Ravens Free Agency: FA List

[Shrubbs]

If losing Mosley means we can sign Ford/Clowney/Lawrence, then bye Felicia... I mean Mosley. But if EDC is saying we're not going to swim in those Waters, then tag and work out a long term deal with CJ.

Wouldn't tagging Mosley be an issue because he'd be lumped in with the expensive OLBs?

[RavenIsh]

Wouldn't tagging Mosley be an issue because he'd be lumped in with the expensive OLBs?

I will prepare you for your conversion. Got to get a little operation though. Lol.

[RavenIsh]

Wouldn't tagging Mosley be an issue because he'd be lumped in with the expensive OLBs?

See that is a problem. They must break these tag numbers down between ILBs and OLBs.

[RavenIsh]

I'd keep Smith between the two.

The 80:20 rule I think applies at ILB (Peanut and Young would be pressured into the role, but hey we do that to our offense all the time). It doesn't at OLB because T-Will and Bowser haven't developed.

As for FS, Collins wouldn't be my guy. He would be if we didn't have Jefferson, but they play a similar role, just Collins is way better at it. I like Lemarcus Joyner more if he hits the market. Especially the way wink plays his defense by moving Weddle all over the place.

I'd add someone at S and keep Weddle too.

See I'm not sure Z. Smith is worth it. He showed up at times and did play well during our run but do you really trust him with a new deal? I don't. Let him go get his elsewhere. Judon can replace him.

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

See I'm not sure Z. Smith is worth it. He showed up at times and did play well during our run but do you really trust him with a new deal? I don't. Let him go get his elsewhere. Judon can replace him.

We need a RUSH.

Maybe we sign Suggs to a 1 year deal, let Za walk and draft someone.

But Judon should be left at SAM. T-Will isn't getting it done and Bowser can't be playing in Judon's spot if he moves because he sucks.

[stevez51]

There are too many teams with $$$ to burn that will go after Smith. If the money gets crazy the Ravens need to be practical. Next man up.

[Roll Tide]

There are too many teams with $$$ to burn that will go after Smith. If the money gets crazy the Ravens need to be practical. Next man up.

The smart move is to get a deal done in advance if they want to keep him.

[Waywatcher]

The franchise tag for linebackers is in excess of $15M - as previously mentioned, both OLBs and ILBs get lumped together. It's a similar situation we were looking at with internal linemen like K.O. and Ryan Jensen. The OL franchise tag number similarly gets colluded with the tackle (mainly LT) megadeals.

At $15M, I don't see a universe in which the Ravens tag C.J. Mosely.

Anyway, here are my predictions:

I'm a bit more bullish on Mosely because I think he was playing half of the year with a bone bruise from the Bengals game. Not that he's ever had great zone fielding instincts - but his recovery speed picked up significantly during the last quarter of the season. However, if he starts fielding offers in excess of $12M/year on average, I think the Ravens should part ways. Especially considering the albatross the Ravens put around their necks in the form of that Brandon Williams contract.

We'll see what Decosta ends up doing, though. As has been mentioned multiple times, the Ravens tend to lock up their defensive all stars, sometimes at prohibitive costs. I expect we hold on to Mosely, and there's a good chance we experience some buyer's remorse afterwards...

If we keep Mosely, I think we part ways with Weddle and see just what we have in Chuck Clark and Deshon Elliott. We may make a play for one of the free agent safeties, but my gut says we stay put or try to add someone through the draft.

I also see us keeping Carr (whose salary is actually quite affordable given his level of play this year) and parting ways with Jimmy Smith, ideally by trade, though the chances of that happening may be slim. His current cap number doesn't reflect his 2018 quality of play and his suspension history is off-putting. I think we end up waiving him - which is a shame because, when Jimmy is locked in and healthy (rarely...), he's a lockdown corner.

I think we try to ask Suggs for a hometown discount but he picks up a 2 or 3-year, frontloaded deal elsewhere, which is depressing to think about.

I don't see us keeping Zardarius under any circumstances. He'll end up getting 12+M/year based on his pressure numbers from last year. Again, it'll be a sad loss which will affect our defense the same way McPhee's departure did.

I see us re-signing Urban unless someone swoops in and overpays him like the Patriots did with Lawrence Guy.

On offense, I anticipate Crabtree will get waived, Brown will walk away in FA, and we hold on to Snead. I also expect one of Nick Boyle or Maxx Williams to be re-signed at a fairly reasonable rate. We'll almost certainly jettison a number of backfield JAGs, including Buck Allen, Ty Montgomery, and Pat Ricard. I hope we take a concerted look at the FA OL market, in particular at guard. I've heard Saffold's name come up. Or maybe even K.O. or Hudson, should they become camp casualties. The rest of our offensive needs will need to be addressed during the draft.

Here's hoping Flacco develops a small market and we get a 3rd or 4th rounder for him. I'm skeptical, though.

All told, it's going to be a fascinating off-season, especially considering we're not quite certain what Decosta's tendencies are.

[WrongBaldy]

The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec expects the Ravens to cut Michael Crabtree.

Crabtree is currently scheduled to make $7 million in 2019, $5 million of which guarantees in mid-March. That is not an unreasonable number, but the Ravens have to find explosive and reliable weapons to put around Lamar Jackson. Crabtree is neither of those things at this point in his career. Even so, he should be able to find a new home if he hits the open market.

The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec expects the Ravens to cut CB Jimmy Smith.

Smith is a talented corner who has played well when available, but the 30-year-old has not played more than 12 games in a season since 2015 and has managed that feat just twice in his career. Unless he is willing to take a pay cut on his $9.5 million base salary, the Ravens will have almost no choice but to move on.

The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec expects the Ravens to retain CB Brandon Carr.

That is assuming the soon-to-be-33 Carr wants to continue his career. Cutting Carr ahead of his mid-March roster bonus would save the Ravens $5 million against the cap, but it would cost them a durable and solid corner who held his own even with relegated to the slot at times in 2018. Especially with Jimmy Smith likely to be shown the door, it makes sense for Baltimore to keep Carr around.

[BigPlayReceiver]

I think I've been over-thinking the Za' situation. He's simply not good enough vs. the run to get his money here.

A team like OAK may pay him handsomely for his projected pass rush production.

[@SumthingObvious]

I think I've been over-thinking the Za' situation. He's simply not good enough vs. the run to get his money here.

A team like OAK may pay him handsomely for his projected pass rush production.

BPR...we have seen this movie before.... Kruger, Art Jones, Mcphee.... part 4 coming to a theater near you in March!

[BigPlayReceiver]

BPR...we have seen this movie before.... Kruger, Art Jones, Mcphee.... part coming to a theater near you in March!

You're right. I definitely wasted too much time with my GM hat on for this one.