General manager Eric DeCosta, Ozzie Newsome’s successor, has grown increasingly aggressive in handing out contracts, and he’s now built a Super Bowl hopeful for 2023 and beyond.
The Ravens are 20th in the NFL in cap space, with $7.3 million available, and there will be critical decisions regarding several vital contributors and two All-Pros. And they’re spending about $120+ million plus on the offensive side of the football.
PFF recently did an early ranking of the top 50 free agents for 2024, and John Harbaugh’s squad had four players make the list.
The overall positional spending will change in the coming years after Lamar Jackson signed a massive five-year, $260 million contract extension, making him among the three highest-paid players on average in NFL history.
With the NFL offseason fast approaching, we’re looking at seven players that’ll flourish on another roster.
RB Gus Edwards
Edwards isn’t going to cash out on the open market, but after logging 810 rushing yards and a team leading 13 rushing touchdowns, Edwards will have his suitors on the open market.
A team like the Eagles would elevate Edwards’ hard-running style.
WR Nelson Agholor
Agholor had 35 catches for 381 yards and four touchdowns on 45 targets. The former first round pick from USC has big play potential and could flourish on a team that values a downfield passing attack.
WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham had 64 targets during his lone season in Baltimore, hauling in 35 catches, for 565 yards and three touchdowns.
Beckham Jr. could flourish playing opposite Garrett Wilson, while catching passes from Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
DT Justin Madubuike
Madubuike had a streak this season where he logged at least a half a sack in 11 of 13 games this season, while doubling his previous sack totals.
He’ll commander $25 million+ on the open market, and could be even more productive alongside another elite talent.
DE Jadeveon Clowney
Clowney had a career year with Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
Clowney ranked fifth in pass rush win rate among edge rushers, while logging a career high 9 sacks, along with 50 QB hurries, 10 QB hits and 69 QB pressures.
He also had career highs in pressure rate, pass-rush win rate and total pressures in a season.
Clowney fits the Ravens culture perfectly, but could follow Macdonald to Seattle.
LB Patrick Queen
His 35 quarterback pressures and eight sacks over the last two seasons are both second among off-ball linebackers in the NFL.
The running mate for Roquan Smith, Queen made his first Pro Bowl this season after logging a career-high 125 tackles (78 solo) and matched a career high with six passes defensed, while adding 3.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the best defense in the league. Queen is the only NFL defender to produce at least 400 tackles (445), 10 sacks (13.5), and 10 takeaways (four interceptions and six fumble recoveries) since he entered the league in 2020.
With Baltimore needing to re-sign Justin Madubuike, Queen will likely get to test the market and potentially land a $100 million deal.
OL Kevin Zeitler
Zeitler is on pace for more than 1,000 snaps played in every year with the team.
The Pro Bwol snub is still going strong at 33 years old, earning a pass-blocking grade above 80.0 for the second consecutive season in 2023.
After Week 4, Zeitler had 428 passing blocking snaps, allowing 12 pressures, 0 hits and 0 sacks.
He’ll flourish in Baltimore or any other place.
DB Geno Stone
Stone was second in the NFL with seven interceptions despite not being a full-time starter, and he’s proven to be effective at safety, thanks to Kyle Hamilton’s versatility. Stone will have suitors on the open market, but Marcus Williams is injury prone, and you can never have enough good safety play.
If Baltimore doesn’t bring him back, he’ll flourish elsewhere.
RB J.K. Dobbins
Through 23 games of his career, Dobbins has been among the NFL’s most efficient runners, complete with the highest explosive run rate (15.2%) among all RBs in 2022.
Dobbins missed the 2023 season with a torn Achilles, but he makes the list because he’ll be healthier than Keaton Mitchell when training camp rolls around, and Justice Hill is the only other running back currently under contract.
