Ravens News 2/17: Resource Ranking and more

Ranking NFL Offseason Resources for 2022 - Jason Fitzgerald

14. Ravens- Avg. Rank 15.7

The team ranks 19th in cap room but will be able to increase that number when and if they extend Lamar Jackson. He is an interesting player who probably has more risks than others on a big money extension. They rank 7th in draft capital. With one of the better front offices in the NFL they stand a good chance of making the most of their cap situation and replacing their free agents with good rookies.

2022 NFL Free Agency Primer: Projected free agents, cap space, needs for every team this offseason - Jeff Kerr

Baltimore Ravens

Team needs: S, CB, EDGE

More depth in the secondary is a necessity for the Ravens this offseason, especially after the injuries to Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters. The Ravens need to invest from free agent money at safety, especially in a revamped unit under new defensive coordinator Mike McDonald. It wouldn’t hurt the Ravens to upgrade at wide receiver and on the edge either, but that can also be addressed in the draft.

Ravens news, notes and opinions: The Ravens and their history with centers, weighing a Calais Campbell return - Jeff Zrebiec

Football Outsiders’ Aaron Schatz wrote that the easiest 2022 schedule in his early DVOA projections belongs to the Ravens. That’s what happens when you get a last-place slate.

Safety DeShon Elliott represents one of the Ravens’ tougher free-agent decisions. Elliott has a lot of fans in Baltimore’s building. He brings confidence, physicality and swagger to the defense and he loves being a Raven. He also won’t carry a heavy price tag after sustaining season-ending injuries in three of his four NFL seasons. But the Ravens have young safeties they like in Brandon Stephens and Geno Stone and still a glaring need for a ball-hawking free safety who will cover and create turnovers.

Re-signing Elliott to a modest deal to be part of the safety mix and play special teams makes sense. But his return shouldn’t halt the team’s pursuit of a rangy safety to better complement Chuck Clark. The Ravens need to find that piece this offseason, whether they re-sign Elliott or not.

Best-case, worst-case scenarios for all 32 NFL teams in the 2022 offseason - Anthony Treash

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Best case: Select Trent McDuffie in the first round and re-sign veterans Calais Campbell and Justin Houston to friendly deals

Worst case: Key impending free agents walk and they attack the trenches with their No. 14 overall pick

Injuries decimated Baltimore’s chances of making the playoffs in 2021. With a healthy Lamar Jackson, Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters, they should get back to competing for a postseason spot in 2022. And what would help their cause even more is bringing back interior defensive lineman Calais Campbell and edge defender Justin Houston on friendly deals after they finished as the first- and second-highest graded players on their defense last year.

Along with that, pairing Humphrey and Peters with first-round cornerback prospect Trent McDuffie would be ideal. McDuffie earned an 80.0-plus PFF grade as a true freshman, sophomore and junior thanks to his awareness, athleticism, physicality and tackling.

2021 NFL rookie grades, AFC North: Bengals, Browns nab keepers; Ravens’ WR search continues - Nick Shook

Baltimore Ravens

Grade B

After a hype-filled preseason, Bateman’s debut was delayed by injury. While he finished with a decent rookie campaign, he also averaged less than 50 yards per game, leaving Ravens fans still hungry for a game-changing receiver. Oweh stormed out of the gate with three sacks and two forced fumbles in his first five games, and though he cooled off down the stretch, he scored a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Cleveland worked his way into the lineup late in the season, largely performing at an average level before finishing with a solid game in Week 18.

A former college running back and cornerback, Stephens switched to safety in the pros, then stepped into a starting role following multiple significant injuries in Baltimore’s secondary. He played solid football and has room to grow. Wallace failed to crack Baltimore’s receiving corps, spending most of the season on special teams. Wade was traded to New England before the start of the season. Two stints on injured reserve ate up the bulk of Hayes’ season. Mason was waived at the end of training camp, then bounced between New England’s and Chicago’s practice squads before signing a reserve/future contract with the Ravens in January.

2022 NFL Super Bowl era franchise rankings: Rams shoot up another tier with title - Bob Sturm

18. Baltimore Ravens

Last year: No. 18

Total: 37 points

(Established 1996)

The NFL ruled that all old records stay in Cleveland with the Browns, making Baltimore one of the big movers over the past decade. If you wish to sort this on a points-per-year basis, the Ravens would be right behind the top five overall just behind Green Bay. That’s obviously not a viable premise, but it speaks to their quality in the past 25 years.

Instead, their wins at Super Bowl 35 and Super Bowl 47 help them rise above several franchises that have existed before World War II. Very impressive. Their future is an interesting projection with young Lamar Jackson trying to push them as a difference-making MVP, but also one who must stay healthy. We expect they will bounce back quickly.

Total playoff years: 00S, 01, 03, 06, 08C, 09, 10, 11C, 12S, 14, 18, 19, 20

Playoff years: 13 | Final Fours: 2 | Super Bowl losses: 0 | Super Bowl wins: 2

Last Decade: 15 points

Average: 1.42 points per season in 26 years of existence