Reaction to Ravens' Day 1 Free Agency Losses
The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec told Ravens fans two days ago what to expect during the early part of free agency, and his words proved prescient when the legal tampering period began yesterday.
Zrebiec wrote: "A typical start to free agency for the Baltimore Ravens usually goes something like this: Several of their better free agents agree to terms with other teams within the first 48 hours of the market opening. The Ravens are mostly quiet, re-signing a few of their own free agents to modest deals while waiting for the prices to come down and the compensatory picks to build up. Panic sets in with the fan base, which predicts pending doom for the team and questions if General Manager Eric DeCosta is snoozing through the start of the new league year. Lather, rinse and repeat.
"When the legal tampering period begins Monday at noon ET, the Ravens won't be one of the more aggressive teams on the open market, bidding on a plethora of premium free agents. DeCosta and company don't believe in building the team through free agency, and they again lack the salary-cap flexibility to get into bidding wars for many top players."
The final tally yesterday: the Ravens reportedly agreed to terms to bring back linebacker Malik Harrison while losing running back Gus Edwards, safety Geno Stone, offensive tackle John Simpson, cornerback Ronald Darby, and wide receiver/return specialist Devin Duvernay.
Always important to remember: if your team is a huge spender on Day 1 of free agency, it's usually a sign that your team isn't that good. https://t.co/SlPRoQygNW
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) March 11, 2024
The #Ravens are in the market for a running back or two, but as is the team’s usual custom, GM Eric DeCosta pretty much sat out the opening frenzy of tampering-window shopping. https://t.co/OZePoOuWYw
— Bo Smolka (@bsmolka) March 12, 2024
— Brian McFarland (@RavensSalaryCap) March 12, 2024So, the Ravens have now lost 5 UFAs who qualify for Comp picks:
Simpson - 5th/6th Rd Comp
Stone - 6th
Darby - 6th
Dunveray - 6th
Edwards - 7th4 is the max # of Comp picks allowed.
Still have Queen/Clowney/Zeitler/Van Noy/Maulet as remaining unsigned UFAs who could qualify. https://t.co/aIPvyypn1c
Here's what pundits are saying about the Ravens' losses in free agency:
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) March 12, 2024Not a surprise that Day 1 turned out like this for Ravens considering limited cap space and a high number of FAs:
Lost: RB Gus Edwards (Chargers), S Geno Stone (Bengals), WR/RS Devin Duvernay (Jaguars), G John Simpson (Jets), CB Ronald Darby (Jags)
Re-signed: LB Malik Harrison
Didn't expect Stone back to be the Ravens' No. 3 safety. Earned a nice deal and starting spot elsewhere. But this will add another interesting wrinkle to Ravens-Bengals matchups. https://t.co/VYqhQYDPnF
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) March 11, 2024See Also15 free agents the Ravens can sign that don't count against compensatory picksRavens GM: Dak deal won't impact Lamar talksWhich NFL teams have the most to lose in free agency? Why the Ravens and others are at riskRavens GM Eric DeCosta sees 'more than four guys' in draft who can be 'significant' NFL quarterbacks
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) March 11, 2024Bengals saw Geno Stone pick off Joe Burrow in the red zone and knew they had to have him.
Another significant departure for the Ravens, but one they expected. https://t.co/sUax7wroMg
For reference, Geno’s deal this past season was worth $1.7M. The year before? $895k https://t.co/HMkCHOC3eZ
— Giana Han (@giana_jade) March 11, 2024
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) March 11, 2024Gus Edwards, who reached a deal with the Chargers, was Ravens' most productive RB in Greg Roman's four seasons as OC.
In 41 games, Edwards ran for 1,867 yards and scored 11 TDs. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry.
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) March 11, 2024Gus Edwards was one of my favorite Ravens to watch.
So I wrote a short, wonky ode to his underappreciated career in Baltimore. https://t.co/CZarmFXYPR pic.twitter.com/ZDGZu8FpWL
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) March 11, 2024Darby was a lifesaver at times for the Ravens last season. Could be even better in 2024 as he distances himself from his 2022 ACL tear.
Another contributor in the secondary lost. https://t.co/ZI8oNkVo8A
Good for Simpson, who resurrected his career in Baltimore, won the starting LG job in camp and started every game in 2023. It appears Ravens will have to replace both guards with Zeitler also a FA https://t.co/7A5MQiA3Oq
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) March 12, 2024
That's a really nice deal for Duvernay: https://t.co/Ctd7FEqnaD
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) March 11, 2024
Top Available Running Backs Down to Derrick Henry, Joe Mixon, J.K. Dobbins
One of the big stories yesterday was that the top free agent running backs flew off the shelves.
The Ravens, who are in the market for a starting-caliber running back, were often linked to Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, the two biggest names in free agency. While Henry remains available, Barkley reportedly is signing a three-year, $37.5 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
It was noted in yesterday’s Late for Work that the Ravens reportedly were among Barkley's "serious suitors." However, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reported that Barkley's decision came down to the Eagles, Houston Texans, and Chicago Bears.
As for Henry, the Ravens engaged in talks with him yesterday, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson.
After the Green Bay Packers released Aaron Jones yesterday, several pundits linked him to the Ravens, but he has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year, $7 million deal, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported.
J.K. Dobbins remains a free agent. Joe Mixon has been traded to the Texans.
For Ravens, at this pt, it seems like Derrick Henry or a modest salaried vet to be part of committee with Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell when healthy. https://t.co/oHsqMcGAlY
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) March 12, 2024
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) March 11, 2024Good time to remind everyone that big-money deals for RBs are 1) fun! and 2) rarely worth it.
Even in Baltimore, Ravens cut Mark Ingram 2 years into a 3-year deal. Gus Edwards has played in ~50% of the Ravens' games since his extension. https://t.co/2Fg6TQGAgM
Tee Higgins Said He'd Like to Play With Lamar Jackson, But Don't Get Your Hopes Up
Amid the free-agent frenzy yesterday, wide receiver Tee Higgins reportedly requested a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals, who applied the franchise tag to him two weeks ago.
When Higgins was asked by NBC Sports' Lawrence Jackson Jr. last month which quarterbacks he'd like to play with besides teammate Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson was among the four players mentioned.
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) March 11, 2024Tee Higgins would like to play with the following QBs:
• #Ravens & Lamar Jackson
• #Bills & Josh Allen
• #Jaguars & Trevor Lawrence
• #Texans & C.J. Stroud
Who should be picking up the phone?? 👀 (via @LordDontLose)pic.twitter.com/WC6l7seeaA
Higgins, who had the best game of his career against the Ravens in 2021 (12 receptions, 194 yards, two touchdowns), catching passes from Jackson is enticing, but also highly unlikely.
It could take giving up a first-round pick to acquire Higgins, and it's hard to imagine the Ravens doing that. It's also nearly unfathomable that the Ravens would (or could) afford to pay him. Not to mention the fact that the Ravens are probably the last team the Bengals would trade him to, if they would even consider trading him at all.
— John Breech (@johnbreech) March 11, 2024The Bengals were going to let Carson Palmer sit in retirement unless they got what they wanted in a trade.
They're not going to trade Tee Higgins unless they're absolutely BLOWN away by an offer. They hold all leverage here. Hard to see a deal happeninghttps://t.co/M7oLN8Zakv
Tyus Bowser Says He'll Play Next Season, Hopes It's With Ravens
Outside linebacker Tyus Bowser, who missed the entire 2023 season with an undisclosed knee injury, recently gave a health update to Aaron Wilson, who covers the NFL for the NBC affiliate in Houston.
"I'll definitely be back next season," Bowser said. "I've been able to figure out what the problem is. … I had surgery, just a quick knee scope.
"It will be exciting just to get myself back healthy, back to myself, because I know I still have it in me to be able to do even more than what I've done in the past seven years that I've been there."
Bowser, who is entering the final year of his contract, is perhaps the leading candidate to be a cap casualty. The Ravens would clear $5.5 million in cap space while eating $2 million in dead money by releasing Bowser, according to Spotrac.
Bowser said he is hoping to be back in Baltimore.
"I love it up there," Bowser said. "The Ravens have been so good to me. Love the coaching staff, the players. …. Hopefully I'm back up there next year, so we'll see how it goes."
Bowser, 28, recorded career-high seven sacks in 2021 but has played just nine games since.
#Ravens veteran linebacker Tyus Bowser said he's making full recovery from knee surgery, 'I'll definitely be back next season' dealt with fluid in knee, healthy now, loves playing in Baltimore, wants to get back to how he performed few seasons ago @UHCougarFB @tbowser23 @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/fhZbAZ016v
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 10, 2024
Quick Hits
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) March 12, 2024Not a surprise that Day 1 turned out like this for Ravens considering limited cap space and a high number of FAs:
Lost: RB Gus Edwards (Chargers), S Geno Stone (Bengals), WR/RS Devin Duvernay (Jaguars), G John Simpson (Jets), CB Ronald Darby (Jags)
Re-signed: LB Malik Harrison
Ravens S Marcus Williams is now the only player left on this list of 11 who hasn’t taken a paycut (3), been traded (2) or cut (5). Again, it’s been two years, and shows what free agency is—a chance to use short-term fixes to plug holes. https://t.co/PYXeGYxi6M
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 12, 2024
Analyzing the 5 richest Ravens contracts https://t.co/3sHqizbk2F pic.twitter.com/MAdc0gQIon
— The Ravens Wire (@TheRavensWire) March 11, 2024
