Ravens News 1/18: Uncertain Future and more

NFL Rookies: Best and worst performances from the wild-card round - Sam Monson

S KYLE HAMILTON, BALTIMORE RAVENS

Round: 1

PFF overall grade in 2022: 86.7

Wild-card game grade: 90.8

Many saw Hamilton as a generational safety talent in the draft, and there was much debate over how early NFL teams could draft a player like that. His preseason and training camp produced a lot of rough plays, particularly when covering the slot, but that’s become an area of strength of his down the stretch for the Ravens.

Against the Cincinnati Bengals this week, he forced a fumble on a big hit that he recovered himself and was the best-graded defender on the Ravens. He tallied seven solo tackles and four defensive stops, both of which led the team.

Offensive Player Rankings: Offensive All-Rookie Team for the 2022 NFL season - David Carr

C Tyler Linderbaum

Baltimore Ravens · Iowa

DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 25 overall

The Ravens’ offense certainly had its fair share of struggles, especially when Lamar Jackson was lost to a knee injury, but Linderbaum lived up to his draft standing, holding his own against veterans like Steelers three-time All-Pro Cam Heyward on a weekly basis. Though he was snubbed by the Pro Bowl, Linderbaum played a key role in the Ravens’ second-ranked rush offense, garnering a run-blocking grade of 84.2 from PFF, fourth-best among centers this season, while his 74.7 overall grade placed him sixth among centers.

Ravens DE Calais Campbell: ‘There’s A Chance I Could Be Back Here Again Next Year’ - Bo Smolka

The Ravens fell short of that goal, and now Campbell again must weigh whether he wants to return, and the Ravens must weigh whether they can afford to bring him back.

Campbell carries a cap hit of $8.9 million this coming year, and the team would free up $6.5 million in cap space if he retires or is released.

As players cleaned out their lockers, exchanged autographed memorabilia and prepared to part ways for a few months — or in some cases, much longer — Campbell said it was too soon for him to decide what might come next.

“I don’t think it would be wise to decide so quickly,” Campbell said. “I think you have to go through a process. So I’m going to give myself a few weeks to go through that process and decide after that. … It’s going to be hard to walk away, that’s for sure. So we’ll see.

“I’ll talk to the front office and talk to the coaches and I’ll think. There’s a chance I could be back here again next year. I just have to go through that process.”

Campbell finished the year with 36 tackles and 5.5 sacks, tied for second-most on the team, in 14 games. He has also been heralded as a mentor for younger defensive linemen such as Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington and Travis Jones.

Chuck Clark Uncertain of His Future With Ravens - Ryan Mink

Chuck Clark packed his belongings Monday, not sure if he had played his final game with the Ravens.

“Honestly, I don’t know what’s going to happen, so we’ll figure (that) out in talks the next couple of weeks,” Clark said.

Clark still has one year remaining on his contract, but he knows that doesn’t guarantee him a place on Baltimore’s roster. The Ravens made major changes at safety last offseason signing Marcus Williams in free agency and drafting Kyle Hamilton with the 14th overall pick. After the Ravens drafted Hamilton, Clark asked to be traded, figuring that his days as a starter in Baltimore were over.

However, Clark wasn’t traded and kept his starting job with a strong training camp. He followed that with one of his best seasons in 2022 with a career-high 101 tackles while playing every snap on defense. He also continued his exemplary work in the community and was named the Ravens Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.

Clark is highly respected by coaches and teammates for his work ethic, toughness, leadership and knowledge of the defense. Whether he returns to the Ravens or not, the 2022 season was another impressive addition to Clark’s resume.

The Ravens have the 22nd pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Here are five potential targets. - C.J. Doon

Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon

With veteran cornerback Marcus Peters hitting free agency, the Ravens could have a glaring hole opposite three-time Pro Bowl selection Marlon Humphrey. The 6-foot, 180-pound Witherspoon became a star in his junior season, earning first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press and finishing as the No. 2 graded cornerback in the country according to Pro Football Focus. While lining up against the opposing team’s top receiver, he allowed fewer than 35 receiving yards in 11 of 12 games this season.

Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence

The Ravens have two reliable tackles in Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses and a budding star at center in rookie Tyler Linderbaum, but the interior of the offensive line has a few question marks. Right guard Kevin Zeitler is entering the final year of his deal, while left guard Ben Powers is entering unrestricted free agency. There’s still hope for 2021 third-round pick Ben Cleveland to grab a starting role, but he’s been inconsistent in his first two seasons. The Ravens could use a better pass blocker on the interior, and the 6-5, 347-pound Torrence fits the bill. The Louisiana transfer dominated against SEC competition, not allowing a sack or a hit all season. According to ESPN, he’s allowed just two sacks over nearly 3,000 career snaps.