Ravens News 3/15: Free Agency Round-Up and more

The Complete Guide to 2022 NFL Free Agency - Steven Ruiz

Interior Defensive Line

In the Market: Ravens, Bills, Browns, Cowboys, Texans, Colts, Chargers, Raiders, Buccaneers

Buyer Beware: Calais Campbell

Expected Deal Value: $10 million/year

Campbell’s playing ability has nothing to do with his placement here. He’s still extremely solid—both as a stout run defender and a penetrating interior rusher. But it’s hard to imagine those soon-to-be-36-year-old legs supporting that 6-foot-8 frame for much longer. Let another team take that risk—even if the immediate rewards seem awfully tantalizing.

Safety

In the Market: Ravens, Lions, Texans, Jaguars, Saints, Jets, Eagles, Commanders

Top of the Class: Marcus Williams

Expected Deal Value: $16 million/year

Best Value: Marcus Maye

Expected Deal Value: $8 million/year

Buyer Beware: Tyrann Mathieu

Expected Deal Value: $17 million/year

Secondary Market: Quandre Diggs, Jayron Kearse, Devin McCourty, Jordan Whitehead, Justin Reid, Kareem Jackson

This class of safeties offers a little bit of everything. If a defense needs a classic center-field type with some man coverage chops, McCourty isn’t a bad veteran option. Reid is more of a box-safety type who was somewhat miscast in Houston’s two-high scheme. And Diggs can do a little of both. This is easily the deepest position in free agency.

Ravens Round-Up From Day 1 of NFL Free Agency - Ryan Mink

Browns Release Team Leader Jarvis Landry After Trade

The Browns made their big splash by reportedly trading for Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper, but that meant parting ways with one of their offensive leaders in Jarvis Landry. Landry was released Monday, saving the team nearly $15 million on the salary cap.

Centers Stay Put As Offensive Linemen Get Paid

Centers Ryan Jensen (Buccaneers), Jason Kelce (Eagles), Ben Jones (Titans), Mitch Morse (Bills) and Brian Allen (Rams) all stayed with their current teams. One of the first reported agreements was right tackle Joe Noteboom staying with the Los Angeles Rams. Noteboom was viewed as a potential affordable option for the Ravens but ended up getting a reported three-year, $40 million deal with a max value of $47.5 million.

2022 NFL free agency: Biggest takeaways from Monday’s moves - Gregg Rosenthal

The Bengals spending money on mid-tier guards Alex Cappa (from the Bucs) and Ted Karras (from the Patriots) is typical of their highly effective approach in free agency the last two years, targeting the middle class. Karras also can play center. It makes sense, because both players play to a professional standard, and the Bengals’ offensive line has not done that.

It’s also one way to admit an apparent blind spot for Zac Taylor and his staff. They can’t seem to coach or develop offensive linemen. Karras (who agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal) was available for far cheaper the last two offseasons. Cappa is the type of former mid-round pick that a quality staff like the Buccaneers can develop from a problem spot to a guy who gets paid elsewhere. To put it another way: The presence of a great offensive staff or offensive-line coach would make these moves unnecessary, but the Bengals deserve some measure of self-scouting credit, because Taylor has shown no apparent aptitude for helping his line for three years running.

Ravens Reportedly Pursuing Za’Darius Smith - Todd Karpovich

The Ravens are one of the teams pursuing the outside linebacker in the free-agent market, according to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Smith was a salary-cap casualty in Green Bay.

The move would make sense because Baltimore is in the market for a pass rusher after finishing in the bottom third of the league for sacks last season.

Smith, who was a fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2015, also priced himself out of Baltimore in 2019 after finishing with 18.5 sacks over four seasons.

Smith managed 26 sacks in his first two seasons but dealt with injuries last year. The Packers had to get his salary off the books because he had a $27.7 million cap hit.

Ravens C Bradley Bozeman reportedly drawing interest from multiple teams in free agency - Kevin Oestreicher

The Baltimore Ravens will have multiple tough decisions to make over the course of 2022 free agency. With the legal tampering period now in full effect across the NFL, teams and agents can negotiate contracts, although nothing can become official until 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Shortly after the tampering period began, Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reported that Baltimore center Bradley Bozeman is drawing interest from multiple teams, including one of the Ravens’ AFC North rivals in the Cincinnati Bengals. Other teams mentioned in the report are the New York Giants, the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers.

2019 NFL Draft winners and losers: Kyler Murray the top producer; Raiders, Titans boast top return - Larry Holder

21. Ravens

TOTAL AV 50 (21)

RD 1-3 38 (15)

RD 4-7 12 (23)

1. 25 Marquise Brown

3. 85 Jaylon Ferguson

3. 93 Miles Boykin

4. 113 Justice Hill

4. 123. Ben Powers

4. 127 Iman Marshall

5. 160. Daylon Mack

6. 197. Trace McSorley

The Ravens finally added a big-play receiver in Marquise Brown. It took until Year 3 for Brown to elevate to Lamar Jackson’s favorite wideout, but he’s there now, tallying 91 receptions on 146 targets for 1,008 yards and six TDs in 2021. The Ravens have received glimmers from the next few picks, but nothing spectacular.