The ideal offseason blueprint Baltimore Ravens had largely a successful 2023 season, winning 13 games before falling just suddenly of reaching the Super Bowl. They won the division, earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and advanced to the AFC crown game for the first time in a decade. What Geno Smith contract restructure means for Seattle
still, despite all of these accomplishments, they fell suddenly off their ultimate thing of winning the Super Bowl. Now, after contending arguably the stylish overall canon in the league this one season, the Ravens face a grueling offseason ahead.
General Manager Eric DeCosta and the platoon’s brain trust must essay to maintain a crown-quality canon with limited cap space and further than 20 unrestricted free agents hitting the request.
What does the design for a successful offseason look like for the Ravens? Then are five crucial objects the Ravens should pursue in the coming months.
1. Retain Justin Madubuike
Madubuike is the Ravens ’ top unrestricted free agent hitting the request. The fourth-time protective lineman is coming off a rout 2023 season, which came at an ideal time for him before free agency.
92 totaled 13 sacks on the time, which was further than he’d in the former three seasons combined. Madubuike was the leading pass-crawler on a defense that led the league in sacks and his sack total led all interior protective linemen in the NFL. He also set career-highs in tackles( 56), tackles for loss( 12), and quarterback successes( 33), among other orders. All three of these ranked first on the defense.
It’s not insolvable that this interpretation of Madubuike could prove to be a bit of an outlier, but he’s also just entering his high at 26 times. However, that makes him an extremely precious player, If his performance in 2023 is indeed his ceiling moving forward.
The Ravens can franchise label him to ensure he’ll be on the canon in 2024, which would carry a cap megahit of around 22 million. Alternatively, they could work out a long-term extension, which could be done indeed after using the ballot label as well. Either way, keeping Madubuike in Baltimore should be a top precedence if not the. 1 focus. Jalen Ramsey bids farewell as Xavien Howard and the Miami Dolphins
2. Step aside Jadeveon Clowney or Kyle Van Noy
Where would the Ravens have been this one season without the services of Clowney and Van Noy? It’s hard to say their defense would have been nearly as dominant. Both expert edges dawdlers exceeded prospects and proved to be inconceivable bargain signings.
Clowney joined the platoon late in the offseason while Van Noy was inked beforehand in the regular season. With Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo out of the fold due to injury, and Odafe Oweh dealing with health issues as well, the Ravens desperately demanded edge crawler product and stability. A Scout’s Take on the History of the Annual NFL Scouting Combine
The result?
Both players had their stylish or near-stylish career seasons in numerous crucial statistical areas. Clowney finished second on the canon in sacks(9.5) and quarterback successes( 19) while adding two forced fumbles and 23 pressures. Van Noy meanwhile also had two forced fumbles with a career-high nine sacks, nine quarterback successes, and 12 pressures.
Given Bowser and Ojabo’s injury history, the former of which may not be on the canon in 2024, it’d be salutary for the Ravens to retain at least one of Clowney or Van Noy. Oweh and rising sophomore Tavius Robinson are presently the only two returning contributors to the position.
Both players are on the contrary end of 30 times old now but proved to have plenitude left in the tank this once season. Having either back in the pack would be important- demanded insurance and lessen the need to either subscribe to another free agent or draft an edge crawler beforehand.
3. Add another obnoxious playmaker, ideal offseason blueprint
The Ravens contended their most talented group of playmakers on offense in the Lamar Jackson period last season. The maturity of their skill position players are returning under contract in 2024, but adding another playmaker this offseason should still be precedence.
Offensive starters Gus Edwards and Odell Beckham Jr. are unrestricted free agents and may not be likely to return. J.K. Dobbins ’ contract is also over. At running back, that leaves Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell, returning from a torn ACL, as the only players under contract. The Ravens are in better shape at wide receiver but could still use another high-position gift.
Should Beckham depart Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and lately-signed Nelson Agholor profile as the platoon’s top three wideouts? Only Flowers is inked beyond the 2024 season, however. Restocking with another youthful entering gift this time makes sense. A big-bodied wideout with jump-ball, queried-catch capability seems like an ideal fit alongside their current crop of pass-catchers.
Having an elite tight end brace with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely helps in the entering area. still, the Ravens are an injury or two down from being relatively thin on playmakers. It can noway hurt to have too numerous and the Ravens would be wise to act as similar.
4. Draft a cornerback and descent attack in their first three selections
Two other positions where the Ravens need mounts are cornerback and descent attack, as they’ve question marks at each. The Ravens are heavy on stagers at both positions and haven’t drafted beforehand-round, high-position gifts in these areas in a while.
Not since 2018 have the Ravens drafted a decent attack in the first three rounds? That was Orlando Brown Jr. Before that, their loftiest-drafted attack was Ronnie Stanley. Given Stanley’s nonstop injury struggles, the Ravens should now be planning for an eventual or immediate successor with a long-term downside.
Morgan Moses, the starter at right attack of the once two seasons, is under contract for only one further season and is turning 33 times old soon. This time’s draft class is regarded as strong with a descent attack gift, so the timing is good for the Ravens to land one.
Also, the Ravens haven’t used one of their first three picks on a cornerback since taking Marlon Humphrey in 2017. Humphrey played his smallest games in a season last time( 10) and was out of the lineup with multiple different injuries for stretches. The Ravens were fortunate Brandon Stephens stepped up with a rout crusade and acting stagers like Arthur Maulet and Ronald Darby exceeded prospects as well.
Only Humphrey, Stephens, and a couple of former unproven mid-round draft picks( Damarion Williams, Jalyn Armour-Davis) are under contract for 2024. Restocking the mug board with a high-end cornerback gift should also be on the to-do list.
5. Acquire another true safety ideal offseason blueprint
One of the Ravens ’ other top unrestricted free agents is safety Geno Stone. The former seventh-round pick is set to hit the open request after a career-stylish season in 2023, where he finished second in the NFL in interceptions with seven. Stone is in line for a significant pay increase and starting part, both of which Baltimore may not be suitable to offer.
As similar, losing Gravestone is a real if not probable possibility. However, the Ravens would be left without a third safety alongside Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton, If that does be. That’s been an important part of the once two seasons, as Hamilton has played a lot of snaps in the nickel rather than as the alternate safety.
To maintain their inflexibility in the backend, as well as have better depth and injury insurance, having a dependable third safety is a demanded addition. With Brandon Stephens having moved into a full-time cornerback part, that’s indeed more the case.
The ideal offseason blueprint Ravens should have options in the middle rounds of the draft or could add a stager latterly in free agency for a reduced cost.