Baltimore Ravens still have work to do in free agency and NFL Draft if they want to win a Super Bowl
The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the biggest losers through one week of NFL free agency. For fans following along closely this is no surprise. General manager Eric DeCosta made it clear when I spoke to him at the NFL Combine that he would not rush things in when it came to free agency, […]
The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the biggest losers through one week of NFL free agency. For fans following along closely this is no surprise. General manager Eric DeCosta made it clear when I spoke to him at the NFL Combine that he would not rush things in when it came to free agency, so their slow start isn't a complete surprise. However, at this point the number of departures and lack of acquisitions is rather alarming.
The Ravens have already lost nearly 3500 snaps from last year's offensive line, including three starters via trade or free agency. They also lost their leading linebacker Patrick Queen (1200+ snaps in 2023), fan favorite safety Geno Stone (1000+ snaps in 2023), both of their best edge rushers in Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, and their third cornerback Ronald Darby.
Yes, they brought in Derrick Henry at running back to fill a big need. And they did re-sign star defensive lineman Justin Madubuike and a handful of other key contributors to smaller deals. But is that anywhere near enough? Not according to most who analyze NFL team construction. In fact, according to prominent NFL data scientist Kevin Cole the Ravens are officially the biggest loser via his popular Offseason Improvement Index.
The Ravens have lost nearly twice as many the expected points over replacement level performance compare to any other NFL team in the league as of this writing. This doesn't necessarily mean it will stay that way, but when we look at just how impactful the losses have been (as you can see in the plus/minus image below) it's clear the Ravens have some work to do.
The Ravens still have around $15 million in remaining 2024 salary cap room without making any contract reconstruction moves and do have nine draft picks (for now). But how should they spend those cap dollars and what do they still need to add via the NFL Draft to get to a Super Bowl as soon as this year?
Remaining Baltimore Ravens Roster Needs
Offensive Line
As I discussed in the Ravens roster update earlier this week, one of the biggest needs for Baltimore right now is offensive line. They let three starters go. Their right tackle and at least one guard spot are currently questionable at best given the near zero returning experience. The Ravens should fill one spot with a remaining free agent option and the other in the draft. A tackle at the end of round one or Christian Haynes at guard in round two would both be solid choices for sure.
Edge Defender
The Ravens return zero edge defenders who had more than five sacks on last year's team. They have a decenty young core with Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, but they need to add help. Mike Danna, who played extraordinarily well amid the Chiefs' Super Bowl run could be an affordable free agent option. Chop Robinson should be the target if they draft an edge round one. Chris Braswell or Marshawn Kneeland if they target round two.
Wide Receiver
Adonai Mitchell has quickly become the fan favorite to land with the Ravens at the end of round one and for good reason. He posted a 99th percentile A to Z Sports Athletic Score at the NFL Combine and scored a touchdown in five College Football Playoff games. The Ravens could use a dominant force at X wide receiver as they really don't have one (sorry, Rashod Bateman).
Safety
The Ravens only have two true safeties at the moment in Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams. That obviously won't hold, and the good news is there are several veteran safety free agents still available on the market. That should be a top priority as the Ravens love to play with three safeties in bigger nickel packages. This 2024 NFL Draft class isn't deep at the position, but there are a few long athletic options for Ravens to target in later rounds.
Expect to see much more Ravens and NFL free agency coverage all off-season long here at A to Z Sports! Make sure you're following us on X (Twitter) @AtoZSportsNFL for all the latest news from around the league!
