With the 2023 NFL Draft at the end of this month, the Ravens have several key positions of need that they’ll be trying to address with the incoming crop of rookies. Unfortunately, that list has grown with the Ravens losing a few players during the first wave of free agency…
Ravens' moves through two weeks of 2023 free agency
Added:
– WR Nelson AgholorLost:
– OL Ben Powers
– TE Josh Oliver
– S Chuck Clark
– DL Calais Campbell
– OL Trystan ColonRe-Signed:
– RB Justice Hill
– LS Nick Moore
– S Geno Stone
– LB Del'Shawn Phillips
– CB Trayvon Mullen— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) April 3, 2023
…but Baltimore has always been a team that’s been more active in the second wave of free agency anyway. With that in mind, the front office is likely to be exploring options outside of the rookie class to address at least one of the key needs with a proven vet. So, who is available, and maybe just as importantly, who can the Ravens afford?
Let me begin with the caveat that, should the Ravens put pen to paper with one of these guys, the price tag would likely make signing any of the others cost-exclusive without a corresponding roster move. That said, check out the Top 100 available players here.
While the quarterback room has been the major headline for most of the offseason, the consensus around Ravens Flock is that the receiver room should be considered the top priority. Outside of Rashod Bateman and newly minted Raven Nelson Agholor, there’s still plenty of work to do. The depth of the receiver room was shown to be dangerously shallow following several injuries last season, and with Devin Duvernay still potentially becoming a cap casualty, Baltimore needs all the help they can get.
Could this finally be the season that sees Odell Beckham in Baltimore?
The Ravens have offered Odell Beckham Jr a contract pic.twitter.com/G8yRClH3rs
— Yuri (@MR___Yuri) April 3, 2023
April fools was yesterday no?
I be so confused where all these reports and numbers are comin from 😂😂 “per source”
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) April 2, 2023
If you believe OBJ’s response to those reports, maybe he and Baltimore’s front office can find a middle ground that would allow him to join the Ravens. I would anticipate that it would be a short-term deal, and I would imagine that Beckham would be relying heavily on assurances that Lamar Jackson would play this coming season before he would ink a contract. Still, it would certainly make a splash, and with the rest of the free agent crop of receivers being extremely sparse in talent, Baltimore could try to make as aggressive an offer as their cap room would allow.
Elsewhere, with a return to Baltimore still in doubt for Marcus Peters, there’s a glaring need for help at corner. There are a few high-profile prospects available who could help early in the Draft, including a potential homecoming for Maryland product Deonte Banks, but the Ravens will have to be sparing with their draft capital in the absence of a 2nd-round selection. With that in mind, I think Baltimore probably targets a receiver with their first-round selection and a corner in free agency.
Would imagine we see a Rock Ya-Sin type signing this week.
The #Ravens approach of filling immediate needs prior to the draft is missing a CB.#RavensFlock
— Cole Jackson (@ColeJacksonFB) March 26, 2023
Admittedly, after his first few seasons, my stock on Rock Ya-Sin was low. He was a boom-or-bust prospect coming out of Temple, and when he was traded to Vegas in the deal for Yannick Ngakoue, I figured it was indicative of how the Colts felt about Ya-Sin’s potential. Looking at his career thus far, though, I think a lot of his early struggles were a result of his landing spot. At 26 years old, Ya-Sin still has plenty of opportunity to improve on a “prove it” deal, and he would be entering an existing secondary that’s far better than his supporting casts in Vegas or Indy.
Ya-Sin's reps in man were very impressive and he should be affordable (4 years, $10-11M avg)
Can get grabby and open his hips early vs speed, but he contested nearly every target for LV. Length popped consistently and had flashes of brilliance in press. Also shined on scrambles pic.twitter.com/81VAvyeqgP
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) March 7, 2023
It might not be a flashy acquisition, but it certainly feels like the kind of buy-low option that could help the Ravens focus on other needs during the Draft.
This last one is a potential signing that could end up signaling a more pessimistic view of the future. The Ravens might not have a need at quarterback right this second, but if internal rumblings start to indicate that Lamar Jackson intends to hold out, Baltimore will need to find a serviceable QB to support Tyler Huntley in a hurry. Understandably, the cupboards are pretty bare in terms of available free agent QBs, with the best remaining name being Teddy Bridgewater.
Teddy Bridgewater is the best passer still available on the free-agent market. Where could he land as a high-end backup?#NFLFreeAgencyhttps://t.co/tq61yzYqdY
— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) March 30, 2023
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox writes that, with Baltimore reportedly testing the market on Baker Mayfield’s availability, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they signed Bridgewater.
If it becomes clear that Lamar is planning on holding out, I wouldn’t hate the move. Bridgewater isn’t going to set the world on fire, but he’s good for a few decent games every year and finished with the 5th best completion percentage among starters a few years ago. That said, if Baltimore reaches the point of needing Bridgewater, the preferable option might just be to embrace the suck for a year and see who’s available in 2024.
Is there a free agent on your wish list? Let me know in the comments.
8 Responses
I’m not a fan of OBJ because of his locker presence. I have a question about WRs for you Kevin?
Why do people keep mocking midget WRs to the Ravens? If you want to play bully ball you have to have bullies on the outside at WR too. So please tell me why I would want a WR under 6’2″? Keep in mind that there is only 1 Steve Smith Sr. and he is retired. So telling me they are the next coming of SSR ain’t gonna work. Just because we need a WR doesn’t mean anybody with WR next to their names will do. If we needed a slot WR ok, but we need outside WRs. So when folks say Zay Flowers I start laughing because the DBs in this league are all bigger stronger and faster than he is. You put Humphreys on Zay Flowers and I’ll bet on Humphreys to blanket that dude to not get a catch all day. I’ll bet I win too because Humphreys is all that and a bag of chips. So I’m curious about your take on this and anyone else’s for that matter.
Hey IH, I know you’d mentioned this in the past. As much as size is certainly an asset, it’s not an assurance of success. As Coach Billick said “Never fall in love with a man in shorts.” A guy can test well and have great metrics but fall short once you get them on the field, which is my reservation with a prospect like Quentin Johnston in this draft class. His size is certainly an asset at 6’4” but struggles with drops, and has a tendency to gravitate away from that “bully ball” mentality by not getting upfield to block or use his physical assets effectively. Outside of QJ, there’s a steep drop-off in quality for receivers 6’2” or taller (names like AT Perry or Cedric Tillman), so banking on the idea of Baltimore landing a guy like that to be an oWR1 or 2 right away just isn’t that feasible for this class. League-wide you’re also seeing a shift toward WRs in the game who use separation and route-running over size and strength as their primary assets. Think guys like Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith. It obviously helps to have the supporting casts that they do, but their biggest asset is separation, and a DB can’t bully what they can’t catch. None of the top 10 WRs in yardage last season in the NFL were over 6’1”, and only Mike Evans and DK Metcalf had the kind of size you’re looking for within the top 15 in receiving yards. I definitely understand wanting size as an asset and understand your argument, but BAL just doesn’t have the capital or cap space to acquire a proven asset like a Mike Evans or DK, and based on how sparse large WRs are in the draft class, I don’t think we should be banking on the idea of a large WR1. Based on how glaring the need is at WR and what’s available, I think you go with the talent that’s there in a guy like JSN, Addison, Flowers, etc, then maybe double down later in the draft on someone like Jonathan Mingo if you can get him.
Ok, that’s fair but when you mention players being under 6′ they are playing in an offense that throws the ball. That’s not apples to apples. We are running an offense that is predicated on running the ball. I was not advocating for QJ. Number 1 WRs aren’t always found in rd 1 either. Dk was drafted in rd 2. I get that size metrics don’t necessarily matriculate to production on the field but if that’s true then why have a combine at all? I mean we could draft Xavier Hutchinson in the 3rd rd and he turns out to be a number 1 WR. So yeah, I disagree but I do appreciate your response.
well said
there are many other smallish slot/outside receivers in the nfl who are eminently successful…..miami is becoming one of the more feared offenses in the league with two midgets playing the position….
i`m really tired of short-sighted fans wanting the franchise to continue making the “combine warrior/size ,speed measurables” mistake we always seem to make when scouting wr classes….i was thinking with the last draft or two we were starting to learn from our mistakes(bateman actually appears to have wr skills and instincts)……but fans keep trying to drag us back into drafting athletes with poor instincts and without an innate wr skillset…
no more 1st round wr projects based on measurables and unproven potential..we have 5 picks and we have to make them count……..
and btw…please watch zay flowers` tape….he`s a football player with innate wr skills and instincts who is a very versatile offensive weapon(particularly around the goalline)…b.c. wasn`t eaxactly the offensive juggernaut of the acc and he was always the defenses main focus in every game…he still performed(in spite of poor o line/qb play)…
No, on OBJ especially with his injury history. Why do Ravens always feel that players that have a history of injuries won’t get injured playing for the Ravens when we have 1 of the highest rate of injuries in the league?
please…no bridgewater……
SI reports Ravens willing to trade Lamar for Indy’s #4 even up. Think it is true? I agree with doing it.