The fervor and fanfare that accompanied the Baltimore Ravens agreeing to a deal Friday evening to acquire star pass rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders, a move that was stunning because it was so uncharacteristic of a draft-obsessed organization, was replaced early Monday afternoon by the familiar feeling of dread.
Who are the Ravens going to lose next?
As abnormal as it was for the Ravens to trade two first-round picks for Crosby, what transpired over a couple of hours Monday afternoon has become an annual rite of March. It just was even tougher to swallow this year because of the high Ravens fans were on after the acquisition of one of the league’s best pass rushers.
The wave of free-agent departures started with outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones, a trade acquisition by Baltimore last season, agreeing to a three-year, $39.5 million deal with the New England Patriots. His departure was largely expected after the Ravens traded for Crosby.
Tight end Isaiah Likely became the second Raven to leave town, following coach John Harbaugh and joining the New York Giants on a three-year, $40 million deal. His departure stung a bit, but it was also anticipated as the Ravens made several attempts to re-sign Likely last year. When they couldn’t get it done, they extended fellow tight end Mark Andrews instead.
Punter Jordan Stout was next, as he and the Giants agreed to a three-year, $12.3 million deal. Stout, a 2022 fourth-round pick, parlayed a breakout season into the top punter contract in the NFL. Suddenly, the Ravens were forced to add punter to an already lengthy list of needs.
Then came the news that rocked the Ravens the most, even after they started to come to terms with it Sunday night. Center Tyler Linderbaum, who made the Pro Bowl three times in four years after the Ravens picked him in the first round in 2022, bolted to Las Vegas.
The Raiders agreed to pay him an astounding $81 million over three years, making him the highest-paid center in football by $9 million per year. The Ravens’ final offer to Linderbaum was four years for $88 million, but it wasn’t close to enough. Now they’re searching for a new anchor for an offensive line under construction.
The hits kept coming, and one of them was self-induced. The Ravens decided not to tender a contract to speedy running back Keaton Mitchell. They could have used an original-round $3.5 million tender or a $5.8 million second-round tender. They deemed both too pricey, and now the offense and special teams units are without arguably their fastest player.
Valuable blocking tight end Charlie Kolar decided to accept a three-year, $24.3 million offer from the Los Angeles Chargers. The Ravens were interested in retaining him. With him gone, they now have just one tight end, Andrews, on the roster.
Versatile defensive back Ar’Darius Washington, believed to be a candidate to return in Baltimore’s No. 3 safety role, also headed to New York to join Harbaugh. The final blow of the day came when safety Alohi Gilman agreed to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs for a reported three-year, $24.75 million deal.
When Day 1 of the legal tampering period was over, the Ravens had lost arguably five of their top six free agents (fullback Patrick Ricard remains unsigned), Washington, Gilman and their lone restricted free agent (Mitchell), while adding just one player. New York Jets guard John Simpson returned to Baltimore on a three-year, $30 million pact and became the expected starter at left guard.
By about 3 p.m. ET Monday, three hours after representatives for free agents were “allowed” to negotiate deals for the first time, the Ravens had already maxed out with four projected compensatory picks for the 2027 draft. That was quick, even by their standards.
To be clear, the exodus wasn’t totally unexpected, nor is it unfamiliar territory for these Ravens. For some of the criticism the Ravens’ front office and coaching staff get locally, the fact remains that other teams show annually at this time of year how much they like and covet Baltimore’s players. And the Ravens are also perennially snug against the salary cap, meaning they understand they’re going to lose some players.
It still isn’t clear how the Ravens are going to create cap room to accommodate Crosby, never mind making space for a number of free agents.
But that didn’t mean the departures didn’t hurt, and the totality of them wasn’t jarring. They also served as a strong reminder of the plethora of challenges general manager Eric DeCosta faces this offseason as he attempts to retool a team that was arguably the most disappointing in the NFL last year and had its longtime coach, Harbaugh, get unceremoniously fired after 18 seasons.
DeCosta deserved praise for the Crosby deal. You could say that he overpaid and the Ravens weren’t one player away from Super Bowl contention to deal two first-rounders for a non-quarterback, but you still have to appreciate the boldness and aggressiveness. This is an organization that can be frustratingly set in its ways and arrogant in its belief that there’s no better way. The trade, along with Harbaugh’s firing, were admissions that the Ravens needed to do things differently. They needed change.
But Crosby, as good as he is, is only one piece to the puzzle, and DeCosta and his staff have so much more work to do. That was reinforced Monday when the Ravens’ roster became even thinner. They re-signed Lamar Jackson’s backup, Tyler Huntley, over the weekend, so they’re set at quarterback. And Mitchell’s non-tender indicates they are comfortable with their running back depth. But they need help pretty much everywhere else.
Their wide receiver depth chart drops significantly after Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. They need at least two tight ends, including one who specializes in blocking. Simpson joins tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, but are the Ravens comfortable with Emery Jones Jr. or Andrew Vorhees starting at right guard? And who plays center? The free-agent center market isn’t exactly brimming with enticing options, and making a Day 3 rookie the Day 1 starter on a team with Super Bowl aspirations is rife with risk.
Defensively, the Ravens didn’t take any major hits Monday. Yet, they still need to add one or two starting-caliber interior defensive linemen and a starting-caliber outside cornerback. They need a No. 3 safety and depth at both outside and inside linebacker. And Stout’s departure mandates changes to their kicking battery for a second straight year.
The Ravens like to go into the draft without any gaping holes, so they can focus on selecting the best player available rather than being overly influenced by need. For that to happen this year, DeCosta will have to shift into overtime, all while knowing that he won’t have a first-round pick to fall back on next month.
It’s hardly time to panic. DeCosta has been there, done that. But it’s not too early to recognize all the work the Ravens have ahead. A few-hour stretch on Monday brought a sobering reminder of that.
