Latest On Colts’ OL Situation
After years of dominant offensive line play, the last season of offensive line coach Chris Strausser‘s tenure saw an uncharacteristically down year for the team’s position group up front. With Strausser now coaching for rival Houston, the Colts are hoping that Tony Sparano can get the line back on track. 
After the spring, it appears that the team has no plans to switch up the starting lineup with which they ended the 2022 season, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59. Left tackle Bernhard Raimann, left guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly, right guard Will Fries, and right tackle Braden Smith all return to start in 2023.
After starting his career in an elite manner, Nelson’s play has dropped slightly in the past two years. He’s still a Pro Bowl talent who is in no danger of losing his starting job, but after an extension that would make him the league’s highest paid guard at the time became inevitable, he’s gone from a top-three guard in the NFL to top-20, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Fries, a seventh-round pick from 2021, was asked to step up as a starter for the second-half of last season. It took him a bit to find his footing, but he displayed a few strong performances to end the season, and he’ll start the year opposite Nelson.
At center, Kelly has shown flashes of talent that have made him a top-10 center in the past. He bounced back after a dismal 2021 season but still didn’t quite reach the top-form we saw from him just a few years ago. His job should continue to be safe as backups Wesley French and Dakoda Shepley have a combined zero starts.
On the outside ends of the line, the team will aim to get Raimann and Smith a full year together. Raimann stepped up a few games into the season last year and performed admirably as a rookie at what is widely considered the toughest job on the line. Now, with 11 starts under his belt, Raimann is ready to not only perform but excel on the blindside in Year 2. Smith continues to be a bright spot on the line, even in a down year for the group. The only challenge with Smith seems to be keeping him on the field. Smith has missed nine games since the start of the 2020 season, and keeping him healthy throughout the year could be big for the integrity of the line.
The roster consistency gave Indianapolis the luxury of not needing to do much to address the position group this offseason. No big men were added in free agency, but the team added two rookies in the draft in fourth-round pick Blake Freeland out of BYU and seventh-round pick Jake Witt out of Northern Michigan. While Witt has an NFL frame that could help him contribute as a rookie depth piece if needed, he’s likely a project that needs a bit of time to develop. Freeland, on the other hand, looks a bit more NFL-ready and is expected to stand in as the team’s swing tackle as a rookie. If Smith does end up missing any time or Raimann experiences a bit of a sophomore slump, Freeland should be the first name off the bench to fill in.
So, that’s the situation heading into 2023. There’s a little concern over the lack of personnel adjustments after a disappointing performance in 2022, but there’s hope that consistency and a new face in the coaching staff will help push this group to its usual dominance. They also inserted that fresh blood that has potential to energize the line, if necessary.
Olamide Zaccheaus To Vie For Eagles’ Slot WR Role
Aside from running back Miles Sanders, who departed for Carolina in free agency, the Eagles return every starting skill player on offense. For an offense that finished last year second in the league in scoring and total yardage, that doesn’t leave a lot of room for improvement. Still the defending NFC Champions may have found a spot at which to improve, according to Geoff Mosher and Andrew DiCecco of Inside the Birds. 
The 2022 Eagles saw quarterback Jalen Hurts spoiled with three star pass catchers in A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert. Quez Watkins contributed out of the slot with 33 catches for 354 yards, but that was a big step back from a sophomore campaign that saw him catch 43 balls for 647 yards.
That makes the offseason free agent addition of former Falcons wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus fairly noteworthy. While Watkins took a step back in 2022, Zaccheaus has done nothing but improve year after year. In a year that saw Atlanta struggle behind the arms of Marcus Mariota and rookie Desmond Ridder, Zaccheaus delivered his best statistical season alongside a star-starved cast of rookie Drake London, Damiere Byrd, and KhaDarel Hodge.
With a 2022 line of 40 receptions for 533 yards and three touchdowns and the ability to progress each season, Zaccheaus provides an exciting potential upgrade for Philadelphia on offense. Watkins struggled at times last year, arguably playing a role in some of the team’s few losses. Zaccheaus provides more dependable hands, as well as a size and skill-set not possessed by the team’s top two wideouts.
The team’s fourth receiver last year, Zach Pascal, performed more as a blocker than a receiver, and he can continue in that role in 2023. If unseated by Zaccheaus, Watkins can rotate with Pascal as the fourth receiver, depending on the situation, or fill in for Brown or Smith if either need a breather or get injured.
So Hurts’s targets could look slightly different next year. Aside from new running backs D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny leading that room now, Hurts could be throwing to wide receivers Brown, Smith, and Zaccheaus and the tight end, Goedert, with Watkins and Pascal coming off the bench.
Ravens Rumors: WRs, Nickelback, Ricard
The Ravens did a lot in their attempts to improve the wide receiving corps this offseason. What that usually means is that some receivers from last year’s roster will be fighting to remain on the team this summer. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, one of James Proche or Tylan Wallace may find themselves on the outside looking in come September.
Proche and Wallace were drafted in back-to-back years following quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s 2019 MVP season. Both players were taken as flyers following more valuable attempts to add to the room as the Ravens tried to bolster Jackson’s weapons cache. In 2020, Proche joined Devin Duvernay as rookies out of the state of Texas. Duvernay, a third-round pick out of Texas, was expected to be a contributor who could add to the room very soon, while Proche, a sixth-round pick out of SMU, had a similar playing style and added an ability as a return man.
Wallace had a stronger chance to contribute as a fourth-rounder out of Oklahoma State the following year, but he was still not the team’s headliner rookie receiver that year. Wallace was picked three rounds after first-round pick Rashod Bateman, the clear choice of rookies expected to contribute right away.
The source of disappointment in Wallace is fairly apparent. Through two years in the NFL, Wallace has only six catches for 56 yards. He contributes on special teams, but that doesn’t help a ton when he misses eight games, as he did last season. Proche showed signs of life in a sophomore season with 16 catches for 202 yards, but he took a step back in 2022 with only eight catches for 62 yards. His return ability was rendered moot, as well, as Duvernay earned first-team All-Pro honors as a return man.
The offseason has seen the departures of pass catchers Demarcus Robinson, DeSean Jackson, and Sammy Watkins, all of whom outperformed Proche and Wallace last year, but the additions of Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor, and first-round pick Zay Flowers vastly outweigh what was lost in the room. With a top-five of Bateman, Beckham, Flowers, Duvernay, and Agholor, it’s hard to see where Proche and Wallace are both getting in the game. In a situation where the Ravens only hold on to six wide receivers, Proche and Wallace are likely going to be battling it out for that last roster spot in the preseason.
Here are a few more roster rumors coming out of Charm City:
- Baltimore added to the cornerbacks room this offseason with the additions of free agent Rock Ya-Sin and fifth-round pick Kyu Blu Kelly. While those acquisitions address the loss of starting cornerback Marcus Peters, the team may need to also address the slot. With Kyle Hamilton, who covered a bit of time in the slot last season with Chuck Clark and Marcus Williams starting at safety, moving back to his more natural position, who do the Ravens play in the slot? According to Zrebiec, second-year cornerback Damarion Williams is the favorite for the job, but Williams is reportedly dealing with some health issues right now. If Williams can’t go, Brandon Stephens, who has shown versatility while playing both safety and cornerback in his first two years, could get a chance to demonstrate his abilities. Former undrafted safety Ar’Darius Washington also reportedly has some “fans in the building” and could get an opportunity. Zrebiec doesn’t want to rule out starting cornerback Marlon Humphrey, though. Some around the team believe that putting one of the team’s best defenders closer to the ball and line of scrimmage could allow him to demonstrate his physicality and game-changing ability on more of a regular basis.
- With the addition of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, some fans were concerned about the safety of fullback Patrick Ricard‘s roster spot. Ricard was used heavily in former play-caller Greg Roman‘s system, but does Monken’s new system allow for Ricard to extend his streak of four straight Pro Bowl selections? According to Zrebiec, Monken may have little say in the matter. General manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh both value Ricard highly as a player. They’ve used him as a blocker out of the backfield, a receiver lining up at fullback and tight end, a contributor on special teams, and even as a defensive lineman in his early years. Regardless of how Monken has utilized fullbacks in the past, it’s hard to see a scenario where the Ravens can’t find a role for Ricard to fill.
Dolphins Eyeing Slot Work For Jalen Ramsey
When star cornerback Jalen Ramsey first changed coasts, he changed roles. After spending the majority of his time in Jacksonville as an outside cornerback, the Rams began to use utilize him a bit more in the slot, while still primarily playing him outside. Now, headed back to the east coast, there’s an expectation that the ratio of snaps will continue to shift towards the slot in Miami, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 
As a young defender in Jacksonville, Ramsey was dominant while continuously playing over 80 percent of his snaps at outside cornerback. In the position, he delivered a first-team All-Pro year that saw the best defensive grades of his career, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). In the waning years of his rookie deal, he continued to play on the perimeter but failed to meet the expectations set by his stellar sophomore season.
Instead of extending the perennial Pro Bowler, the Jaguars opted to trade Ramsey to Los Angeles in the middle of his fourth year on the team. There were reported altercations with then-Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone, and the team honored reported requests to be dealt elsewhere.
Once established in Los Angeles, the Rams began to do something the Jaguars hadn’t: move Ramsey around. During his time in LA, Ramsey played much more of a “star” role than he had the opportunity to in Jacksonville. During his first year with the Rams, the snap share only went up to about 17 percent, still a much larger share than any year with the Jaguars. By 2021, though, over 30 percent of his defensive snaps came from the slot. As a result, Ramsey began to show signs of dominance again, putting up the best defensive and coverage ratings, according to PFF, since his elite sophomore season.
In fact, 2022 saw Ramsey give up an uncharacteristically high 98.6 passer rating, driven up mostly by his play on the perimeter. When playing in the slot last year, Ramsey only gave up a 79.7 passer rating. According to Jackson, this is something that new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will take into consideration.
Last year’s rookie standout, Kader Kohou, is expected to take the majority of snaps in the slot for the Dolphins, while Ramsey slots in opposite Xavien Howard on the outside. But Fangio plans to deploy Ramsey in the slot at times based on the success he’s seen when splitting his time between the two positions.
Fangio is blessed with a fairly deep cornerback group that includes Ramsey, Howard, Kohou, and South Carolina second-round pick Cam Smith leading the group. Nik Needham and Keion Crossen both provide serviceable depth after being forced into more playing time last year due to injuries. Release candidate Noah Igbinoghene and special teams ace Justin Bethel round out the likeliest corners to make the final 53-man roster.
That depth should allow Fangio the freedom to experiment a bit with moving pieces around without compromising the quality of play too much. This could result in Ramsey continuing the success he found in California, splitting his time in the slot and outside.
Foster Moreau’s Cancer In Full Remission
It’s been a rollercoaster offseason for Saints tight end Foster Moreau. Since being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of blood and immune system cancer, back in March, Moreau has been excelling through free agency and spring activities while overcoming a serious illness. Nearly four months after his diagnosis, the four-year veteran has announced that his cancer is now “in full remission.” 
Moreau’s cancer was discovered on a free agent visit with his hometown Saints. The team’s physician discovered an enlarged lymph node, leading to the tight end’s diagnosis. As he received further advice, he was informed that he had a rare, but treatable, form of the cancer and set to work on beating it.
By May, Moreau had received medical clearance to play football. There was no longer a reason to slow-play his free agency as the most current diagnoses at the time forecasted no limitations upon his return to the field. As a result, New Orleans made good on his visit and signed Moreau to a three-year, $12MM deal. Moreau was a full participant in voluntary offseason practices after signing his deal, giving him a strong chance to compete for snaps in a deep tight ends room that includes Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, and Jesse James.
After what could have been a career-ending diagnosis, Moreau has gone through a full recovery in the offseason and should be able to play in 2023. He may even make a bid to become the first Comeback Player of the Year candidate to not miss a single game.
Ravens Not Likely To Push For CB Marcus Peters
When veteran cornerback Marcus Peters‘s contract expired at the end of the season, the starting cornerback spot across from Marlon Humphrey became a big point of concern for Ravens fans. Aside from times when one or the other was injured, Peters and Humphrey have manned the boundary corner positions in Baltimore together since 2019. While not completely out of the realm of possibility, it’s not looking likely to continue into 2023, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. 
In a mailbag Q&A, Zrebiec fielded several questions from fans inquiring about the likelihood of Peters returning to Baltimore. Peters struggled a bit in his return from an ACL tear that held him out of the entire 2021 season. He still served as a starting-caliber cornerback that could limit damage, but his playmaking, shutdown defense was nowhere to be found in 2022. Now two years removed from seeing Peters playing his best football, the Ravens haven’t shown any sign of prioritizing the return of the 30-year-old.
Peters visited the Raiders in mid-May and has remained in close contact with the team, but as of yet, no deal seems certain. Zrebiec points out that there’s no risk in Peters waiting. Better offers or opportunities may still come his way and, until camps start, there’s truly no rush.
In Baltimore, the Ravens eventually addressed the hole in the roster by signing Rock Ya-Sin. Ya-Sin doesn’t have the resume that Peters does, but he’s younger and has shown better football more recently than Peters. Even with Ya-Sin on the roster, Baltimore still didn’t rule out the possibility of bringing Peters back. They know he fits in the locker room, but in order for him to return, he’s going to have to be realistic on his value.
In a market bereft of lockdown, star cornerback talent, Peters may be one of the top options, but he’s not so good that he’ll earn past his value. The Ravens could certainly still make a different addition to the room before training camp. Several veterans remain free agents, such as Ronald Darby, Byron Jones, Bryce Callahan, Casey Hayward, and former Raven Anthony Averett. If Peters isn’t willing to meet the Ravens halfway on a new contract, Baltimore has plenty of other avenues they can explore.
The team also seems to like what they have in house right now, even going so far as to move Brandon Stephens back to his rookie position of safety following a season at cornerback last year. They’re hoping to see big jumps in the sophomore seasons of Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis and know they have serviceable depth pieces in Daryl Worley and Kevon Seymour. They also re-signed Trayvon Mullen and added Kyu Blu Kelly in the fifth round of the draft. They may want to bolster the room with a veteran who can slot in as CB3 still, but if they miss out on Peters because of value, they won’t beat themselves up too much over it.
So, for now, it appears most likely that Peters is Vegas bound. He appears to be waiting out the options, and the Ravens appear to be open to his return without pushing past their limits. A return to Baltimore isn’t impossible, but it will need to feel right with both sides.
Latest On Commanders’ OL Situation
The Commanders’ 2022 offensive line was one of the league’s most beleaguered position groups last year. The team dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season, handicapping a group that already was lacking in star talent. A good amount of turnover is expected from last year’s lineup, but is it nearly enough to not be a hindrance to quarterback Sam Howell‘s first season as a Day 1 starter? 
In terms of turnover, Trai Turner, who started 12 games at guard last season, has departed as a free agent. Wes Schweitzer, who started six games at guard, is now on the Jets. Nick Martin and Chase Roullier have also made their way to free agency, and Andrew Norwell is soon set to join them. It was announced a little over a month ago that the team was waiting to release Norwell until he could pass a physical, but he’s still currently on the roster today.
In terms of new blood, the Commanders signed former Chiefs tackle Andrew Wylie, who followed new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy from Kansas City. The team also added former Giants interior lineman Nick Gates with the intent to play him at center. Washington did re-sign Tyler Larsen, who started eight games at center for the team last year. The loser of the starting battle between Gates and Larsen will become an experienced depth piece on the interior line. Additionally, the team used both a third- and a fourth-round draft pick to address the offensive line, bringing in rookie center Ricky Stromberg from Arkansas and rookie tackle Braeden Daniels from Utah. While both could project as long-term starters for the future, neither rookie seems to be a contender to make an impact this season.
With the offseason moves, we’re starting to see the line take shape. Left tackle Charles Leno is the only sure thing on the line. He’s a definitive starter and should produce at a consistent level. The Commanders spent too much money on Wylie for him not to start. It’s been a couple years since his best performances (he allowed nine sacks last year), but his starting experience for a Super Bowl-winning team is likely enough to cement him at right tackle.
Gates likewise is being paid at a starters’ rate, so he’s the odds-on favorite to take the starting job at center. In that case, it ends up being a smart move to have retained Larsen, since over the past two years, Gates has only appeared in 12 games. If Gates continues to struggle to stay on the field, Washington knows Larsen can step up. With the addition of Stromberg in the draft, the Commanders are certainly attempting to feel secure after a season that decimated their centers room.
Sam Cosmi is an interesting piece in the line. He was drafted out of Texas in the second round two years ago as a top tackle prospect, and while he’s gotten some run there in Washington, he’s also filled in a bit at guard. With Wylie and Leno likely securing starting roles on the outside, Cosmi can either become a strong depth piece at tackle or continue working as a starter at guard.
The other guard spot seems fairly open. Saahdiq Charles is currently one of the top candidates for the starting role. In three years with the team, Charles has started eight games, but he’s not really expected to excel as a starting guard. His main competition for the position seems to be last year’s seventh-round pick Chris Paul. Paul only made his NFL debut when he started the season finale for the Commanders last year, but Rivera has heaped praise on the progress and abilities of the young man. If he continues to impress, he could push Charles for the starting spot opposite Cosmi.
So, did the Commanders piece together a line that their second-year passer can be confident behind? It’s almost certainly too soon to tell. There’s an argument to be made that they were able to increase the talent of their two-deep, but the biggest thing they could improve on to better their chances of success this year is just health.
Rams Rumors: Safety, Kicker, OL, McClendon
With Jordan Fuller finally making a healthy return after missing most of the 2022 season on injured reserve, the Rams should be set at one of their safety spots. Fuller had started all 28 games he’d appeared in over his first two years, and he’s stood out so far this offseason in OTAs and minicamp. The battle for who will start next to Fuller, though, has become a situation to watch in Los Angeles, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
There appears to be two second-year players at the forefront of the race: last year’s sixth-round pick Quentin Lake and seventh-round pick Russ Yeast. Lake got a late start to his rookie year after starting the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Once activated, he played almost exclusively on special teams until the team’s season finale in Seattle. Yeast also started off mainly on special teams before earning a good number of defensive snaps late in the year. He made his first career start in that same Seattle game.
Lake and Yeast will both get significant run with the first team in an effort to determine a starter. A dark horse in the competition could be rookie seventh-round pick Jason Taylor II. The Oklahoma State product had an impressive 99 tackles last season to go along with six interceptions for the Cowboys. While each player should get a strong chance, it’s believed that Yeast has the early edge.
Here are a couple other rumors coming out of LA:
- An expected camp kicking battle was cut short when Christopher Dunn was waived a couple weeks ago. The Rams currently only roster undrafted rookie Tanner Brown at the position. Also coming out of Stillwater, Brown never missed a single extra point during his collegiate career. In his senior year, Brown converted an impressive 22 of 23 field goal attempts. Despite the lofty college numbers, entering the season with Brown as the only option is a risky move. Rodrigue doesn’t rule out the possibility of Los Angeles bringing in some camp competition for the young specialist.
- The Rams’ top draft selection this year, second-round guard Steve Avila, is reportedly “as pro-ready a rookie as (Rodrigue has) seen walk into the (Rams’) building.” If the TCU-product secures a starting guard spot, as expected, the other guard spot could be won in competition between Tremayne Anchrum and Logan Bruss. Both Anchrum and Bruss were limited last season due to injury and are reportedly itching to prove their worth in 2023. Bruss has even gotten snaps at his old college position of right tackle, making him a strong candidate for a Swiss Army role on the offensive line if he can’t win a starting job. Rodrigue warns not to forget about rookie fifth-round pick Warren McClendon out of Georgia, as well. Although a knee injury forced him to miss time this spring, McClendon’s expected to make some noise in camp this summer.
Chargers Rumors: Safety Battle, IOL, WR
As the Chargers look to shape their roster throughout training camp, the coaches will be paying close attention to the safety position, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Obviously, Derwin James is cemented into a starting safety spot, but there is expected to be competition both for the starting job next to him and for a potential fourth safety spot on the roster.
With former starting safety Nasir Adderley retiring upon the expiration of his rookie contract, the starting safety job next to James is wide open. Alohi Gilman enters camp as the expected starter, but second-year player JT Woods will have every opportunity to take the job out from under Gilman. Gilman has nine starts over his first three seasons and has made some significant contributions to the Los Angeles defense in that time. Woods had one start in ten appearances during his rookie year but is expected to take a leap forward in his sophomore season.
Both Gilman and Woods are locks for the 53-man roster, but Popper predicts that only one other safety will join James, Gilman, and Woods in September. He’s boiled that battle down to Raheem Layne and Mark Webb. After signing as an undrafted free agent last year, Layne appeared is six games as a rookie, standing out in training camp and carving out a role on special teams. As a 2021 seventh-round pick, Webb’s rookie season was cut short by injury before he spent the whole of last year on the practice squad. Popper believes that if Webb can stay on the field during camp, he has a serious chance at pushing Layne for that final roster spot.
Here are a couple other rumors coming out of LA:
- After watching the struggles of backup offensive lineman Brenden Jaimes through his first two seasons, the Chargers appear ready to work out other options. The team seems to be high on Zack Bailey as a more reliable backup guard than Jaimes, according to Popper. Bailey appeared in his first NFL contest last year after going undrafted in 2019, but Los Angeles believes he can be a strong secondary option on the interior. Backing up starting center Corey Linsley is expected to be veteran Will Clapp. Clapp started three games in place of Linsley last season and seemingly has done enough to lock up the backup center job.
- The final roster battle to watch in camp is at wide receiver, according to Popper. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Joshua Palmer, and rookie Quentin Johnston are no brainers to make the final roster. Fellow TCU rookie Derius Davis has a really good chance to make the team due to his return abilities. Popper believes that the team could take one more wideout. Jalen Guyton‘s deep-threat ability and size could make a strong case for the job, but he’s coming back from a torn ACL, which could factor into the decision. His main competition is likely Keelan Doss. Doss got regular work this spring with the first-team offense while Williams and Palmer were absent. He made enough noise in OTAs and minicamp that he has a strong chance of pushing Guyton for a final roster spot.
Trade Candidate: Patrick Queen
The expectations have been high for Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen ever since he heard his name announced from the Bronxville home of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. In 2019, the Ravens felt the significant loss of four-time second-team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowler C.J. Mosley as they trotted out Patrick Onwuasor, Josh Bynes, and L.J. Fort in starting positions. With Queen failing to quite fill the shoes left by Mosley and the legends before him (Daryl Smith, Ray Lewis), he may find himself on the trade block heading into the 2023 season. 
For three years, Queen was part of a stout LSU defense. He didn’t find much playing time in his first two seasons with the Tigers, playing behind future Pro Bowler Devin White. In his junior season, though, Queen finally found significant time on the field, starting 11 of 15 games in the team’s National Championship season and winning defensive MVP honors for the season finale win over Clemson. Despite only having started 16 of 41 career games, Queen opted to forgo his senior year at LSU and enter the 2020 NFL Draft.
Queen ended up as the fourth inside linebacker drafted in the first round that year, but at this point in time, he may be the most successful of the four. All four first-round picks from that year had their fifth-year options declined, and while Jordyn Brooks has had some highly productive seasons in Seattle, the back half of Queen’s 2022 season may be the best linebacker play we’ve seen out of that draft class so far.
Queen hit the ground running in Baltimore, starting every game of his NFL career so far. In his first two seasons of NFL play, Queen put up the numbers that a starting inside linebacker should. Over his first 33 games, he collected 204 total tackles, five sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, three force fumbles, three fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown), three passes defensed, and an interception.
Despite lighting up all the different areas of the stat sheet, analytics failed to see the hype of Queen as a top linebacker. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the young linebacker ranked 82nd out of 83 ranked players at his position in his rookie year and 71st of 86 in his sophomore season.
Queen had a bit of a breakout year in 2022. He posted career-highs in total tackles (117), sacks (5.0), quarterback hits (14), passes defensed (6), and interceptions (2). Analytically, he also slotted in at PFF’s 31st best linebacker, a significant improvement over previous years. It wasn’t just the increased experience or finally adjusting to the speed of the game at the NFL level that led to this breakout. The midseason acquisition of first-team All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith paid huge dividends towards Queen’s improvement.
Smith’s addition affected Queen’s situation in more ways than just on-the-field improvement. At the conclusion of the season, a big money extension to Smith, the newcomer in Baltimore, made it clear where the Ravens’ priorities lie at linebacker. While they were surely happy to see the improvement from Queen throughout his third season in the league, Queen hadn’t quite shown enough in his first three years to warrant a fifth-year option pickup, and in the meantime, the Ravens were getting cozy long-term with Smith.
Early reports indicated that Queen could find himself on the trade block leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. When nothing came of those rumors, it was reported that Baltimore had hopes of extending Queen. While that’s a nice sentiment, it’s not common to see two off-ball linebackers on the same team get paid big money. With Smith’s new contract averaging $20MM per year, paying Queen top dollar is just not feasible.
Queen himself spoke on the situation and claimed that he hopes to remain with the team for an extended period. In order to do that, though, Queen likely will have to take less money than he’s probably looking for in his second NFL contract. In an ideal world, Queen’s second contract could approach $8MM to $9MM per year. But with the Ravens recent deals, I think Queen would be lucky to get around $7MM. The Ravens may be able to offer something around a three-year, $20MM deal or a four-year, $25MM extension, but is that a deal Queen would consider?
Likely, Queen would see the vast improvement he made in Year 3 and opt to bet on himself in a contract year. He may see that he’s pricing his way out of Baltimore like many Ravens defenders before him. If that’s the case, the Ravens, seeing the writing on the wall that they may be losing Queen regardless, may decide that they want to get something in return for Queen as opposed to nothing.
If the two sides can’t reach common ground in extension negotiations, Baltimore may opt to trade their former first-round pick away for draft compensation. The move would also clear approximately $2.27MM of cap space, according to OvertheCap.com. It’s not the ideal scenario for either side, but both sides are going to feel they have leverage in this negotiation. Queen, having just completed the best season of his career, will want to get paid for his best football. The Ravens, on the other hand, secured one of the league’s best linebackers to a five-year deal and drafted Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson in the third round of this year’s draft. Obviously, Simpson is an unproven commodity, but if he can slot in successfully next to Smith, Queen may become superfluous.
So, that’s the situation. Queen and the Ravens both appear interested in a long-term relationship that keeps Queen alongside Smith in Baltimore. The Ravens, likely anticipating the desires of their top 2020 draft pick, have bolstered themselves with Smith and Simpson. If Queen decides to draw a line on his worth that the Ravens can’t reach, the team may be ready to move on from the ascending, young player and seek compensation for what they will eventually lose for nothing.