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Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Ravens’ Matt Judon Seeking $20MM/Year?

January 26th, 2021 at 5:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2020 Ravens became the unusual team to roster two franchise-tagged pass rushers, in tagging Matt Judon and trading for Yannick Ngakoue. A year after both edge defenders’ rookie deals expired, each is again on the verge of free agency.

Baltimore attempted to extend Judon last year and will likely do so again, given its dearth of pass rushers signed long-term. But the five-year veteran has aimed for a $20MM-per-year deal, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com notes. The Ravens are projected to be under even a $176MM cap — which may not be the new salary ceiling, with recent reports indicating the upcoming cap freefall will not be as dire as initially feared — but they have a Lamar Jackson extension to discuss and are interested in extending Mark Andrews. The latter will be in a contract year soon.

Although Judon made the Pro Bowl this season, he finished with six sacks and 21 QB hits — down from 9.5 and 33, respectively, in 2019. That said, Ngakoue registered just three sacks and three QB hits in nine Ravens games and played only 20 defensive snaps in the team’s divisional-round loss. Judon does not have a 10-sack season on his resume, however, and could well be heading into free agency at a bad time.

There are currently five edge players earning $20MM-AAV deals. Judon has no chance of venturing into Joey Bosa–Myles Garrett territory (north of $25MM per year), and even a deal in the Frank Clark–DeMarcus Lawrence $21MM-AAV neighborhood might be a stretch considering the circumstances. Teams opted to tag some of the top rushers on the 2020 market, so Judon will join Shaquil Barrett and Bud Dupree again soon.

With a 2021 franchise tag costing 120% of Judon’s $16.8MM salary, the Ravens are unlikely to go there — especially with a cap reduction expected. But the team again has next to nothing at this position long-term, with Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee due for free agency as well, and Judon expressed interest last summer in staying with the Ravens. Although the Ravens have let a few pass rushers land big-ticket deals elsewhere in recent years, they will need an edge plan soon.

Earl Thomas, Ravens Continue Battle

January 26th, 2021 at 9:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens released Earl Thomas before the start of the 2020 season. As they look ahead to the 2021 slate, the safety’s grievance case remains unresolved, as Daniel Oyefusi of The Baltimore Sun writes.

[RELATED: Ravens Hope To Re-Up Mark Andrews]

“That’s ongoing,” said Ravens GM Eric DeCosta. “There are some different moving parts. So, I’ll sort of answer that question like that, and just say that it’s ongoing...There are always a lot of different things, and there are all these different elements to an offseason,” DeCosta said. “We don’t even know what the salary cap is going to be yet. It’s hard to build a football team without a salary cap — not knowing what the salary cap is going to be. So, the Earl Thomas situation is just one part of that.”

Thomas was due a guaranteed $10MM in base salary this season before his release. However, the Ravens cited “personal conduct” that “adversely affected” the team to try and void the commitment. While things are in limbo, the Ravens are carrying a $4MM charge on the 2021 books. If Thomas wins, the remaining $6MM will be tacked on.

As DeCosta suggested, that’d be a significant strike against their flexibility given the league’s salary cap uncertainty. Thomas, meanwhile, is free to sign with any team, though he was out of football last year.

Ravens Won’t Re-Sign LS Morgan Cox

January 25th, 2021 at 8:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Following 11 years with the organization, it sounds like Morgan Cox won’t be a member of the Ravens next season. General manager Eric DeCosta informed the impending free agent that the organization won’t be extending him an offer, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.

“Obviously, I’m certainly disappointed that I won’t be back with the Ravens next year,” Cox said. “Regardless of the other stuff, the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro stuff, I just felt like I had been playing really well and I’ve been healthy. Contract-wise, we hadn’t gotten to that point yet. I felt pretty good about it, but you know, just disappointment in the near term obviously. At the same time I really fought those feelings.

“I take a lot of pride in what we’ve accomplished there. All of that to say, rather than be frustrated or disappointed on this end, which would be easy to fall into, I’m really just thankful that it happened. I am sad that it’s over, but I’m also eternally happy that it happened.”

Cox joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2010, and he proceeded to spend the next decade-plus with the organization. During his stint in Baltimore, Cox earned four Pro Bowl nods, All-Pro recognition (during the position’s first year of eligibility in 2020), and a Super Bowl ring. He’s played the seventh-most games in franchise history.

As Zrebiec notes, Cox helped form one of the best long snapper/kicker/punter trios in the NFL. The Cox/Sam Koch/Justin Tucker grouping has been together for nine seasons, with Tucker previously referring to his teammate as the “best long snapper in the NFL.” Next season, the Ravens are expected to roll with Nick Moore, a 2019 undrafted free agent out of Georgia.

Coaching Notes: Chargers, Steelers, Ravens, Taylor, Marrone

January 25th, 2021 at 7:41pm CST by Ben Levine

After adding Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator and Renaldo Hill as defensive coordinator, Brandon Staley has found the coach who will lead his special teams unit. The Chargers announced this evening that they’ve hired Derius Swinton as their special teams coordinator.

The 35-year-old has made his way up the coaching ranks over the past decade-plus, spending time with the Rams, Chiefs, Broncos, Bears, 49ers, Lions, and Cardinals. He served as San Francisco’s special teams coordinator in 2016, and he helped the 49ers improve their kickoff return average by nearly six yards that season.

We’ve already heard of some other additions to the Chargers’ coaching staff. The team added Joe Barry as their defensive passing game coordinator, and they’ve hired Frank Smith to be their new offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

Let’s check out some more coaching notes…

  • Today, the Steelers officially announced the promotion of Matt Canada to offensive coordinator. Canada served as quarterbacks coach during the 2020 season, and Ben Roethlisberger finished with one of the lowest interception rates (1.6) and sack totals (13) of his career. As Teresa Varley of Steelers.com points out, Canada helped implement jet sweeps and pre-snap motions to the Steelers’ offense.
  • The Ravens have added D’Anton Lynn as their new defensive backs coach, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley (via Twitter). The 31-year-old previously spent time on the Jets, Bills, Chargers, and Texans coaching staff, and he earned a promotion to Houston’s defensive backs coach for the 2020 campaign.
  • Press Taylor won’t be back in Philly next season. Mike Kaye of NJ.com reports (via Twitter) that the Eagles won’t be retaining their quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator. The 33-year-old had been with the organization since the 2013 season, and after serving as QBs coach in 2018 and 2019, he took on the additional role of passing game coordinator in 2020. The Eagles passing game was dreadful this past season, ranking either 31st or 32nd in the NFL in passer rating, completion percentage, yards per attempt, and interceptions.
  • Doug Marrone is joining the Alabama coaching staff as offensive line coach, per a team announcement. Marrone, of course, spent the past four seasons as the Jaguars head coach, including a 2017 campaign that saw him make the AFC Championship. The 56-year-old has plenty of familiarity with new Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, as the two coaches worked alongside each other during their stints with Georgia Tech back in the 1990s.

Ravens Hope To Re-Up Mark Andrews

January 25th, 2021 at 10:20am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens aren’t just focused on a new deal for Lamar Jackson. The Ravens also hope to extend Mark Andrews‘ contract this offseason, GM Eric DeCosta says (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). 

“Mark Andrews, in my opinion, is one of the best TEs in the NFL. We’d be foolish to not try and keep him,” DeCosta said. “Those discussions will start up at some point.”

Andrews, 25, turned in a solid encore to his 2019 Pro Bowl season. In 2020, he reeled in 58 grabs for 701 yards and seven touchdowns. Over the course of three pro years, he’s got 156 catches, 2,105 yards, and 20 TDs to his credit. As one of the Ravens’ 2018 third-round picks, he’ll be extension eligible for the first time. The same goes for fellow ’18 third-rounder Orlando Brown, though DeCosta acknowledged that the tackle might not get a re-up due to their cap situation.

Morgan Cox, who has served as the Ravens’ long snapper for eleven years, will also be a victim of the numbers crunch. The four-time Pro Bowler tells Zrebiec that he will not be re-signed after his contract lapses in March.

“Obviously, I’m certainly disappointed that I won’t be back with the Ravens next year,” Cox said. “I take a lot of pride in what we’ve accomplished there. All of that to say, rather than be frustrated or disappointed on this end, which would be easy to fall into, I’m really just thankful that it happened. I am sad that it’s over, but I’m also eternally happy that it happened.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/23/21

January 23rd, 2021 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest NFL minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed to reserve/futures deal: WR Deon Cain

Buffalo Bills

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Ravens Hire Anthony Weaver

January 22nd, 2021 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

After spending the 2020 season as the Texans’ defensive coordinator, Anthony Weaver will migrate to a familiar location. Nineteen years after drafting Weaver in the second round, the Ravens hired him as their defensive line coach and run-game coordinator.

Weaver spent the past five seasons with Houston, serving first as the Texans’ D-line coach before a 2020 promotion to succeed Romeo Crennel as DC. The 40-year-old assistant received interest elsewhere but is now on Baltimore’s staff, joining Rob Ryan among former coordinators set to work under Don Martindale next season.

The Jaguars interviewed Weaver for their D-coordinator position, but the Urban Meyer-led team’s decision to hire Joe Cullen ended up helping Weaver land another job. Cullen served as Baltimore’s D-line coach for the past five seasons.

Weaver’s Texans defense did not fare well this past season, ranking 30th in DVOA. The former NFL D-linemen, however, has been an NFL assistant since 2012 and has a history with the Ravens. He operated as a starter for four seasons in Baltimore, from 2002-05, before signing with the Texans. It will be the Ravens who provide him an opportunity to bounce back.

“As a former Ravens draft pick who made significant contributions while playing here, he understands the culture of our organization and the standard to which Baltimore defense is held,” John Harbaugh said of Weaver.

Ravens Add Rob Ryan To Staff

January 22nd, 2021 at 5:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rob Ryan will be back in the NFL next season. The Ravens hired the former defensive coordinator as their inside linebackers coach.

Ryan sat out another season in 2020, doing so after a one-year stay as Washington’s inside linebackers coach in 2019. The 58-year-old assistant has been a one-and-done in each of his past two roles, leaving Buffalo after Rex Ryan was fired in 2016.

The Ravens will be the ninth team to employ Ryan as an assistant. Beginning his career as a Cardinals DBs coach under father Buddy Ryan in the mid-1990s, Rob served as defensive coordinator for four teams — the Browns, Raiders, Cowboys and Saints — from 2004-15. The Saints fired him after their defense set an NFL record for touchdown passes allowed in 2015.

Jay Gruden‘s firing in Washington led Ryan out of the league again after the 2019 slate. But the brash staffer will now oversee Patrick Queen‘s development under DC Don Martindale. John Harbaugh saw linebackers coach Mike Macdonald defect to Jim Harbaugh‘s Michigan staff, leaving an opening in Baltimore. The Ravens, who had Rex Ryan on staff for 10 seasons — including during John Harbaugh’s 2008 debut — will fill that position with a high-profile candidate.

Jaguars Hire Joe Cullen As DC

January 21st, 2021 at 1:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars have hired Ravens defensive line coach Joe Cullen as their new defensive coordinator, according to ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley and Dan Graziano (on Twitter). Cullen, who once served as Jacksonville’s DL coach, was Urban Meyer‘s No. 1 choice for the DC vacancy.

[RELATED: Jaguars Hire Trent Baalke As GM]

Cullen comes from the Wink Martindale coaching tree with experience spanning the league. Previous stops for Cullen also included the Buccaneers, Browns, and Lions. He also donned the headset for Indiana and Richmond at the college level.

The Jaguars’ new-look regime is coming together quickly. On Thursday morning, they officially hired ex-49ers czar Trent Baalke as their general manager. Now, they’ve got Cullen to manage Meyer’s defense. Scott Linehan and Raheem Morris were also considered for DC, though Morris has since accepted the same role with the Rams.

The Ravens, meanwhile, will have to fill multiple spots on their defensive staff. In addition to Cullen, they need replacements for linebackers coach Mike Macdonald and defensive backs coach Jesse Minter who left for UMich and Vanderbilt, respectively.

Ravens Lose LBs Coach To Michigan

January 20th, 2021 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Jim Harbaugh will poach one of his brother’s assistants. Ravens linebackers coach Mike MacDonald will become Michigan’s co-defensive coordinator, with Yahoo.com’s Pete Thamel reporting former Cowboys defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist will move to Ann Arbor, Mich., to share in that responsibility (Twitter link). Macdonald, 33, was with the Ravens for seven seasons — the past three as linebackers coach. Linguist has spent much of his career in the college ranks but was on Nolan’s staff in Dallas this season.
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