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Latest On DL Prospects Jordan Davis, Logan Hall

April 21st, 2022 at 1:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

Quarterbacks have remained central to the storylines leading up to this year’s draft, but the class is dominated by its defensive talent. Two of the top prospects with regard to defensive linemen are Georgia’s Jordan Davis and Houston’s Logan Hall. 

As noted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), Davis has had pre-draft visits with a number of teams. Included among those are the Ravens and Eagles, two clubs which could very well find themselves within range of drafting him. Baltimore is set to pick 14th, while Philadelphia owns selections No. 15 and 19.

The Ravens reunited with Michael Pierce this offseason, signing him to occupy the nose tackle position. His addition points to the departure of Brandon Williams, leaving room for at least depth in that role. The Eagles, meanwhile, released, then re-signed Fletcher Cox, an anchor on the team’s defensive line throughout his career. He only inked a one-year deal, though, so the position should be a point of emphasis in the draft.

Davis was a mainstay on the Bulldogs’ defense during his four seasons with Georgia. Playing in a run-stopping role, the six-foot-six, 340 pounder totalled seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Those numbers, along with eye-popping athletic testing at the combine, leave the door open to his development as a three-down player.

While Davis – who finished top-10 in Heisman voting last season – is viewed as a first-round lock, Hall may join him on Day 1. Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network recently reported that the list of teams to have met with him includes the Giants, Cowboys, Texans, Buccaneers, Bears and Titans (Twitter link). His draft ranking places him in a range from late in the first round to early in the second, so the interest from those teams comes as no surprise.

In four years with the Cougars, Hall put up almost identical numbers to Davis. His potential versatility in terms of where he can line up on the field (at 260 pounds, many view him as a defensive end at the NFL level), and overall pre-draft process have helped his stock. He could find himself at the top of the second tier of d-linemen, behind Davis and Devonte Wyatt.

These two have certainly generated plenty of interest, making their ultimate destination next week one of the many things to keep an eye on at the draft.

Contract Details: Gilmore, Cooks, Nelson, Smith, Bynes, Watkins

April 20th, 2022 at 8:54pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on deals recently signed around the NFL:

  • Stephon Gilmore, CB (Colts): Two-year, $20MM. The deal includes $10.51MM guaranteed at signing and $14MM in overall guarantees. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Gilmore’s Year 1 payout will total $10.02MM.
  • Brandin Cooks, WR (Texans): Two-year, $39.76MM. The deal includes $36MM guaranteed at signing consisting of the $16MM signing bonus (applied over three years) and the first two years of base salary ($2MM in 2022 and $18MM in 2023), according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Cooks will have a per game active bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000 and will receive a roster bonus in 2024 of $3MM.
  • Steven Nelson, CB (Texans): Two-year, $9MM. The deal is worth up to $10MM, according to Wilson. It includes $4.5MM guaranteed at signing consisting of a $2MM signing bonus, the 2022 base salary of $1.75MM, and $750,000 of the 2023 base salary. Nelson will have a 2022 per game active bonus of $44,117 for a potential season total of $750,000 and a 2023 per game active bonus of $58,832 for a potential season total of $1MM. The deal includes an unspecified incentive worth $250,000 for the 2022 season.
  • Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks): One-year, $3.5MM. The deal is worth up to $7MM, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, with up to $3.5MM worth of incentives likely triggerable if he wins the starting job. The deal includes a guaranteed amount of $500,000.
  • Josh Bynes, LB (Ravens): One-year, $1.27MM. According to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, the deal includes $600,000 of guaranteed money consisting of the signing bonus worth $152,500 and $447,500 of the base salary (worth $1.12MM total).
  • Sammy Watkins, WR (Packers): One-year, $1.85MM. The deal includes a signing bonus of $350,000 and is worth up to $4MM, according to USA Today’s Ryan Wood, with incentives for playtime, catches, yards, and touchdowns. Watkins can earn an extra $150,000, $350,000, or $525,000 if he plays a snap count percentage of 55%, 60%, or 65%, respectively. He can earn an extra $150,000, $350,000, or $525,000 if he records a receptions total of 50, 60, or 70 catches, respectively. He can earn an extra $150,000, $350,000, or $525,000 if he has yardage totals of 550, 650, or 700, respectively. Lastly, Watkins can earn an extra $150,000, $350,000, or $575,000 if he catches 7, 8, or 9 touchdowns, respectively.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 4/18/22

April 18th, 2022 at 7:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Here’s a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Signed:

ERFAs

Signed:

Ravens Waive WR Miles Boykin

April 18th, 2022 at 3:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Miles Boykin popped up in trade rumors just ahead of free agency, but the Ravens were not able to deal him. As they start their offseason program, the Ravens waived the former third-round pick.

This comes after Boykin tumbled down Baltimore’s depth chart, catching just one pass in eight games last season. This move will save the Ravens just more than $2.5MM in cap space.

A hamstring issue led to Boykin beginning last season on IR, but the Ravens had used another first-round pick on a wide receiver (Rashod Bateman) last year and had signed Sammy Watkins to play alongside Marquise Brown. After starting 24 games over his first two seasons, Boykin was relegated to backup duty during the games in which he was active. Boykin totaled 32 receptions for 464 yards and seven touchdowns from 2019-20, but he entered the Ravens’ 2021 training camp on their roster bubble.

The Ravens let the injury-prone Watkins walk in free agency and did not replace him with a veteran. Baltimore’s run-centric offense led to some big-name receivers turning down offers last year, but the team does return Brown, Bateman and 2020 third-rounder Devin Duvernay, an All-Pro return man who moved past Boykin on the depth chart last year.

John Harbaugh Addresses Lamar Jackson’s Slow Pace Toward Extension

April 12th, 2022 at 5:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens continue to put word out Lamar Jackson is not pursuing an extension. John Harbaugh said Tuesday no talks have occurred between the former MVP and the team since shortly after the season ended.

A recent report indicated Jackson was not planning to discuss a new deal until after the 2022 season wraps, and owner Steve Bisciotti‘s first comments about the state of the team in years centered on Jackson. Bisciotti broached the subject of a two-franchise tag future. That still seems too early to predict, and Jackson reiterated his happiness in Baltimore. But the team is ready to do a deal; its quarterback is not.

“We had a serious conversation at the end of the season with Lamar and [GM] Eric [DeCosta] and myself,” Harbaugh said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show (via Pro Football Talk). “And he made it pretty clear where he was at with it and what he wanted to do this offseason, and that was really the last formal one we had.

“When he’s ready to do it, it’s going to become a priority for him, then we’re gonna know it, you know? It doesn’t have to be a priority for us right now. It’s got to be a priority for both sides. We can do something, or we can wait. Because we know it’s gonna get done when it’s supposed to get done.”

The three-time Pro Bowler is attached to a $23MM fifth-year option salary. An extension would help the Ravens by bringing that number down. Should this process progress to a franchise tag in 2023, that cap figure would become an issue for the team.

Jackson’s patience looks to be more of a gamble than Kirk Cousins‘ or Dak Prescott‘s, considering his unprecedented carry pace. Jackson’s 615 carries through four seasons are 148 more than any other quarterback in NFL history compiled to that point, with Cam Newton in second. Newton’s short prime could serve as a warning here, as it would seemingly behoove Jackson to cash in early. Of course, it is not known how far the Ravens are prepared to go financially. As of November, they were not ready to give Jackson a deal matching Patrick Mahomes‘ $45MM-per-year accord. The Deshaun Watson contract — averaging $46MM annually and coming fully guaranteed — may well have changed the game for star quarterbacks, complicating potential Ravens-Jackson talks.

Harbaugh has said several times Jackson would get paid. His first such comments on the matter came shortly after the 2020 season ended, when the longtime Baltimore HC expected a deal to be finalized either during the 2021 or ’22 offseasons. Jackson’s approach has clearly surprised the Ravens, as their owner, GM and head coach have confirmed he is not pursuing a new deal.

“I do believe Lamar when he tells me that, man, he just wants to be the best quarterback he can be, and that’s what he’s thinking about right now,” Harbaugh said. “He doesn’t think he has to think about his contract. He feels like he’s got time to do it. Yeah, you could argue that one way or the other. But everybody gets to make that decision for themselves. That’s a great thing. That’s his choice, not somebody else’s.”

If Jackson’s patience does pay off and he retains his elite value by the time he is ready to negotiate, the self-represented passer will do incredibly well for himself. But this saga does not appear set to conclude soon. This reaching the two-tag path represents the best bet as of now, OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald posited recently (via The Athletic). That would mean Jackson putting extension talks off until at least 2025. It would easily be one of the boldest plays in NFL contract history.

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta on DL, OLB Needs: “We’re Not Done Yet”

April 10th, 2022 at 12:39pm CST by Rory Parks

The Ravens thought they had brought pass rusher Za’Darius Smith back into the fold in March, only to see him back out of his deal and then sign with the Vikings. Baltimore also made a strong offer for linebacker Bobby Wagner, who chose to sign with the Rams instead.

While the team mitigated those disappointments to some degree by agreeing to terms with Calais Campbell and Josh Bynes this week, GM Eric DeCosta is not kidding himself about the team’s front seven. In discussing his OLB and DL needs, DeCosta said, “we’re not done yet” (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).

DeCosta made that comment prior to the Campbell signing, which gives him a defensive front comprised of Michael Pierce, Derek Wolfe, and Campbell, a group that features age and injury concerns. 2020 draftees Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington offer more youthful support, but Madubuike did not take the step forward last season that many expected, and Pro Football Focus’ metrics did not think highly of either player. As such, even after re-upping Campbell, another DL might be in the cards. Longtime Raven Brandon Williams is still a free agent, and the team recently met with Eddie Goldman, a six-year starter for the Bears.

At this point, the pass rush is a bigger concern. 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh showed promise in his rookie campaign, but aside from him and Tyus Bowser — who is more of a jack-of-all-trades player than a true pass rusher — the cupboard is largely bare. Smith would have represented an ideal bookend to Oweh, and now the FA market includes players like Justin Houston (who played reasonably well in his first Ravens season last year), Jadeveon Clowney, Trey Flowers, Carlos Dunlap, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Jerry Hughes. Not all of those players are perfect scheme fits for Baltimore, and they all come with age, injury, and/or injury issues.

The Ravens could still elect to sign a member of that group, and the club is always on the lookout for cap casualties from other organizations. DeCosta has also shown a willingness to be aggressive on the trade market. Before making any move for a veteran player, however, Baltimore may first see what materializes in the draft. The team is interested in Oregon edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux, who could fall to the team’s No. 14 overall selection, and it will be interesting to see if DeCosta prioritizes his potential need for an offensive tackle over his need for a pass rusher.

Ravens Unsure About Ronnie Stanley’s Recovery

April 9th, 2022 at 6:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Much of the Ravens’ offense is already in place before this month’s draft, but offensive tackle remains an area of concern. When speaking to the media earlier this week, general manager Eric DeCosta addressed the biggest question mark surrounding the health of blindside blocker Ronnie Stanley. 

“We’re not sure how Ronnie is going to rebound“, DeCosta said (Twitter link via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). He was quick to add, however, that the team remains “optimistic” Stanley will be able to return to his previous All-Pro form. The 28-year-old expressed a similar sentiment when it was announced he would undergo a second consecutive season-ending ankle surgery.

“This is the best decision not only for my health, but also for the team long term.” he said in October. “I look forward to supporting my team from the sideline this season and coming back fully healthy in 2022.”

Baltimore’s sixth-overall pick in 2016, Stanley has been the team’s starting left tackle since his rookie campaign. He has improved throughout his tenure, though he has yet to play a full season. The Ravens turned to veteran Alejandro Villanueva at left tackle in 2021, but he retired at the end of the year. The team re-signed Patrick Mekari (who has primarily spent time at center and right tackle) and added Morgan Moses this offseason. Those two, along with Ja’Wuan James – around whom there are also health-related questions – and Stanley comprise the Ravens’ options at either tackle spot.

Given the current state of the depth chart at the position, DeCosta has made it clear Baltimore is eyeing depth in the draft. The earliest they could add a rookie might be with the 14th overall pick, though the Ravens currently own nine other selections. Even is Stanley is on track to return in time for the 2022 season, then, the team is likely to have more options behind him in case he isn’t able to.

Browns, Chiefs, Colts Pursued DL Calais Campbell

April 9th, 2022 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Calais Campbell will play his age-36 season in 2022, the Ravens needed to fend off a few suitors to re-sign the accomplished defensive lineman.

The Browns, Chiefs and Colts showed interest in Campbell, according to USA Today’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). Campbell elected to re-sign with the Ravens on a two-year deal that guarantees $6MM and could pay up to $16.5MM.

A six-time Pro Bowler, Campbell has thrived with three teams and in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes. The trio of clubs pursuing Campbell use 4-3 alignments, though that distinction matters less in the sub-package-ruled modern game, but each team joins the Ravens as contenders in what has become a deep AFC.

Kansas City certainly has a need for pass-rushing help. Frank Clark has largely not delivered on the monster extension the Chiefs gave him and faces a suspension. The team lost interior pass rusher Jarran Reed in free agency and has yet to re-sign Melvin Ingram. The Chiefs’ 31 sacks last season ranked 29th. Cleveland has yet to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney and has needs at defensive tackle as well, with Malik Jackson hitting free agency and Malik McDowell nontendered as an RFA following an offseason arrest. The Colts added two-time Campbell teammate Yannick Ngakoue via trade and feature highly drafted youngsters Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo alongside DeForest Buckner up front.

The Ravens expressed interest in D-linemen this offseason, and Campbell fills a short-term need. Interior linemen Brandon Williams is a free agent, joining edge rusher Justin Houston. Both are going into their age-33 seasons. Derek Wolfe is considering retirement after injuries kept him off the field last year. Baltimore did bring back nose tackle Michael Pierce, whom the Vikings released last month. The team’s deal with Za’Darius Smith fell through at the 11th hour, with the Vikings eventually adding the Pro Bowl edge.

Ravens Re-Sign Calais Campbell

April 9th, 2022 at 8:24am CST by Ben Levine

Calais Campbell is returning to Baltimore. The Pro Bowl pass rusher is re-signing with the Ravens, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal for Campbell, and the defender is now expected to finish his career in Baltimore. Per Josina Anderson on Twitter, the deal has a max value of $16.5MM, and the deal contains $6MM in guaranteed money (Twitter link).

While Campbell left the door open to retire following the 2021 campaign, he later confirmed that he wanted to stick around for at least another season. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta later admitted that he was trying to convince Campbell to re-sign with the Ravens, and it sounds like the organization ultimately got their way.

“It just felt like the right move,” Campbell told Anderson (via Twitter). “I feel like we started something special and we have unfinished business there.”

A former Cardinals second-round pick, Campbell has excelled for three different franchises. He already rewarded the Jaguars as a 30-something free agent, spearheading the team’s “Sacksonville” D-line to the Super Bowl precipice in 2017. After three Pro Bowl seasons in Jacksonville, Campbell landed in Baltimore via trade in 2020.

In his two seasons with Baltimore, Campbell has started 26 of his 27 games while collecting 5.5 sacks. The 35-year-old delivered another strong season in 2021, helping a Ravens team that had to play without Derek Wolfe‘s for the entire year. Campbell ultimately finished the season with 49 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 12 QB hits.

A six-time Pro Bowler, former All-Pro, Walter Payton Man of the Year winner, 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, and a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team, Campbell is also in search of his 100th career sack. He currently sits at 93.5, although he has transitioned more and more into a run-stopper than a pass rusher in recent years.

Bears To Sign CB Tavon Young

April 8th, 2022 at 6:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears are making another addition to their secondary. According to Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, the team is signing slot cornerback Tavon Young to a one-year, $1.365MM deal (Twitter link). 

[RELATED: Bears Sign DB Cruikshank]

Young, 28, had been with the Ravens since they drafted him in 2016. During his time there, he established himself as effective member of the team’s secondary. While his tenure overlapped with Pro Bowlers such as Eric Weddle, Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters, he carved out a role for himself as the slot corner.

Young’s play earned him a three-year extension in 2019. Valued at just under $26MM, the deal made him the highest-paid slot CB in the league. In the two seasons immediately following that signing, however, he played in only two games; the 2019 campaign was the second in his relatively brief career (the other being 2017) that he missed in its entirety, primarily due to knee injuries.

The former fourth rounder was able to return to full health, as he played all 17 games in the 2021 season. During his four campaigns in Baltimore, he totalled 127 tackles, four interceptions and four sacks. That tenure came to an end last month, though, as he was cut in a cost-saving move.

Young should be able to step in to the starting slot role in Chicago, where, if he can stay healthy, he will likely provide solid value relative to the modest contract. Without many experienced options behind the aforementioned Humphrey and Peters, the Ravens are expected to turn to the draft for Young’s replacement, or at least depth at the position.

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