Salary cap casualties Ravens could target ahead the draft

The Ravens have comp picks to protect and positions of need to supplement

The Baltimore Ravens have historically been one of the least active teams in the initial wave of free agency. They rarely shell out large sums of money to acquire other teams’ unrestricted free agents in favor of allocating more resources to keeping their own.

However, they’ve been more active and willing to spend on veteran free agents who were released by their former teams. This allows them to supplement or fill positions of need ahead of the draft while not compromising the compensatory pick formula.

The Ravens are currently slated to receive the maximum amount of comp picks in 2025. Nine of their unrestricted free agents sign elsewhere in the past week and there will be even more to come. At the same time, they still have positions that could benefit from having a veteran presence to complement their younger options.

Adding one or more ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft would ensure that General Manager Eric DeCosta could stick to the front office’s longtime ‘best player available’ draft strategy. The alternative is being pressured to take a prospect at a position that had yet to be addressed through other means.

Here are some veteran salary cap casualties that the Ravens could sign at positions of need. This would supplement their roster and give them more flexibility come late April.

WR Michael Gallup

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The six-year veteran was released by the Dallas Cowboys on March 15 with a Post-June 1 designation. Gallup is coming off three straight seasons that were marred by injuries and inconsistent production after recording 1,950 receiving yards and scoring 11 touchdowns from 2019-2020.

While he played in every game this past season, Gallup only managed to record 34 receptions on 57 targets for career-low 418 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Nevertheless, he is a strong possession receiver who knows how the work the boundary, excels at making contested catches, and can be a threat in the red zone. Even though he’s still just 28 years old, his market likely won’t be robust given his lack of recent production and how deep this year’s incoming draft class is at the position.

WR Allen Robinson

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The 10-year veteran was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 8. If signed by the Ravens, it would continue the trend of free-agent players going from one AFC North team to another this past week.

The former Pro Bowler is coming off the least productive season of his career albeit in one of the worst offenses in the league. He appeared in all 17 games and recorded the second-fewest catches of his career with 34 and career lows in both receiving yards (280) and yards per catch (8.2) and no touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Robinson would provide the Ravens with a big-bodied receiving option that it’s currently lacking. The 30-year-old won’t command a prohibitive salary and is likely willing to sign a one-year, prove-it type deal with a contender that is heavily incentive-based.

IOL Bradley Bozeman

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The six-year veteran was released by the Carolina Panthers on March 14 just one year after being re-signed to a three-year, $18 million deal last offseason. Bozeman was originally drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama. He developed into a quality starter at both left guard and center during his four years with the team. He started 48 of a possible 49 games between the two positions from 2019-2021.

The bulk of his starting experience with the Ravens came at left guard, where they’re in need of a new starter after letting John Simpson walk in free agency.

Bozeman is a former Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee who is familiar with the team’s culture already. He would provide leadership to a young interior offensive line that will only be getting younger through the draft. Even if he doesn’t win the starting job to replace either Simpson or Kevin Zeitler at right guard, the 29-year-old would be an experienced depth option. He’s capable of filling in at all three interior spots and freeing up Patrick Mekari to remain the primary swing tackle option.

OG Laken Tomlinson

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The nine-year veteran was released by the New York Jets on March 1 and has played his entire career at left guard. He’s been one of the most durable linemen in the league during his nearly decade in the league. Tomlinson has started 102 of his 111 career regular-season appearances, including all 17 in 2023, and hasn’t missed a game since 2018.

Last season, according to Pro Football Focus, the former Pro Bowler earned an overall grade of 55, a passing-blocking grade of 60.6, and a run-blocking grade of 49.6. He allowed seven sacks and 10 quarterback hits on 733 pass-blocking snaps with 51 total pressures allowed.

At 32 years old and off a down season, where the upcoming draft is loaded with offensive line talent, he might be willing to take a lesser deal to ensure he finds a landing spot sooner.

OG Cody Whitehair

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The eight-year veteran was released by the Chicago Bears on February 15 and, like Bozeman, possesses positional flexibility. White hair has extensive experience at both left guard and center. After beginning his career as a center for the first three years and splitting time between the two for the next two years, he has played guard exclusively for the past three years.

The 31-year-old would be a strong contender for replacing Simpson at best and at worst, provide a quality backup behind 2023 Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum as a former Pro Bowl center himself.

CB Avonte Maddox

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The six-year veteran was released by the Philadelphia Eagles on March 7 after being hampered by injuries in back-to-back seasons. When he’s been on the field, Maddox is one of the best nickelbacks in the league. He’s capable of being incredibly disruptive in the slot as a blitzer, open-field tackler, and in coverage. If the Ravens are unable to re-sign veteran Arthur Maulet ahead of the draft, pivoting to Maddox as a low-risk, high-reward option could yield similar impressive results if he stays healthy.

RB Alexander Mattison

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The five-year veteran was released by the Minnesota Vikings on March 4 following a season in which he appeared in 16 games, made 13 starts, and recorded career-highs in rushing attempts (180) and rushing yards (700). He also had 30 receptions on 44 targets with 192 receiving yards and three touchdown catches.

The Ravens may not love this year’s rookie class enough to use a Day 3 pick or take a flier on an undrafted free agent. If so, bringing in Mattison on a one-year deal to provide depth behind Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell when he returns wouldn’t hurt — as long as it is for cheap.

EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah

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The eight-year veteran was released by the Miami Dolphins on February 23 despite a solid bounce-back season from injury, in which 5.5 sacks in 2023 in 15 games. Ogbah is just two years removed from recording nine sacks and 20+ quarterback hits in back-to-back seasons from 2020-21.

He’ll be another year removed from the torn triceps injury that cut his 2022 season short after 11 games and could continue to thrive in a rotational role. The Ravens have a pair of 10-year veterans that they’d like to have back in Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, who each had career years in 2023. If they strike out on both, Ogbah would be a solid contingency plan. He could be the next veteran edge defender to get signed at a discount and go on to have a big year.