Ravens News 3/9: Free Agent Rumors and more

Ravens backup QB Tyler Huntley could be costly to trade for but offers big upside - Ted Nguyen

Huntley finished with a 1-3 record in his four starts. He couldn’t elevate the injury-riddled Ravens roster in the same way that Jackson did, but not many quarterbacks could. Other backup quarterbacks have impressed in limited starts only to flame out when given an opportunity to be full-time starters with other teams, but what separates Huntley is his raw physical talent. He’s athletic, has a big arm, is accurate, can make reads and he’s poised.

However, the Ravens aren’t likely going to let Huntley go for cheap. With the type of offense that they run, having a legitimate backup for Jackson is very valuable to them and their playoff aspirations. Also, Huntley is cost-controlled. He’s scheduled to make only $780,000 in 2022 and then he’ll be a free agent after next season.

So how much would a QB-needy team give up to get him? Anytime you draft a quarterback even in a strong quarterback class, it’s a gamble. With Huntley, he has film against NFL defenses that teams could evaluate. Another factor is that if he plays decently as a starter, you’ll have to pay him after next season, so what does that look like? To get the Ravens’ attention, a team might have to go as high as a second-round pick. Would a team make that gamble for a quarterback who flashed some legitimate traits in the NFL? Based on what I’ve seen from Huntley, I think he’d be worth the gamble, considering the positional value.

2022 NFL Free Agency: 10 players who could get more money than expected - Ari Meirov

C BRADLEY BOZEMAN

Just entering his prime at age 27, Bozeman was a sixth-round pick of the Ravens in 2018 and has 49 NFL starts under his belt. He earned a career-high 73.3 PFF grade in 2021 as Baltimore’s starting center, and that comes after he played two full seasons as the starting left guard. “He’s the leader of their offensive line,” one source said. Bozeman has also been the Ravens’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in back-to-back years thanks to the extraordinary work he’s done with the Bradley & Nikki Bozeman Foundation. Don’t be surprised if his market takes him to $9 million a year or beyond.

Ravens Reportedly Have Interest in Bringing Back Ryan Jensen - Todd Karpovich

Jensen is a free agent this offseason and the Ravens might have interest in bringing him back to Baltimore, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The move would make sense because the Ravens are likely parting ways with center Bradley Bozeman, who is also a free agent.

Jensen was a sixth-round pick of the Ravens in 2013 and played with the team until 2017. He then joined Tampa Bay on a four-year, $42 million contract that made him the highest-paid center in the league at the time. Jensen played in every game for the Buccaneers since signing with the team.

The Ravens could use his durability and aggressiveness.

NFL 2022 free agent fit for each AFC team: Chiefs get No. 2 WR, Bengals land franchise OT - Jeff Kerr

Baltimore Ravens

Quandre Diggs

SEA • SS

Mike Macdonald’s defense is going to be aggressive, so getting to the quarterback will be paramount. His scheme will also play to his players’ strengths in the secondary, which is where Diggs and his turnover-creating ability comes into play. Even if the pass rush doesn’t get home. having a player who has a knack for the ball like Diggs will be a major asset for a pass defense that finished last in the league in pass yards allowed.

Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner Adds Spice to NFL Draft - Clifton Brown

Gardner’s swag swagger and ability as a shutdown corner could put him on Baltimore’s radar with the 14th pick in the NFL draft. Gardner, Derek Stingley Jr. of LSU and Trent McDuffie of Washington are generally considered the top three cornerback prospects and all three have been linked to the Ravens in mock drafts. The Ravens have two former Pro Bowl corners who suffered season-ending injuries last season – (Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey and Anthony Averett is a pending free agent.

At 6-foot-3, Gardner is much taller than McDuffie (5-foot-11) and looks capable of covering a wider range of receivers. That’s important in the AFC North where the Ravens must match up with versatile receivers like Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd of the Bengals and Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool of the Steelers.

Comparisons are being made between Gardner and former Pro Bowl cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

2022 Ravens Draft Watch: Tariq Woolen - Ken Zalis

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 205 pounds

Strengths: Size, speed, length, athleticism — Woolen has it all. He is a very willing tackler and plays with some physicality; better in zone then man-to-man; scored a 10 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) at the NFL Scouting Combine; 40-yard dash of 4.26 seconds.

Areas For Improvement: He has only played cornerback for two years, so there are some technique issues that pop up; can be somewhat of a risk-taker at times; struggles with press coverage.

Draft Projection: This is a raw and rare prospect for a cornerback. This is a tough one. Because of his traits, I can see him going in the second round, as he is a rare athlete for the cornerback position. Late second or early third round.

Don’t let Devonte Wyatt’s NFL Combine performance get overshadowed - Jack McKessy

The 307-pound Wyatt one-upped Davis’ 40-yard dash performance with an official time of 4.77 seconds, one-hundredth of a second faster than Davis. Wyatt also had an impressive 29-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot-3 broad jump that were both among the top five of all defensive tackle participants in those drills.

Not only did Wyatt end up testing well, but he’s looked good on film all year. He’s got a quick and explosive first step on the snap that allows him to get good penetration on the interior in both running and passing plays. He also has a strong base that allows him to generate momentum and leverage against offensive guards, in turn enabling him to win or at least hold his ground at the point of attack in run defense.