The Super Early 2015 Ravens Casualties

[IBleedPurple2127]

It's a knee jerk reaction for myself to think about next year after a painful loss. I know it's still early and we still may make the playoffs but I just wanted to get this discussion going early.

I think the two obvious extensions to give out are Jimmy Smith and Justin Tucker. I fully expect both of those to go down without a question.

I think Pernell McPhee is gone. I love everything that he's done for us...he's really started to blossom. But it's the typical Ozzie Newsome move. We've drafted so many D-Linemen and it'll be another next man up approach. I expect him to get big money else where like Arthur Jones last year.

I think Torrey Smith is gone unless his price tag is severely reduced. If he wants top 10-15 WR money let the Jaguars or Raiders overpay for him.

Of course I think we all expect to know Haloti Ngata's Ravens fate this offseason. Will we be able to work on an extension like with Sizzle? Or are we finally going to say goodbye and cut him.

And it pains me to say, I don't know what the cap implications are, but it looks like we may need to cut bait with Ladarius Webb. He's not a top 10 corner anymore...the injuries have taken too much of a toll.

And obviously we'll have to see if Gary Kubiak gets poached to be a head coach else where. I hope not...I've really enjoyed having a more than half competent coordinator after the past 6 years of Cam and Jim. Of course the cap complications are gonna be sticky with the whole Ray Rice debacle and Dennis Pitta's injury again. Seems like a third straight overhaul of an offseason may be coming up. Lets just hope we draft a corner this time! (Or Devin Funchess in the 1st round...he's going to be REALLY good)

[Ravenalytics]

I don't think there's going to be an extended cleaning of house, but a restocking.

McPhee I actually think will be retained. Dumervil and Suggs are tremendous, but older. McPhee is going to be a priority to lock down. McPhee was one of the reasons we were ok letting Art Jones go. There's no one behind him at this point that will be ready to take his spot.

With every release we've had someone we thought could step up. Boldin is released on the premise that Pitta will compensate catches. Oher is let go thinking Wagner can take over. Graham and Williams are let off but we had a returning Webb and an emerging star in Jimmy, plus a promising candidate in Asa Jackson.

Obviously plans fall by the wayside because of injuries. But I really don't see them letting McPhee go when there's no one else ready to fill his void.

I can see Jacoby getting let go. Possibly Daryl Smith, depending on how well he plays the rest of the way and what deals he's willing to take. Ngata might retire. But most of our guys are so young and on such cheap contracts I don't think we lose too many people. I think most of the shuffling is going to be guys like Stewart, Miles, Franks, and McClellan.

[LukeDaniel]

There will be very few changes to next year's roster from this year.

The Ravens only have the following players who are set to be UFAs:

Darian Stewart (not coming back by team choice)
Jeromy Miles (not coming back by team choice)
Owen Daniels (proving he can still play at this level, likely to retire though)
Torrey Smith (who knows?)
McPhee (a priority, but I think it's a bit less than 50/50 that he's back)
Forsett (would be nice to bring him back---he won't be expensive---but he's replaceable in the mid-rounds of the draft)
Morgan Cox
Chykie Brown (please....nooooo)


Those are the only UFAs. They are all expendable save for McPhee, although I think ideally you'd like to see all four back if it's cap-feasible.

I wouldn't expect a lot of shakeup with releases either, due to dead money/salary breakdowns.

McClellan ($1m base salary/ $200k in dead money) and Sam Koch ($2.5 base salary/$600k in dead money) are the two most "cut friendly" contracts. Ngata obviously isn't playing 2015 with a cap figure of $7.5million. Something will be done with his $8.5m base salary.

Jacoby Jones' $2.5m seems easy to trim, but he also carries $2.625m in dead money still on his contract. So, unless it's done with a post June 1st designation, the Ravens really won't be saving much. I suspect they will attempt to have as little dead money on the books in 2015 as possible to help absorb the damage of the Rice fiasco. If they do cut Jacoby, with a post June 1st designation, it would save the team $1.625 million ($2.5m - $875k) but the 2016 cap would take a $1.75m hit. I think with that in mind, it might make more sense just to pay him for more one year and then make a decision on what to do with him.

Daryl Smith has the same exact contract as Jacoby. So, if it doesn't make sense cap-wise to cut Jacoby, it makes even less to cut Smith, who is a far more proven and consistent (and overall better) player

Marshal Yanda is a perfect candidate for a restructure/extension since a)he's probably the most consistently good player on the entire roster b) he's still in his prime at a position with relatively slow age decline c) he's entering the last year of his contract d) he has a relatively limited amount of dead money left on his contract and e) he's worked with the Ravens before. He has a $8.4m cap figure for next year, with $5.5m in base salary. I would expect the Ravens to sign him for an additional two seasons and move about $4.2m of his base salary into 2016 and 2017, lowering his 2015 cap from $8.4 to $5.6.


All of the other long term non-rookie contracts on the books---- Steve Smith Sr, Zuttah, Monroe, Suggs, Dumervil, Webb, Pitta are ridiculously cap unfriendly if a cut was being considered. Pitta, as an example has a base salary of $4m next year and $8.8m in dead money remaining on his contract. Ouch!


Expect the Ravens to go CB/CB/pass rusher with their first three picks and look at a RB/TE/DTackle with their next three. Might see a WR mixed in their somewhere. Don't think we have a pressing need for a S or O-line in the next draft.

[CopRaven]

Jimmy and Tucker should be extended.

Torrey and McPhee are the two big name UFAs. They could definitely get out of price range, so that's a tough prediction.

Daryl Smith and Jacoby have very similar contracts. I'd keep Smith, even if he gets beat out by Brown for the Will spot, his salary is not massive for someone who would be a very valuable backup. With Jacoby I'd tell him that he'l have to fight for his roster spot in camp.

Yanda and KO both have one year left. KO maybe has more upside, but Yanda offers a consitency that no other Raven can match. I'd let them both play out their contracts and then see in 2016 who we wants to re-sign. We won't keep both.

I believe Forsett and Daniels are more worth to us than to any other team, so I could easily seem them being re-signed, but only if they don't get much interest on the open market.

Ngata is really interesting. He's playing very well this year. According to PFF this is his best year ever, although I think they have him grossly underrated for 2007-2011. He'll either be extended (I'm thinking something like 2 years/$10 m) or let go. It's worth keeping an eye on not only him, but also Jernigan, as his play might seal the fate of Ngata in Baltimore. Right now Jernigan is playing really well against the run, but I'm afraid we'll severely lack interior rush in 2015 if both Ngata and McPhee are let go.

Webb will probably be here next year, but unless he improves substantially, that will be his last year.

Canty and Koch could be casualties. But if we lose Ngata and McPhee it might make sense to keep Canty - otherwise that is a VERY inexperinced DL in 2015.

I believe Pitta's career is over, but since his salary for next year is guaranteed anyways, he'll probably be on the roster (on IR).

Nothing will be done with Joe's contract this off-season. Same with Suggs and Dumervil.

Morgan Cox is an UFA, but I don't even bother thinking about that one.

Will Hill will probably be re-signed on a secound round tender, and them him, Elam and Brooks will fight for the two safety spots.

That was all of my thoughts.