Ravens News 3/16: CBA explained and more

Ravens’ trade for Calais Campbell looks like an absolute steal - Jamison Hensley

Last season, the Ravens had virtually no pass rush on the interior of the defensive line. Baltimore’s defensive linemen totaled four sacks in 2019, the fewest by any team.

When it’s a passing down in the AFC North, Baker Mayfield, Ben Roethlisberger and perhaps Joe Burrow will line up and see 6-foot-8, 300-pound Campbell staring back at them. Campbell is one of four players with at least 80 sacks and 30 batted passes over the past 10 seasons.

The last time the Ravens had someone with Campbell’s size, athleticism and proven production was Trevor Pryce. Since Pryce’s departure a decade ago, no Baltimore defensive lineman has totaled more than six sacks in a season.

How much respect does Campbell command? An hour after the news of the trade broke, Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley tweeted: “I smell a dynasty.”

2020 NFL Free Agency: Live analysis of the top free agent signings and news - PFF

BALTIMORE RAVENS DEAL FIFTH-ROUND PICK TO JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR CALAIS CAMPBELL

This was an incredibly smart move by the Ravens’ front office. Campbell has ranked inside the top-five at his position in PFF grade in each of. the past three seasons. The soon-to-be 34-year-old veteran defensive lineman is more than capable of producing at a high end against the run and offers pocket-push ability as a pass-rusher. Going the extra mile and handing Campbell a two-year, $27 million contract extension is money well spent for Baltimore. The 6-foot-8, 300-pounder can fill in for unrestricted free agent Michael Pierce if he indeed walks this offseason and allows Baltimore to continue to focus on speed and athleticism with the back end of their defense.

Ravens Place Franchise Tag on Matthew Judon - Clifton Brown

The decision allows Baltimore to retain Judon for the 2020 season and provides additional time for the two sides to work out a long-term deal. In the immediate, it keeps Judon from hitting the open market. Judon would have been highly coveted at the start of free agency on Monday.

Now that he has been franchised, the Ravens control Judon’s rights while weighing their options moving forward. If he were to sign his franchise tag, Judon would receive a one-year guaranteed deal that will pay him an average of the top five highest-paid players at his position – an estimated $16 million this season.

The Ravens have previously used the franchise tag eight times on six players:

G/C Wally Williams – 1998

CB Chris McAlister – 2003 and 2004 (signed a long-term contract in October, 2004)

OLB Terrell Suggs – 2008 and 2009 (signed a long-term deal prior to the start of the 2009 season)

DT Haloti Ngata – 2011 (signed a long-term contract in September, 2011)

RB Ray Rice – 2012 (signed a long-term deal prior to the start of the season)

K Justin Tucker – 2016 (signed a long-term deal in July, 2016)

All 32 NFL teams’ WR situations ahead of free agency and draft - Cynthia Frelund

Baltimore Ravens

Top three WRs in 2019: Marquise Brown (46-584-7), Willie Snead (31-339-5), Seth Roberts (21-271-2 — UFA).

Don’t let the fact that Ravens receivers were targeted only 182 times, the fewest in the NFL, fool you — the value of the space they created on the field far exceeded what can be captured by traditional stat-sheet metrics. In terms of measuring the impact of a WR when they aren’t the intended target, I factor in down, distance, score, defensive alignment and personnel to create an off-ball “score” that helps quantify the likelihood that a team will earn a first down or touchdown. Brown’s off-ball score increased over the course of his rookie year to the point that his score over the last seven games of the season would have ranked in the top seven if extended over a full season. It’s also worth noting that Baltimore leaned extensively on its tight ends; Mark Andrews led the team with 64 catches, 852 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions, while Ravens tight ends collected 42.5 percent of the team’s targets (180 of 424) and 43.3 percent of its receptions (125 of 289).

NFL’s new CBA explained: A look at all the roster, salary and season changes - Cody Benjamin

Season structure

2020: 16-game regular season, with postseason expanded from 12 to 14 teams

Starting in 2021, the NFL has the option to expand the regular season from 16 to 17 games

If/when NFL moves to 17 games, each team receives a bye week in place of a fourth preseason game

Annual revenue split

2020: Owners receive 53 percent; players receive 47 percent

2021-2030: Owners receive 52 percent; players receive 48 percent

Player salaries

Immediate increases in minimum salaries

$1 million minimum salaries by 2029

Any players carrying current above-league-minimum contracts into the new CBA will receive a bonus equivalent to 1/17 their salary if/when the NFL moves from 16 to 17 regular season games

Work rules

Vested veterans (players with four or more accrued seasons) receive up to five days of absences for workouts, including one OTA, without losing offseason workout bonus

Mandatory three days off after a Thursday game

Maximum of 12 hours at team facilities per day

No more than three consecutive days of padded practices at training camp; maximum of 16

Teams are not allowed to add padded practices in the regular season once the 17-game seasons start. Under this new CBA, during the regular season, padded practices will be limited to 14, 11 of which must be held during the first 11 weeks

Rosters

Teams can designate an additional player to return from injured reserve each year (three instead of two)

Two practice-squad players each week can be elevated to the team’s active roster, and a team doesn’t have to replace the player on the practice squad

Active game-day rosters increased from 46 to 48 players

Practice squads expanded from 10 to 12 players in 2020-2021, then to 14 players starting in 2022 (including between two and four players with unlimited accrued seasons per team)