Ravens free agents. Predictions

**Shas** · 02-25-2021, 12:07 PM

The Athletic today predicted what happens to each Ravens free agent, unrestricted or not. I'll post the short version and invite counter proposals.

Chris Board. Stays on a short, modest extension with a lower cap hit in '21 that a minimum tender

Tyus Bowser. Stays because he's more valuable to the Ravens than he'll be offered on the open market.

Dez Bryant. Goes (I think this was actually a Ravens decision and they let him save face on Twitter, as much as people want to make it a statement on the Ravens lack of a passing game.)

Morgan Cox. Goes. Nick Moore is next man up.

Gus Edwards. Stays on a 2nd rounder tender for $3.4M this year

Justin Ellis. Goes. Aaron Crawford is next man up under Ozzie's 80/20 rule.

D.J. Fluker. Goes. They find a younger healthier swing tackle, maybe even in Phillips

Matthew Judon. Goes. The team wants him back but will probably get outbid.

Anthony Levine. Stays on a cheap deal to play Teams

Pernell McPhee. Stays if he's committed to still play. Proved he could set the edge and rotate at OLB

Chris Moore. Goes. Hasn't been healthy enough and the team has other gunner options. Could come back later if needed.

Yannick Ngakoue. Goes. Just never fit. His lack of playoff snaps says it all.

Matt Skura. Goes. Too many other options at center

Willie Snead. Goes Need to make room for Duvernay and Proche and probably a rookie or two (personal opinion, WS's outburst on Twitter tells me he's already been told he needs to find another job)

Jihad Ward. Stays. Even though he was a healthy scratch he'll be an affordable and versatile option inside and outside. Good scheme fit.

DeAndrew White. Goes. (personal opinion: who?)

Derek Wolke. Stays. Both sides want it to happen. It comes down to price and what they do elsewhere in signing players.

I have to say, this is exactly what I am currently anticipating.

**Minion** · 02-25-2021, 12:11 PM

Don't really disagree with anything major. Could see them maybe bringing back a guy like Justin Ellis since he'll be at the minimum, and then if a guy like Crawford beats him out, great. Mostly the minimum types of guys that I could see go either way. But yeah, this seems about what I'd expect.

**Shas** · 02-25-2021, 12:12 PM

I hear you. Zrebiec's comment was that the coaches are high on Crawford. I added the part about Ozzie's rule that if you can replace 80% of what a player gave you at 20% of the cost, you move on.

**s.r.genovese** · 02-25-2021, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Shas

The Athletic today predicted what happens to each Ravens free agent, unrestricted or not. I'll post the short version and invite counter proposals.

Chris Board. Stays on a short, modest extension with a lower cap hit in '21 that a minimum tender

Tyus Bowser. Stays because he's more valuable to the Ravens than he'll be offered on the open market.

Dez Bryant. Goes (I think this was actually a Ravens decision and they let him save face on Twitter, as much as people want to make it a statement on the Ravens lack of a passing game.)

Morgan Cox. Goes. Nick Moore is next man up.

Gus Edwards. Stays on a 2nd rounder tender for $3.4M this year

Justin Ellis. Goes. Aaron Crawford is next man up under Ozzie's 80/20 rule.

D.J. Fluker. Goes. They find a younger healthier swing tackle, maybe even in Phillips

Matthew Judon. Goes. The team wants him back but will probably get outbid.

Anthony Levine. Stays on a cheap deal to play Teams

Pernell McPhee. Stays if he's committed to still play. Proved he could set the edge and rotate at OLB

Chris Moore. Goes. Hasn't been healthy enough and the team has other gunner options. Could come back later if needed.

Yannick Ngakoue. Goes. Just never fit. His lack of playoff snaps says it all.

Matt Skura. Goes. Too many other options at center

Willie Snead. Goes Need to make room for Duvernay and Proche and probably a rookie or two (personal opinion, WS's outburst on Twitter tells me he's already been told he needs to find another job)

Jihad Ward. Stays. Even though he was a healthy scratch he'll be an affordable and versatile option inside and outside. Good scheme fit.

DeAndrew White. Goes. (personal opinion: who?)

Derek Wolke. Stays. Both sides want it to happen. It comes down to price and what they do elsewhere in signing players.

I have to say, this is exactly what I am currently anticipating.

Yep I agree, although Harbs spoke so glowingly about Ngakuoe after the season I have to wonder if they really like him and blame his lack of snaps/effectiveness on an injury we don't know much about. I would only be mildly surprised if they signed him. That said, it could have just been Harbs doing a player a solid and trying to pump up his FA value after a semi-disappointing season.

**Minion** · 02-25-2021, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by s.r.genovese

Yep I agree, although Harbs spoke so glowingly about Ngakuoe after the season I have to wonder if they really like him and blame his lack of snaps/effectiveness on an injury we don't know much about. I would only be mildly surprised if they signed him. That said, it could have just been Harbs doing a player a solid and trying to pump up his FA value after a semi-disappointing season.

Ngakoue is an interesting case. He might not have had the sack numbers but he still had lots of pressure and did decently well here. Some team is going to find that useful. I think the problem is more on the Ravens side and what they expect from their OLBs, which is to do a little bit of everything. Ngakoue is more of a one trick pony and just not sure the fit was as expected, hence the decrease in snaps in key games. Just didn't trust him to do the other duties.

**Shas** · 02-25-2021, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Minion

Ngakoue is an interesting case. He might not have had the sack numbers but he still had lots of pressure and did decently well here. Some team is going to find that useful. I think the problem is more on the Ravens side and what they expect from their OLBs, which is to do a little bit of everything. Ngakoue is more of a one trick pony and just not sure the fit was as expected, hence the decrease in snaps in key games. Just didn't trust him to do the other duties.

He's only 25. That works in his favor. You don't see a guy that young with that much resume come on the market often.

**Ravenswintitle** · 02-25-2021, 12:59 PM

Yup the only ? I have is also Ngakoue. They may opt to bring him back.

**TDL1000** · 02-25-2021, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Shas

The Athletic today predicted what happens to each Ravens free agent, unrestricted or not. I'll post the short version and invite counter proposals.

Chris Board. Stays on a short, modest extension with a lower cap hit in '21 that a minimum tender

Tyus Bowser. Stays because he's more valuable to the Ravens than he'll be offered on the open market.

Dez Bryant. Goes (I think this was actually a Ravens decision and they let him save face on Twitter, as much as people want to make it a statement on the Ravens lack of a passing game.)

Morgan Cox. Goes. Nick Moore is next man up.

Gus Edwards. Stays on a 2nd rounder tender for $3.4M this year

Justin Ellis. Goes. Aaron Crawford is next man up under Ozzie's 80/20 rule.

D.J. Fluker. Goes. They find a younger healthier swing tackle, maybe even in Phillips

Matthew Judon. Goes. The team wants him back but will probably get outbid.

Anthony Levine. Stays on a cheap deal to play Teams

Pernell McPhee. Stays if he's committed to still play. Proved he could set the edge and rotate at OLB

Chris Moore. Goes. Hasn't been healthy enough and the team has other gunner options. Could come back later if needed.

Yannick Ngakoue. Goes. Just never fit. His lack of playoff snaps says it all.

Matt Skura. Goes. Too many other options at center

Willie Snead. Goes Need to make room for Duvernay and Proche and probably a rookie or two (personal opinion, WS's outburst on Twitter tells me he's already been told he needs to find another job)

Jihad Ward. Stays. Even though he was a healthy scratch he'll be an affordable and versatile option inside and outside. Good scheme fit.

DeAndrew White. Goes. (personal opinion: who?)

Derek Wolke. Stays. Both sides want it to happen. It comes down to price and what they do elsewhere in signing players.

I have to say, this is exactly what I am currently anticipating.

Gotta say that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Wolfe and McPhee on the downside of their careers. Ward, Levine Board low ceiling very limited. Edward's coming back is good but he's a RFA. Bowser is solid that's about it.

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

**Willbacker** · 02-25-2021, 01:21 PM

I agree with most Ngakoue could be switched with Bowser and plus we gave up a 3rd and he is a bonafide passrusher and a year to learn and get in synch with the defense could be beneficial. Jihad Ward is a must sign since he produces a lot even with little playing time and could really come into his own. Just really like him as a player. I also thought Cox retired lol.

**DeltaRaven** · 02-25-2021, 01:29 PM

Stays: Bowser, Board, Gus Edwards, Justin Ellis, McPhee, Ward

Goes: Ngakoue, Judon, Dez, Levine, Moore, Skura, Snead

Undecided: Wolfe, Fluker

I think we'll keep more of the DL together than you're predicting unless we draft some DL early on. The less we need to back fill on an already well performing defense, the better.

Keep Bowser and McPhee because of the otherwise bare cupboard at OLB once Judon/Ngakoue leave. Gus Edwards is self explanatory and Board is a good backup & ST'er.

Dez, Skura, Moore, and Levine are pretty much dead weight at this point. Snead is creating a log jam at slot WR.

Fluker is dependent on what happens with O. Brown. Wolfe is dependent on how much $$ he wants but it sounds like he likes it here. I'm leaning towards both being back.

**Valhain** · 02-25-2021, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by TDL1000

Gotta say that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Wolfe and McPhee on the downside of their careers. Ward, Levine Board low ceiling very limited. Edward's coming back is good but he's a RFA. Bowser is solid that's about it.

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

It's not as if we are losing great players either.
I can see Ngakoue resigning, on a 2-3 year contract, if only because he might want to stay in Baltimore instead of bouncing back to another team again. Other than that, it seems spot on.

**Shas** · 02-25-2021, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by TDL1000

Gotta say that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Wolfe and McPhee on the downside of their careers. Ward, Levine Board low ceiling very limited. Edward's coming back is good but he's a RFA. Bowser is solid that's about it.

Originally Posted by Valhain

It's not as if we are losing great players either.
I can see Ngakoue resigning, on a 2-3 year contract, if only because he might want to stay in Baltimore instead of bouncing back to another team again. Other than that, it seems spot on.

Yeah, it doesn't hurt my confidence. Other than Ngakoue and Judon, who else will be missed? Are there other free agents out there who would inspire more confidence as a pass rusher? I'd give Judon a contract like Za'Darius got, unlike many on this board, but I doubt that's enough. Ngakoue may settle for a one year deal, but I doubt it's here since he didn't pad stats here. I'm not breaking the bank for a FA WR. If they save money on Judon and Ngakoue, sign Bowser, Ward, McPhee and Wolfe to friendly deals, and maybe spend money on a center/guard, assuming they trade Orlando, that doesn't hurt my confidence.