Ravens News 3/29: Pass D Concerns

2024 NFL offseason: Teams with roster holes after free agency

Bill Barnwell, ESPN

Offensive line: Baltimore Ravens

Out: G John Simpson, G Kevin Zeitler, OT Morgan Moses

The Ravens have a long-standing reputation for being comfortable with letting offensive linemen leave in free agency. They’ve usually wanted to lock down the left tackle spot — where Ronnie Stanley took a pay cut to stay with the team — and they made an exception in the past for star guard Marshal Yanda, but they have let standouts Kelechi Osemele (2016) and Ryan Jensen (2018) walk out the door in the past decade, trusting they could find replacements in the draft or at a reasonable price in free agency.

Shedding three starters in one offseason is a different story. While the three players Baltimore lost were success stories for its pro personnel department after being acquired in free agency (Moses and Zeitler) and on waivers (Simpson), the organization will be without three players who played well last season. Simpson and Zeitler were a physically punishing pair of guards, with Simpson winning the left guard job after being cut by the Raiders at the end of 2021. Moses held down right tackle for 31 starts over the past two seasons after being signed away from the Commanders, but the Ravens traded him to the Jets for a sixth-round pick and a swap of fourth-rounders. With Stanley limited by a long-standing ankle problem, the Ravens’ only above-average returning lineman is center Tyler Linderbaum.

In: G/OT Josh Jones

The only player brought in as a potential replacement is Jones, once a Cardinals tackle prospect before moving to the Texans and opening 2023 as their starting left guard. The emergence of George Fant at right tackle led Houston to move Tytus Howard to the left guard role, and Jones played a total of 10 offensive snaps from Week 4 onward. Like they did on Simpson, the Ravens are likely taking a flier on Jones as depth they can mold into a more useful player with better coaching. It would be a surprise if he were in the starting lineup regularly in 2024.

Ravens observations on new NFL rules, pass rush concerns, Lamar Jackson and more

Mike Preston, The Baltimore Sun

Bring back Van Noy

The Ravens need to keep pursuing pass rusher Kyle Van Noy now that fellow outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney reportedly agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. Last year, the veterans combined for 18 1/2 sacks.

Even if Van Noy re-signs with the Ravens, they still need to pursue another pass rusher, perhaps in free agency or the draft.

The Ravens would like to build their hopes around current young linebackers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, but they did that at the beginning of training camp last year and it didn’t work out well.

Oweh started 13 of 17 regular-season games but had only 23 tackles, including five sacks. Ojabo was placed on injured reserve Sept. 30 with a partially torn ACL. He missed his entire rookie season in 2022 with an Achilles tendon injury.

The assumption here was Clowney was going to sign a lucrative deal because he played so well with the Ravens. Van Noy might not sign a contract until after training camp starts, and at age 33, he won’t be in any hurry to get there. Clowney, though, had a better season.

Best landing spots for the top 20 remaining NFL free agents

Brad Spielberger, PFF

5. CB XAVIEN HOWARD, MIAMI DOLPHINS

Howard was released after a great eight-year run in Miami, with his coverage grades dipping into the 50s in each of the past two seasons. He has expressed a strong desire to play for a contender, and has even said he’d be open to taking less money to chase a ring. Pivoting to playing more man coverage could get him back to where he excelled earlier in his career.

Best landing spot: Baltimore Ravens

Regrading the 2023 NFL Draft: Which teams had the best and worst rookie classes?

Diante Lee, The Athletic

Decent draft (aka “At least we found something”)

Baltimore Ravens: C

First-round WR Zay Flowers (No. 22) was a symbolic pick for the evolution of Baltimore’s offense, and he looks like he’ll be a better option for Lamar Jackson than Marquise Brown was in a similar role. Midround defensive picks Trenton Simpson (No. 86) and Tavius Robinson (No. 124) didn’t have big roles on a veteran-filled defense, but they are raw (and talented) athletes who can take a leap.

2024 NFL mock draft 2.0: Seahawks, Rams among 6 teams to pick quarterbacks in top 20

Charles Davis, NFL.com

30. Baltimore Ravens

Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

Missouri · CB · Junior (RS)

The Ravens did a magnificent job of mixing and matching in the secondary during the 2023 season. Rakestraw’s build is slight, but he makes plenty of plays on the ball and is extremely aggressive against the run. In short, he plays like a Raven!

2024 NFL Three-Round Mock Draft: History to be made as quarterbacks are taken with first four selections

Josh Edwards, CBS Sports

Round 1 – Pick 30

Kingsley Suamataia OT

BYU • SOPH • 6’6” / 325 LBS

Morgan Moses was traded to New York. While Patrick Mekari has the capability of fulfilling that assignment, his value is as a utility lineman that can play a variety of positions in a pinch. The addition of Kingsley Suamataia, who played both left and right tackle for BYU, allows them that flexibility.

62. TJ Tampa, CB, Iowa State

93. Austin Booker, EDGE, Kansas