The Baltimore Ravens have plenty of work cut out for them in the weeks ahead to continue to dig out of the hole they’ve put themselves in. The good news? All of their biggest aspirations continue to await them on the other side of a favorable remaining schedule and a pair of head-to-head contests remaining against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But the slow start of 2025 should have the Ravens reconsidering the foundation they committed to in some ways. They’ve built an impressive roster — one that was certainly whittled at by injuries early in the season. But they’re at an intersection where they’re primed to pay QB Lamar Jackson a new contract extension, which means the allocation of all the other resources is under the microscope. The bad news for Baltimore? They’ve got several pending free agents that are going to be coveted across the league.

Three Ravens players ranked among top-25 free agents set to hit market in 2026

ESPN made a list of the top 25 pending free agents for next offseason, and three of them are Baltimore Ravens. The names won’t surprise you and the list of notable free agents after this season out of Baltimore is even longer than just the three spotlighted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen. But what do the Ravens do with each one of these talents? The biggest dominoes will have a trickle-down effect to the rest of the roster.

Center Tyler Linderbaum

• No. 2 overall best available ranked pending free agent

What Jeremy Fowler reported: Linderbaum is considered a top-10 interior offensive lineman in the eyes of execs, coaches and scouts. That makes him an expensive option, poised to become one of the highest-paid centers. The Ravens have discussed an extension with Linderbaum but are not within striking distance on a deal. When the Ravens declined his fifth-year option in the spring, that enhanced his chances for free agency. 

Analysis: What the Ravens can’t do is revert to the franchise tag to keep Linderbaum. The team voluntarily declined their fully guaranteed fifth-year option for Linderbaum in the spring, which suggested they either felt like they were going to be able to secure a long-term deal or that they weren’t interested in paying a center. A franchise tag decision now would be several million dollars more than the fifth-year option, and all offensive line salaries are bucketed together, so the Ravens would be cutting their nose off to spite their face by opting for that route. Linderbaum is an anchor in the middle — this is a contract that needs to get done, especially relative to the timeline for their big money investment into an aging tackle in Ronnie Stanley.

Defensive tackle Travis Jones

• No. 8 overall best available ranked pending free agent

What Jeremy Fowler reported: Multiple teams consider him the best defensive tackle to potentially be available. “He’s awesome,” an NFC executive said. “Very tough to block, elite run stopper. A wide-bodied guy who has enough pass rush.” The Ravens could attempt to re-sign Jones but aren’t afraid to let key players leave via free agency. One player comp from an NFC exec: Dalvin Tomlinson, who got $57 million over four years from Cleveland in 2023.

Analysis: The big wildcard on the decision surrounding Travis Jones may come back to what the status of Nnamdi Madubuike is long-term. It is difficult to imagine the Ravens paying two defensive tackles premium money. But Madubuike is out for the season with a neck injury that has been handled very delicately by head coach John Harbaugh. If the prognosis with Madubuike is good, I’d expect the Ravens end up letting Jones test free agency.

Tight end Isaiah Likely

• No. 9 overall best available ranked pending free agent

What Jeremy Fowler reported: Several team executives anticipate Likely doing very well in free agency because he can serve as a matchup problem who can separate from coverage. Part of the equation: The tight end franchise tag in 2026 is very reasonable ($15.8 million). Some people I’ve talked to inside the league would not be surprised if Baltimore tags him, especially with its top three tight ends hitting free agency.

Analysis: It’s been a frustrating season for Likely. If I were the Ravens, I’d be hesitant to bid against myself on this one. Likely is a good player, but the prospect of putting him on the tag, as Fowler suggests, doesn’t sit well with me. The franchise tag value is projected to be over $15.8M in 2026 for tight ends. Perhaps the transition tag, which is $13.47M in 2026 for tight ends, is the right play if the Ravens are insistent on keeping Likely. A transition tag would allow other teams to negotiate deals and allow the Ravens the right to match any offers. Even that feels a bit rich, however. I’d probably let Likely test the market.

Baltimore Ravens News

The Ravens’ playoff probabilities continue to shift overwhelmingly in Baltimore’s favor as they seize their own destiny in the AFC North race

Well that was fast…

Kyle Crabbs