only Jordan Jenkins, Harvey Langi, Tarrell Basham and Frankie Luvu are on the roster – Onwuasoar can switch positions on the fly wherever Williams needs him.

The linebacker corps now offers a solid mix of coverage and pass-rush specialists behind Mosley and Williamson. Hewitt and Onwuasoar can give the Jets speed at linebacker when Williams wants to blitz with his backups, while Cashman is better in coverage. All six have starting experience as well, should injury strike the Jets again and they need quality players to fill in.

The biggest problem facing the Jets’ depth is none of these linebackers behind Williamson and Mosley are great. They’re all good, serviceable players but not up to the level necessary to hold down a defense. Williamson could still be a cap casualty given he could save the Jets $6.5 million, but only if Douglas and Williams believe the other four linebackers are viable starters. After 2019, though, it would be wise for the Jets to keep Williamson and maintain solid depth behind their two starters.

Burgess actually had the highest Pro Football Focus grade (54.9) in 2019 out of him, Hewitt, Cashman and Onwuasoar. That isn’t saying much for a team that needs consistency even with its role players. The hope with these signings is that the five returning Jets can build off their 2019 season and Onwuasoar can provide an extra layer of production for a deeper unit.

The Jets defense kept a lot of its core from 2019 and could still add a pass rusher in free agency or the draft. But by tightening the middle of the defense by re-signing their own players and bringing in a linebacker with starting experience and 8.5 sacks in two seasons, Douglas is setting Williams up for more success at the linebacker position with six solid players.

Patrick Onwuasor signs with Jets, reunites with C.J. Mosley

Joe Douglas is reuniting a pair of ex-Ravens inside linebackers with his latest move in free agency.

Joe Douglas is reuniting a pair of ex-Ravens inside linebackers with his latest move in free agency.

The Jets agreed to a one-year deal with Patrick Onwuasor on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. Onwuasor spent the first four years of his career in Baltimore, where he started up the middle alongside C.J. Mosley. Mosley signed with the Jets last offseason but appeared in just two games during an injury-plagued 2019 campaign.

Onwuasor, 27, went undrafted out of Portland State in 2016, but he spent most of his time on special teams as a rookie. He started 25 games between 2017 and 2018, though, and recorded 9.5 sacks, 152 tackles, 17 for a loss, 19 QB hits and four forced fumbles over the last three years.

After starting just six games last season, it’s unclear what Onwuasor’s role will be in New York. Avery Williamson is penciled in as a starter next to Mosley, but there’s still a chance he becomes a cap cut. The Jets also re-signed Neville Hewitt and James Burgess.

Report: Ravens in talks to bring back LB Patrick Onwuasor

With few options remaining in free agency and even less cap space, the Baltimore Ravens have resumed talks to re-sign LB Patrick Onwuasor

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The Baltimore Ravens have been trying to re-sign several of their own free agents this offseason. They’ve brought back defensive end Jihad Ward and defensive tackle Justin Ellis while giving out some contracts early to guys like cornerback Marcus Peters, punter Sam Koch and wide receiver Willie Snead.

With the first, big wave of free agency down and the Ravens very active, Baltimore is looking back at their own free agents to help fill some of their remaining holes. According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens are in talks with linebacker Patrick Onwuasor to return.

The decision makes sense for both Baltimore and Onwuasor at this point. The market for inside linebackers has dried up with the top options signing elsewhere. If Onwuasor isn’t getting many offers or a chance to start, returning to the Ravens might be his best option. Likewise, Baltimore doesn’t have a ton of options available to them right now and what is available isn’t obviously better than Onwuasor. So for them, returning a player that they’re familiar with and knows the defense is a wise decision as long as the money makes sense.

Even if the Ravens re-sign Onwuasor, they’re likely going to look towards the 2020 NFL Draft to find a long-term starter at inside linebacker. Many mock drafts have had Baltimore picking LSU’s Patrick Queen or Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray.

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3 Ravens that regressed in 2019

While the Baltimore Ravens saw a number of players step up their game a handful actually got worse in 2019.

The Baltimore Ravens placed 13 players in the Pro Bowl and had a franchise-best 14-2 record. A team doesn’t do that without nearly everyone stepping up and playing great football. However, every team ends up having some players that slide backwards instead of improving and the Ravens are no exception to the rule.

In spite of so many players stepping up last season, these three players regressed in 2019 for Baltimore and leave them with some questions.

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

LB Patrick Onwuasor:

Onwuasor entered the 2019 season as Baltimore’s answer for the departure of C.J. Mosley. It only took a few weeks for the Ravens to realize they were in trouble and replace him with mid-season free agents. That’s a pretty huge regression that now makes it difficult to see Baltimore re-signing him as a pending free agent.

The Ravens’ defense was often out of position and suffered blown coverages in the few games Onwuasor was given the green-dot helmet (the helmet for communicating with the coaching staff). When it cycled elsewhere, Baltimore’s defense began to tighten up.

After coming off a 2018 season that saw Onwuasor start 12 games, notch 59 combined tackles, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, three passes defended and an interception, last season was a disaster. Onwuasor only started six games, posting 64 combined tackles and three sacks and seeing his defensive snap counts plummet after Week 5 while getting more snaps on special teams in the final eight games he played.

PODCAST: Constructing the Bills’ 2020 free agent big board

Kyle Silagyi is joined by Justin DiLoro and McKenna Middlebrook to construct the Buffalo Bills’ free-agent big board.

The 2020 NFL offseason has finally arrived.

The craziness of the NFL regular season will soon be replaced with the insanity that is the offseason, as players on expiring contracts will officially become free agents on March 18.

On this episode of The Kyle Silagyi Variety Hour, host Kyle Silagyi is joined by BillsWire staff writers McKenna Middlebrook and Justin DiLoro to talk about the players who they feel the Buffalo Bills should pursue this offseason, constructing their own 10-man big board.

They also talk about the latest news in the world of English football and the second slate of XFL games.

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2019 Ravens recap: 5 studs and 4 duds

Which Baltimore Ravens performed well and which ones had bad years last season? We look at the biggest studs and duds from the 2019 season

Though the Baltimore Ravens didn’t finish the season hoisting the Lombardi Trophy or holding a parade, they broke several records and finished a franchise-best 14-2 with the team’s first-ever No. 1 seed in the AFC. With a lot of accomplishments during the 2019 season, there are a number of players who shone brightly while others failed to live up to expectations.

With that in mind, I took a look back at the Ravens’ 2019 season to see which players were the biggest studs and which ones were the biggest duds.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Stud: CB Marcus Peters

Peters got traded from a team that clearly didn’t want him and didn’t value him as a long-term option to a franchise that is seemingly in better shape to win a Super Bowl and handed him a big contract extension. It’s hard to find a bigger winner this season than Peters.

Ravens 2020 Free Agency Preview: ILB Patrick Onwuasor

Baltimore Ravens ILB Patrick Onwuasor got demoted in 2019 but how does that affect his free-agent value in the 2020 offseason?

The Baltimore Ravens got so close to the Super Bowl and will look to improve themselves this offseason to make another run in 2020. But before we get to free agency and the draft, the Ravens will need to handle their own pending free agents.

We continue our look at Baltimore’s pending free agents with a preview of inside linebacker Patrick Onwuasor. Make sure to check out our other Ravens free-agent previews for 2020.

Credit: Mitchell Layton-USA TODAY Sports

Patrick Onwuasor – 2019 review:

Onwuasor started 25 of the 32 games the Ravens played in 2017 and 2018. But despite being on the field for the first few snaps, he only played on 59% and 42% snaps of the total defensive snaps. It appeared that Baltimore was confident he could become an every-down replacement for C.J. Mosley when the 2019 season began.

Onwuasor started the first five games and played at least 90% of the snaps in each contest. But his role diminished after struggles in communication and production. With Baltimore signing L.J. Fort and Josh Bynes prior to Week 5, Onwuasor went on to start one more game all season and never played on more than 53% of the snaps.

This decrease in playing time led to his production dipping. In 2018, Onwuasor registered 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss, along with two forced fumbles. In 2019, he managed 3.0 sacks, five tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

Onwuasor was not exactly an asset to the Ravens when it came to pass defense last year. He was targeted on 7.2% of his defensive snaps, seeing 34 targets throughout the year. He allowed 30 of these (88.2%) to be converted into 424 yards, including 283 of these yards coming after the catch.

Review / Potential / Value / Chance to re-sign

Ravens vs. Bills: Who’s playing and who isn’t in Week 14

The Baltimore Ravens have no players already ruled out but with four listed as “questionable,” there could be some concern in Week 14.

The Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills will enter Week 14 against each other fairly healthy. Both the Ravens and Bills have very few names on their final injury reports and even fewer with their game status in question.

For Baltimore, they have just four players listed as “questionable.” While seeing Marlon Humphrey and Marquise Brown among them is concerning, there’s some upside for both. Humphrey had been limited in the first two practices but returned to full participation today. Brown wasn’t even on the injury report on Wednesday and was also a full participant on Friday. If Friday’s final injury report is any indication, all four players should be able to suit up this week.

Baltimore Ravens game status:

WR Marquise Brown (ankle) – Questionable
CB Marlon Humphrey (thigh) – Questionable
LB Patrick Onwuasor (ankle) – Questionable
WR Seth Roberts (knee) – Questionable


Buffalo Bills game status:

T Ty Nsekhe (ankle) – Out

Nsekhe is Buffalo’s backup left tackle, so being ruled out already isn’t exactly a killer. But Nsekhe has played a decent number of snaps every week he’s been healthy, seeing no fewer than 27% of the offensive snaps in a game this season.

That could end up affecting how the Bills run the football, something they’ll need to do effectively to keep up with the Ravens. But with Baltimore being able to sack quarterbacks 15 times over the last five games, quarterback Josh Allen won’t like missing a key blocker in front of him either.