Tag: Tyus Bowser

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+

Should the Ravens surrender a compensatory pick to sign Justin Houston?

The Baltimore Ravens have interest in pass rusher Justin Houston. Should they surrender a compensatory pick to sign him?

The Baltimore Ravens have been linked to Justin Houston for a few years now, as they had interest in him before he ended up signing a two-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Now a free agent again in 2021, the Ravens have him in for a visit in hopes of getting to know him better and understand what he wants out of his next team. Houston is a talented pass rusher, but should the Ravens surrender the compensatory pick that it would take to sign him before the draft?

In short, the answer is yes. Houston would provide the Ravens with immediate pass rush, something that they don’t have a lot of on their roster right now. The trio of Tyus Bowser, Pernell McPhee and Jaylon Ferguson have a combined 52 sacks in 15 seasons between the three. Houston has 97.5 sacks in his 10 years playing in the NFL, including a career-high 22 sacks in 2014. He still has plenty left in the tank, and would allow Baltimore to generate more pressure on quarterbacks without blitzing, something they have struggled to do at times in recent years.

If both parties are interested, signing Houston seems like a no-brainer for the Ravens. However, something that appears to be holding up Baltimore from singing any unrestricted free agent before the draft is the compensatory pick formula. The Ravens are currently in-line to receive two fourth-round picks from the departures of Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue. If the Ravens were to sign Houston, an unrestricted free agent, before May 3rd (which is when unrestricted free agents no longer negate compensatory picks), it would cancel out one of the two fourth-round picks they are currently slated to receive.

There have been a few reports signaling that Houston wants to sign before the draft, and others saying that Baltimore won’t sign another unrestricted free agent until after the May 3rd deadline. Maybe there will be a change of heart between either Houston or the Ravens, but at this point it looks like Houston will sign elsewhere before the draft, or Baltimore will have to give up a compensatory pick to add Houston.

Compensatory picks are important. Baltimore has utilized the strategy of compiling as many of them as possible for years, and it has paid off in multiple ways. Accumulating compensatory picks can help with draft night trades, player acquisitions, and having more swings in a draft to select impact players. However, despite all of the positives that compensatory picks bring, in the Ravens’ current situation, there are a few drawbacks.

Lamar Jackson is currently still on his rookie contract for two more years, including his fifth-year option. After that, Baltimore is going to have to sign him to a lucrative extension, somewhat hindering their ability to sign free agents. While Jackson is still on his rookie contract, the Ravens should be looking to add pieces to the team that can make an impact at positions of need, like Houston. While a fourth-round pick in 2022 would be a fine asset, Houston would bring Baltimore closer to a championship at this point in time, when Jackson still has a relatively low salary.

Another situation that could have implications on how much the Ravens are trying to win on Jackson’s rookie contract is the Orlando Brown Jr. dilemma that Baltimore is facing. Brown Jr. wants to play left tackle, but the Ravens can’t move him there, as Ronnie Stanley is one of the best left tackles in the league.

Brown Jr. and his party have been looking for trades, but it’s seeming less and less likely that he’s moved before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2022. The Ravens could certainly get more value by trading him now as opposed to the 2023 third-round selection they’d most likely get for him leaving Baltimore as a free agent, but the team might feel like they have a better chance to win with him on the roster for one more season. If the Ravens truly do feel like they have a higher chance to win with Brown Jr. as opposed to draft picks, then it makes sense that they should feel that way about Houston too.

Overall, Houston would be a great addition to a Ravens defense that needs a pass rusher. He is a proven option, and with Baltimore looking at a massive extension for Lamar Jackson soon and a very competitive roster with the quarterback on his rookie deal, if it comes down to it they should surrender the compensatory pick and land an impact player.

Justin Houston set to visit the Ravens on Tuesday

The Baltimore Ravens are set to host free agent pass rusher Justin Houston on Tuesday. The 10-year veteran is currently a free agent

During 2021 free agency, the Baltimore Ravens saw three of their edge rushers leave for other opportunities as Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, and Jihad Ward all signed elsewhere. While the team was able to retain both Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee, Baltimore currently only has three edge players on the roster when also factoring in Jaylon Ferguson.

Edge rusher is currently a big need for the Ravens, and it seems like the organization is looking to add a veteran option who can make an immediate impact. According to multiple reports, the team is bringing in former Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts pass rusher Justin Houston for a visit on Tuesday.

Houston is a proven player, as he’s played at the NFL level for 10 years after being selected in the third round of the 2011 Draft by the Chiefs. He has 97.5 career sacks to his name, as well as 451 total tackles, 17 forced fumbles, and 15 fumble recoveries. He has plenty of pass rush moves in his arsenal that can help Baltimore as well as plethora of experience to help develop players like Bowser and Ferguson.

This isn’t the first time that the Ravens have had interest in Houston, as back in 2019 they were talking to the pass rusher before he opted to sign a two-year deal with the Colts instead.

When Houston signed his two-year, $24 million deal with Indianapolis, people were beginning to question if he still had enough left in the tank to continue to play at a high level as a 30-year-old. He put those questions to bed and kept them buried, as over his two years with the Colts he piled up 19 sacks.

Now 32 years old, Houston is at the back end of his career. However, he still has plenty to offer an NFL team, and by bringing him in for a visit both he and the organization can get a better feel for each other. There’s no doubt that Houston would improve Baltimore’s defense, and if the Ravens are his next team he’ll have an instant chance to compete for a championship.

Ravens 2021 free agency: Grading every signing

With the first wave of free agency over and the picture a lot clearer, we grade all of the Baltimore Ravens’ free-agent signings.

The NFL offseason is underway, meaning contracts are getting signed. Whether it’s extensions for players already on the roster or the signing of completely new free agents, NFL teams are looking to bolster their rosters for the upcoming season. The Baltimore Ravens are no exception, having dipped their toe into the free-agent pool a couple of times as well as looking inward to bring back some familiar faces.

With the first wave of free agency finished, I wanted to take a look back at everyone the Ravens signed this offseason. We now have a far clearer picture of what Baltimore is looking to do as a whole, helping provide more realistic grades for each signing.

Ravens to re-sign OLB Tyus Bowser

The Baltimore Ravens are bringing back one of their own, agreeing to terms on a four-year deal with OLB Tyus Bowser.

The Baltimore Ravens have seen several of their EDGE defenders get away at the start of the legal tampering period but they’re not letting everyone leave. According to NFL insider Adam Caplan and confirmed by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens are bringing back outside linebacker Tyus Bowser on a four-year deal.

It’s a good deal for both Bowser and Baltimore. The Ravens return one of their promising young defenders at a fraction of the cost of Yannick Ngakoue and Matthew Judon. However, Bowser’s contract could go up to $27 million through incentives while allowing him to return to free agency at just 29 years old.

With both Judon and Ngakoue agreeing to terms elsewhere, Baltimore had to feel the pressure to re-sign Bowser quickly. Though the Ravens acknowledged that both of their top free agents could price themselves out of Baltimore’s interest and leave this offseason, coach John Harbaugh has often preached about the value of continuity.

Bowser has shown plenty of flashes over his first three years with the Ravens but became far more consistent in 2020. Getting more playing time and starting two games, Bowser accounted for three interceptions, five passes defensed, two sacks, 14 quarterback hits, 22 pressures, and 34 combined tackles last season. It appears as though Bowser will take over for Judon, who signed with the New England Patriots, playing a more all-around role in Baltimore’s defense.

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9 free-agent EDGE rushers the Ravens should be interested in

The Baltimore Ravens have several EDGE defenders hitting free agency, creating a big need this offseason. Here’s who could catch their eye.

With the legal tampering period of free agency starting March 15, the Baltimore Ravens have a couple of voids they’ll likely be looking to fill. Though many fans have been focusing on the top wide receivers and centers expected to be available in free agency, finding some EDGE help is very much among the top priorities Baltimore will have this offseason as well.

The Ravens solidified that need after not using their franchise tag on either Yannick Ngakoue or Matthew Judon, pointing to both hitting free agency. When combined with Baltimore’s other pending free agents Tyus Bowser and Derek Wolfe, it’s clear the Ravens will need to make this their top priority of the offseason.

While it’s possible Baltimore could look to re-sign most or even all of their pending free-agent EDGE defenders, free agency is expected to see a wealth of talent at the position become available and potentially for cheap. Let’s take a look at the 9 free agents the Ravens could be most interested in:

Titans TE Jonnu Smith headlines 6 underrated free agents Saints should target

Strapped for salary cap space, the New Orleans Saints should prioritize underrated free agents like TE Jonnu Smith and DE Tyus Bowser.

It’s going to be hard for the New Orleans Saints to make many splashes in free agency this year. With a depressed salary cap and plenty of their own players to worry about re-signing, this could be another year where they work hard to retain their own key players (like free safety Marcus Williams, who received the franchise tag) while taking a selective approach to the market, adding some middle-class upgrades here and there (as they did with Malcolm Jenkins and Emmanuel Sanders) and angling to receive some comp picks in 2022.

But that doesn’t mean New Orleans won’t be active at all. There will be some underrated names available at positions of need, and the Saints would be smart to chase them. Here are six free agents who could provide big help at a bargain:

Pernell McPhee hopes Ravens can keep Matthew Judon and other pending free-agent OLBs

Though he’s a pending free agent as well, Pernell McPhee hopes the Baltimore Ravens re-sign Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue and Tyus Bowser.

The Baltimore Ravens are on the hunt for help at outside linebacker this offseason — either by re-signing their own players or via free agency and the draft. And one of Baltimore’s pending free-agent linebackers is hoping the Ravens can bring everyone back.

In an interview with Ravens staff writer Clifton Brown, McPhee said he wants to return. And while he’s realistic about the chances of this happening, McPhee wants to see his fellow outside linebackers back in purple and black next season too.

“I’m hoping the Ravens can retain all of them, but free agency can get crazy, unpredictable,” McPhee said.

Baltimore has 24 pending free agents as of right now, including several outside linebackers. McPhee, Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue and Tyus Bowser are all set to be unrestricted free agents this offseason.

Though the NFL salary cap has yet to be set and projections are unclear, it’s expected to go down for the first time in a decade. That would mean the Ravens — and most other teams — would have very little cap space to work with. While Baltimore would undoubtedly like to bring back all four players, the cap situation makes it extremely unlikely. Both Ngakoue and Judon are among the league’s top free agents this offseason. Even though it’s difficult to project what either player could earn in free agency due to the salary-cap uncertainty and both players’ lackluster production in 2020, they play a position that often commands top dollar.

However, as McPhee pointed out, free agency can be unpredictable and there’s value in continuity.

“When you’re playing with guys who have been in the organization and who understand your system, it makes a difference. You want to keep those guys, because they know how to play like a Raven. I always think it’s important to keep core guys – like Judon. He was around Sizz (Terrell Suggs), he was around me last year. He knows the Ravens’ ways. You need to keep some of those in-house guys, those in-house dogs.”

As many teams and players have found out, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Baltimore has often preached the value of continuity, both on their coaching staff and on their roster, and could be looking for that this offseason at outside linebacker.

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7 pending free agents most likely to leave Ravens this offseason

The Baltimore Ravens have quite a few big names entering free agency. These are the few that are most likely to leave this offseason.

AS the 2021 NFL offseason gets underway, the Baltimore Ravens will first turn their attention to their own players. With 16 unrestricted free agents set to hit the open market currently, there is plenty of work to be done still.

Under general manager Eric DeCosta, the Ravens have had a clear priority to bring back their own top pending free agents early, allowing them to have a solid core to build off of throughout free agency and the draft. But with a tight wallet thanks to the salary cap being expected to go down for the first time in over a decade, Baltimore will have to either get guys to come back for cheap or be frugal with who they re-sign. That opens up the opportunity for quite a few familiar names to have new homes in 2021.

Let’s take a closer look at the seven Ravens’ pending free agents most likely to leave this offseason.

Ravens pending free agents priority list: Who should Baltimore call first?

In total, Baltimore has 24 pending free agents they’ll have to discuss.

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The Baltimore Ravens played their final game of the season and have made a clear transition into the offseason. Coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta have held their annual season-ending press conferences and some initial roster moves have been completed. But as the Ravens begin the offseason, the very top of their to-do list involves figuring out their own roster and pending free agents.

In total, Baltimore has 24 pending free agents they’ll have to discuss. Who should be brought back and at what cost? Those are the questions only the front office can truly answer as they measure production (both current and potential) against what it’ll likely cost to re-sign them and try to fit it all into a very tight salary cap situation.

But with our general manager hats on, we here at Ravens Wire wanted to take a closer look at who we’d be calling if we were in control. Four of us independently ranked our free-agent priorities — not based on expectations of cost or who we felt would return — but on who we’d be most eager to start negotiations with.

Take a look below to see how we ranked the Ravens’ free-agent priorities and a quick analysis of why we placed them in their respective positions.