We’ve still got a long way to go this offseason, but let’s look at a major positive: in the words of Jon Bon Jovi, we’re halfway there.
Today marks the halfway point of the NFL offseason.
15 Sundays have passed since the Super Bowl.
15 Sundays to go until a full slate of NFL games. 🏈🙌 pic.twitter.com/sTLfJpk6l5
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 28, 2023
Those who work in and around football will tell you that there’s never truly an offseason, by virtue of the structure of the schedule. By the time the Lombardi Trophy is being hoisted, most teams have already dug deep into scouting the next draft class and considered what they’ll do with pending free agents. Once you roll through the Combine and the draft, you move right into minicamps, the roster starts to come together, and before you know it, you’re staring down the preseason. So halfway through the offseason journey, what have the Ravens accomplished, and what questions remain?
Let’s start with the obvious: QB1 is locked in long-term, and it feels great to be able to say that. After concerns stretching all the way to this time last year, it’s nice to know that the biggest questions in the QB room now revolve around an adjustment to a new offense.
In case you missed, John Harbaugh joined the Rich Eisen Show yesterday and talked about Lamar Jackson's deal, the new offense with Todd Monken, LJ being able to change plays in the line of scrimmage and much more. pic.twitter.com/oCpE43yDhv
— Pedro H. Rhormes (@rhormes_) May 29, 2023
Of course, Lamar and Coach Monken have a couple of new toys to play with in the receiver room, but another high-profile weapon just hit the free agency market in DeAndre Hopkins…
We have released Deandre Hopkins. pic.twitter.com/POnAb3uhWH
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) May 26, 2023
…and the oddsmakers think that the Ravens may not be done building yet.
According to sports betting site DraftKings, the Ravens currently have the third best odds to sign FA WR DeAndre Hopkins. pic.twitter.com/YU3rpBFwJO
— Ravens Nation LIVE (@LIVERavenNation) May 29, 2023
Don’t get me wrong, my feelings certainly wouldn’t be hurt if Baltimore was able to land Hopkins. Nuk’s addition would undoubtedly make this the best offensive group that the Ravens have ever fielded, but with the price tag that it would take to sign him, it feels a bit like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Who can afford DeAndre Hopkins? Salary cap situation, per Over the Cap:
– Eagles: $13.4M
– Chargers: $12.7M
– Ravens: $11.7M
– Bills: $1.4M
– Chiefs: $652KThose are the five teams that Nuk quoted on his last podcast participation. I don't think the Chargers are a contender to… pic.twitter.com/2nQIO2d1Mp
— Pedro H. Rhormes (@rhormes_) May 27, 2023
Consider the position that Baltimore ended up in last year with injuries at wide receiver. If they ran into similar problems in the receiver room this coming season (fingers and toes crossed that they don’t), they would now have playmakers who could fill in. However, with limited cap space remaining, depth at other positions could be dangerously thin, and a position like EDGE and CB could be left scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for help.
That leads to the next question regarding offseason progress: what is the contingency plan for Justin Houston and Marcus Peters?
Marcus Peters wishes he were back in Owings Mills, too.
(via IG) pic.twitter.com/3OFBNZKy26
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) May 24, 2023
My heart says that having MP back at The Castle would be great, as he offers vocal leadership and the ferocity synonymous with Ravens defense. My head says that, based on Peters’ performance at times last year, it may be time to get younger in the secondary. Even if Peters is willing to take a steep discount to return, there are only so many roster spots, and his return would likely mean a recent arrival getting the boot. Currently, free agent acquisition Rock Ya-Sin is listed on several depth charts as CB2, but only time (and competition in camp) will tell if a player like Pepe Williams or Jalyn Armour-Davis can earn the position.
#Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has said many players make their biggest jump between Year One and Year Two. So what would progress in Year Two mean for the Ravens' 2022 draft picks? https://t.co/miUx36o1mO
— PressBox (@PressBoxOnline) May 28, 2023
If one player of those two vets is more likely to return, my money is on Houston. The 34-year-old vet posted 9.5 sacks last season, leading the team by a wide margin, and his absence was noticeable during the handful of games that he missed. Between his veteran leadership, his continued productivity, and the likelihood that the Ravens could get him back for a relatively low asking price, it makes all the sense in the world to bring him back.
Of course, the ideal outcome for a Houston reunion would include a reduced role with Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo taking the next step to become your primary EDGE duo, but I’d be much more confident that they could take that next step with another summer’s tutelage next to Houston. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary would be Tavius Robinson, who could use refinement as a prospect but whose size also makes him a tremendous potential asset off the outside.
At this halfway point of the offseason, what are your biggest questions for the Ravens moving forward? Let me know in the comments!
