In an unexpected turn of events Sunday, it was reported that the Carolina Panthers have signed veteran pass rusher and former Raven, Justin Houston, to a one-year contract. With Baltimore in 2021 and 2022, Houston posted a combined total of 14 sacks, including a whopping 9.5 last season, while being a valuable contributor to overall defensive production and a great mentor in the locker room. For that, he was rewarded handsomely. The Panthers shelled out a contract worth up to $7 million, including $6 million in guarantees, to bring him in. That’s a far cry from the roughly $2 million Houston earned with the Ravens in ’21 and a substantial jump from the $4.5 million earned in ’22. With just over $8 million in cap space as of now, that figure certainly prices Houston out of Eric DeCosta’s budget, unless of course he was willing to offer extensions, initiate cost-saving cuts or execute restructures to create more space.
However, losing out on a player that many fans took as a guaranteed re-signing sends ripple effects throughout the depth chart. As of right now, the Ravens are thinnest at pass-rusher, not to mention extremely inexperienced. If the season started today, Mike Macdonald would likely be trotting out 2021 first-round pick Odafe Oweh and 2022 second-round pick David Ojabo, coincidentally teammates in high school, to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Both players possess immense raw talent, but they both remain very much unproven.
Oweh has shown flashes at times throughout his two years with the Ravens, and now he’ll be eyeing a third-year jump to the next level. He’s looked good in training camp thus far, but scrimmaging in shorts and t-shirts isn’t always the best indicator of how a player will perform during the season (see James Proche). Ojabo, too, has been highly impressive, arguably even more so than Oweh.
Considered a consensus top-15 pick in the 2022 Draft 18 months ago, the pass rusher out of Michigan slid to the second round due to an Achilles injury during the school’s annual Pro Day. Ojabo shined in his first (and only) year as a collegiate starter in 2021, racking up 11 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 12 tackles for loss through 13 games. Those numbers are very similar to the ones that Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson put up that same year. In one of the most remarkable Ravens draft classes in recent memory, it’s no secret that Eric DeCosta got an absolute steal in Ojabo.
Behind these two rising stars, however, depth is extremely thin. Tyus Bowser should provide a solid boost to the group when he returns, but to see him on the PUP list with just a month until the season’s start is a bit concerning. As it stands, just 2023 4th-rounder Tavius Robinson, 2022 UDFA Jeremiah Moon, journeyman Del’shawn Phillips (1 career sack), and Kelle Sanders sit behind Oweh and Ojabo. While the group has some potential, it is ultimately highly unproven.
Surely Eric DeCosta recognizes this and is dutifully plotting his next steps to shore up this need. There are three free agents on the market who would all benefit the Ravens: Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy both had visits to Owings Mills. And then there’s Jason Pierre-Paul. The Ravens have been in touch with Clowney in the past, attempting to execute a sign-and-trade with the Saints back in 2021, and his value has certainly flattened after a considerable amount of time on the market. He’s probably the most expensive of the three, but his addition would serve the team well.
Van Noy, on the other hand, should be viewed as a realistic target. Van Noy packs the versatility the Ravens need in a free agent defender, considering the aforementioned lack of depth. His price shouldn’t be too high, so DeCosta wouldn’t have to take a significant financial gamble on his addition.
Finally, Jason Pierre-Paul remains an interesting option on the market. He’ll likely be the cheapest of the three, and the team has experience with him from last season. JPP was a mid-season signing last year and played serviceably as a rotational defender, picking up 3 sacks across 14 games and even picking off a pass. Seeing that he’s still unsigned and getting up there in age, he might be willing to take a pay cut to play for a familiar organization that traditionally treats players well. He wasn’t all too expensive last year, either, playing on a $1.35 million dollar contract. The Ravens don’t truly need to add a superstar at the position, seeing that Bowser should return to the field relatively soon, so JPP might be the move here. Getting him on a cheap contract could allow the team to address other positions of need, as well.
Thus far in camp, the Ravens defense has looked lights-out. Yet, with Justin Houston coming off the market, there is still work to be done. Signing Clowney, Van Noy, or JPP would add significantly to the pass rushers, as well as giving youngsters Oweh and Ojabo the chance to grow under veteran leadership. It may not be today or tomorrow, but eventually EDC will address this increasingly pressing need.
