Ravens News 3/26: Harbaugh surprised by Suggs, small school edge duds and more

Baltimore Ravens free agency: What’s left to accomplish before the draft? - Aaron Kasinitz

Monitor remaining free agents with comp picks in mind

The Ravens are expected to get a third-round compensatory draft pick in 2020 as a product of the formula that awards teams selections when they lose more free agents than they acquire. Baltimore has long valued comp pick as greatly as any team in the NFL, and the team would risk losing its incoming third-rounder by making another signing.

That dynamic changes if one of the Ravens’ remaining free agents — namely tight end Maxx Williams or defensive end Brent Urban — sign with another team.

If Williams or Urban join a new team sometime over the next few weeks, the Ravens could either sit back and collect an extra comp pick or feel more inclined to go after one more free agent addition.

Continue thinking about homegrown players to extend

Outside linebacker Matt Judon, defensive tackle Michael Pierce and offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley are all accomplished three-year veterans who could either remain Ravens linchpins for years to come or hit free agency in March 2020.

The Ravens can exercise a 5th year option on Ronnie Stanley’s contract before May 3rd at a cost of approximately $13 million for 2020.

Harbaugh: I was surprised Terrell Suggs left Ravens - Herbie Teope

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala over the weekend at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting that the player departures “all hit me,” but one in particular stood out.

”I was really surprised by Sizz [Suggs],” Harbaugh said. “That was one I was shocked by. I expected him to be there but when I heard his reasoning and what I thought he was thinking, then I said OK.”

Suggs, who played 16 seasons in Baltimore before signing with the Arizona Cardinals, recently appeared on FOX’s Skip and Shannon: Undisputedand said the retirement of general manager Ozzie Newsome played a role in his decision to leave.

Suggs departs Baltimore as the franchise’s all-time leader in regular season games played. His total of 229 was one more than Ravens icon Ray Lewis. Punter Sam Koch is now the team’s longest tenured player with 13 seasons.

Top 10 cornerbacks by passer rating allowed in 2018 - William Moy

8. BRANDON CARR, BALTIMORE RAVENS

Passer Rating Allowed: 69.8

Don’t tell Brandon Carr that age is anything more than just a number; the veteran cornerback is the only player over the age of 30 to make this list. Carr surrendered 43 catches on 78 targets in 2018 for a total of 607 yards and zero touchdowns to go with two interceptions. Carr tied for eighth among cornerbacks by forcing 15 incompletions, and he was one of just three corners to register at least 500 snaps in coverage and not surrender a single touchdown.

Brandon Carr, Marlon Humphrey and Jimmy Smith tied for the team lead in interceptions last season with two apiece.

STUDS & DUDS - REALITY VS. PERCEPTION IN A LOADED DL CLASS - Kyle Crabbs

DUD - JACHAI POLITE, DE, FLORIDA

Polite still holds a Second Round grade from me, but his red flags at this point would make me very leery to take him even that high in an actual Draft room. Sure, Polite may come in under NFL mentorship and get his head on straight and crush it. But he never had great tape against the run (in my opinion) and he’s now endured the most disastrous pre-draft circuit of the season.

STUD - CHASE WINOVICH, DE, MICHIGAN

Now, he still wins with technique and football IQ, but he sure as heck isn’t an average athlete. Winovich crushed his athletic testing, he’s got a better ceiling than I’d given him credit for.

DUD - SMALL SCHOOL PRODUCTIVE EDGES

Carl Granderson, Oshane Ximines and Jaylon Ferguson. Somewhere along the line, each of these three guys had received hype, even to the degree of top-50 prospects. And yes, the production they’ve put on the field needs to be acknowledged. They have some tools at their disposal. But each of these three carries a mid-Day 3 grade from me (either Round 5 or Round 6). Upside only takes you so far, especially when it turns out you’re not athletic.

Winovich, a two-time All-Big 10 honoree, amassed 18.5 sacks and 43 tackles for loss in 39 games with the Wolverines. He possesses the physicality and tenacity that the Ravens covet.