Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Trade Candidate: Patrick Queen

July 2nd, 2023 at 7:10pm CST by Ely Allen

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.

Latest On Ravens’ RB Situation

June 30th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens’ offense has produced a top-three rushing attack in each of the past five seasons. This certainly doesn’t mean that the team had have its fair share of issues at running back, namely injuries.

Dating back to 2018, when a rookie, Gus Edwards, was forced to start in place of an injured Alex Collins, nearly every back on the roster, from Edwards to Mark Ingram to Justice Hill to J.K. Dobbins has missed time due to injury. Will that affect the way they fill their roster this season? Not exactly, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.

In the past, the serious nature of some of these injuries have forced Baltimore to invest in inexpensive veterans with starting experience like Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, and Le’Veon Bell. Veterans with starting experience are available in bulk this year with Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt, Ezekiel Elliott, and Leonard Fournette all available on the free agent market. None of those options are necessarily cheap, but according to Zrebiec, the Ravens aren’t looking for an option that would take snaps away from their top tandem, anyway.

The Ravens are extremely confident in their one-two punch of Dobbins and Edwards. The two are impressive, each with starting ability in their own right while providing different attacking styles and running traits. When both are healthy in the backfield behind quarterback Lamar Jackson, it’s easy to predict yet another strong rushing performance in Baltimore.

The injuries have held the duo back in recent years, though. Dobbins has missed 26 games in the past two years, including the entire 2021 season. Edwards missed 25 games in the same time period after also missing the entire 2021 season. The fact that the Ravens aren’t looking for anyone to take significant carries in free agency, though, bodes well for their prognoses for 2023.

The team isn’t looking for potential starters in case of injury, but they are looking for camp bodies who can keep Dobbins and Edwards off their feet throughout the preseason. Currently on the roster, Baltimore is home to the veteran backup Hill and undrafted rookies Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright. The Ravens re-signed Hill back in March to a two-year, $4.51MM deal, and while his special teams prowess should guarantee him a roster, he’s never contributed significantly on offense. Mitchell and Wright, on the other hand, are great camp bodies, but unless one of them breaks out this preseason, neither is likely to make the initial 53-man roster.

So, what is Baltimore looking for in a free agent addition? The Ravens could really use another camp body or two that can serve as injury insurance throughout the season, as well. Zrebiec suggests a strong option in former-Raven Kenyan Drake. The veteran running back spent his seventh season in the league in Baltimore last year and ended up leading the position room in carries, trailing only Jackson for the team lead. Drake provided some solid depth to a team gingerly returning from significant injuries to its top three running backs and would likely be an affordable option to bring back in for the 2023 season.

Drake would already be familiar enough with the team, despite a new offensive coordinator in Baltimore, but J.D. McKissic and Marlon Mack provide similar potential as roster additions. James Robinson provides a younger option after his recent release from the Patriots. All three have shown flashes of starter potential but don’t necessitate a contract befitting a starter. Adding one or two of these backs could provide the Ravens with a little insurance heading into the season with a hopefully healthy tandem for the first time since 2020.

Latest On Ravens, OLB Justin Houston

June 30th, 2023 at 2:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cornerback would represent a logical position for the Ravens to make a late-offseason addition at, but the same could be true with respect to edge rushers. That leaves Justin Houston‘s situation as one to watch.

The 34-year-old has been with the Ravens since 2021, signing a pair of one-year deals each of the past two summers to play for Baltimore. His 2022 pact was worth $3.5MM, a figure which proved to be a bargain for the team considering Houston’s production. The former All-Pro recorded a team-leading 9.5 sacks last season, despite logging a snap share of just 44%.

“The way I feel right now – I’ll be back,” Houston said in January when asked about his intentions heading into free agency. “We’ll see if the chips work out, and I’ll be here. That’s out of my control. We’ll see what they do. [But] I’d like to be back here.”

The former Chief and Colt remains unsigned at this point, but Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes that another new Ravens deal “would surprise no one” (subscription required). Houston has not been linked with any other teams up to now, and Baltimore has little in the way of known commodities in their current edge group. Especially if it were to come on another one-year, low-cost deal, a reunion would make plenty of sense.

The Ravens have veteran Tyus Bowser and 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo set to play considerable pass-rushing roles this season, but each were limited last season as they recovered from Achilles tears. 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh posted five sacks as a rookie, but that figure dropped to three last season as he also saw his playing time get cut slightly. Rookie linebacker Trenton Simpson is likely to see at least some time playing off the edge in the NFL, as was the case in college, but the only true pass rusher the Ravens drafted this year was fourth-rounder Tavius Robinson.

Given the question marks surrounding the team’s other options at the position, it would indeed not come as a shock if Houston were to find himself in Baltimore (a team which currently has $9.9MM in cap space) by the start of training camp. A repeat of last year’s production could help his value heading into free agency in 2024, or allow him to close out his career on a high note.

Latest On CB Kyle Fuller

June 29th, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Kyle Fuller‘s debut season with his hometown Ravens ended after only one game, but there’s a chance the veteran cornerback sticks around Baltimore. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes that Ravens officials “have monitored Fuller’s recovery” from a torn ACL.

Fuller signed a one-year deal with the Ravens last offseason and was immediately tossed into the starting lineup. However, the cornerback tore his ACL during Baltimore’s Week 1 win, ending his season prematurely.

When we last saw Fuller play a full season, he got into 16 games (10 starts) with the Broncos in 2021. The veteran was a trade candidate leading up to that year’s deadline, but he ended up sticking in Denver and finishing with 51 tackles and four passes defended. Pro Football Focus ranked him 111th among 116 qualifying cornerbacks that season.

According to Zrebiec, Fuller remained with the team even after suffering his injury, so he’s already had a chance to familiarize himself with Mike Macdonald’s defense. Pro Football Focus hasn’t graded the veteran as an above-average CB since his All-Pro season in 2018 with the Bears, but Zrebiec notes that Fuller’s ability to play both outside and slot corner could lead to a veteran role in Baltimore for the 2023 campaign.

Marlon Humphrey and Rock Ya-Sin are projected to start on the outside for Baltimore while Brandon Stephens is slated for a start at nickelback. Other than that trio, the Ravens are eyeing a grouping of inexperienced cornerbacks that includes fifth-round rookie Kyu Blu Kelly and 2022 fourth-round picks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion Williams.

Former QB Ryan Mallett Drowns In Florida

June 27th, 2023 at 5:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Former quarterback Ryan Mallett drowned Tuesday in Florida. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, Deltaplex News reports. He was 35.

Mallett was transported from a beach to the hospital. The former Arkansas standout had not played in the NFL since 2017; he had been in coaching, being hired as head coach by White Hall (Arkansas) High School in 2022. Officials with the school district confirmed (via KARK.com’s Ryan Turbeville) Mallett drowned while swimming in Florida.

Previously serving as an assistant high school coach in his native Arkansas, Mallett had been out of the NFL since 2018. The 6-foot-6 passer finished his career as a member of the Ravens, serving as a Joe Flacco backup. Mallett filled in for an injured Flacco twice during the 2015 season, one he began with the Texans, and continued as a backup for two more seasons.

The Patriots used a third-round pick on Mallett in 2011, bringing him in as a backup to Tom Brady. Mallett only attempted four passes as a member of the Patriots, who traded him to the Texans months after drafting Jimmy Garoppolo in the 2014 second round. Mallett served as Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s backup during the 2014 season in Houston, starting two games before seeing his season end early due to a pectoral injury. While the team did not bring back Fitzpatrick, Mallett re-signed on a two-year deal in March 2015.

The Texans pitted Mallett and ex-Patriots teammate Brian Hoyer in a competition for the starting job in 2015, a battle chronicled on that year’s Hard Knocks. After Hoyer won it, the Texans benched him one game in. Mallett started the next four games for the eventual AFC South champion Texans, but the team benched him for Hoyer. Mallett missing a charter flight for an October 2015 game in Miami led to the Texans releasing him soon after.

Mallett finished seventh in the 2010 Heisman voting, throwing 32 touchdown passes and leading Arkansas to a 10-3 record. The former Michigan recruit started two seasons at Arkansas, combining for 62 TD passes and 7,493 yards.

Ravens Notes: Extensions, Hamilton, WRs

June 27th, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens have a number of key players set to play the final year of their contracts in 2023, leaving plenty of decisions to be made in the near future. A mix of younger and veteran contributors could soon find themselves signing new deals.

Defensive linemen Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington are each entering the final season of their rookie deals, but it would come as no surprise if extensions were agreed to with at least one before next year’s free agency period begins. The same holds true in the case of veteran offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler, writes Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (subscription required).

The 33-year-old has been in Baltimore since 2021, and he has been a steady presence at right guard during that span. Zeitler has earned PFF grades in line with much of the rest of his career over the past two seasons, leading to his desire for a new contract ahead of his walk year. Zrebeic notes that Zeitler’s asking price is unknown at this point, but a mutual interest exists to extend the relationship between player and club especially on a short-term deal from the latter’s perspective.

Zrebiec adds that 2020 draftees Patrick Queen, J.K. Dobbins and Devin Duvernay could all be on the Ravens’ radar with respect to new deals, but value will be crucial for the former two in particular with other players likely a more cost-effective priority. Duvernay could find himself holding off on an extension to boost his value in new offensive coordinator Todd Monken‘s system.

Here are some other notes from Charm City:

Safety Kyle Hamilton missed just one game in his rookie season last year, but he dealt with a lingering wrist injury for much of the campaign. As noted in an interview the first-rounder had with Zrebiec, he underwent surgery this offseason to address the issue. Hamilton, 22, now feels fully healed, something which will help him take on a full-time starting role this season. The Notre Dame product totaled 62 stops, a pair of sacks and five pass deflections last year, but the trade of Chuck Clark leaves him in line as a key member of Baltimore’s secondary now and in the future.
The Ravens have invested heavily at the WR spot this offseason, signing Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor and using their top draft pick on Zay Flowers. Laquon Treadwell inked a deal with the Ravens earlier this month, giving him a chance to make the team’s roster during training camp. If he does, the four aforementioned pass-catchers, along with 2021 draftee Rashod Bateman, would combine to give the Ravens five former first-round picks at the receiver spot. No team has had that many Day 1 selections catch a pass in the same season, as noted by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. Plenty of question remarks remain regarding Baltimore’s passing attack – one which has signficant room for improvement in 2023 – but the team could make an interesting piece of history this season depending on how their WR room shakes out in the summer.

Extension Candidates: Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington

June 23rd, 2023 at 9:42pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens have a strong three-man defensive line this year with Justin Madubuike, Michael Pierce, and Broderick Washington. Unfortunately for Baltimore, all three linemen are playing in contract years in 2023. In fact, the only defensive linemen under contract past this season are last year’s third-round pick Travis Jones, undrafted second-year player Rayshad Nichols, who signed a two-year reserve/futures deal, and undrafted rookie Trey Botts out of Colorado State-Pueblo. Unless Baltimore wants to start over from scratch next season with an inexperienced returning group, it will need to look into extending the stays of Madubuike, Pierce, and/or Washington.

Firstly, Pierce is not considered a favorite for a long-term extension. The former undrafted star is currently playing out his fourth NFL contract. The aging veteran is 30 heading into the 2023 season and has only played in 11 games in the past three years, including only three in his return to Baltimore in 2022. The Ravens may extend their old vet a friendly one-year deal to prolong his stay if he can prove healthy this season, but Pierce’s days of long-term contracts are likely in the rearview.

Madubuike and Washington were both drafted in 2020 by the Ravens. Both were Texas-natives with Madubuike coming out of Texas A&M in the third round and Washington coming out of Texas Tech in the fifth. As rookies, the two saw reserve time, filling in for a strong starting lineup that included Derek Wolfe, Calais Campbell, and Brandon Williams. The following year, a season-long injury to Wolfe and the departure of a few depth pieces cracked the door open for more playing time.

Madubuike was the first to step up and earn more defensive snaps. In his sophomore season, he joined the starting lineup for 11 games, even playing more defensive snaps than the veteran Williams. Madubuike improved on all of his rookie numbers, collecting more tackles, sacks, tackles for loss, quarterback hits, and even adding on two batted passes. Washington also found the field more often in his second year, and after not recording anything but two assisted tackles as a rookie, he, too, bettered every statistical category.

Last year saw a bit of a breakout year for both linemen. Madubuike spent the year as a full-time starter for the first time in his career, while Washington joined him for much of the year as the team’s de facto third lineman behind Madubuike and Campbell. Madubuike once again improved his numbers, recording career-highs in total tackles (42), sacks (5.5), tackles for loss (8), quarterback hits (9), and batted passes (3). Washington also notched new career-highs in total tackles (49), quarterback hits (4), and batted passes (6), while matching his previous highs in sacks (1.0) and tackles for loss (2). Washington also had his highest career grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), grading out as the league’s 31st-best interior defender, while Madubuike, despite the more explosive numbers, ranked at 54th.

Now, Madubuike will return to his role as a full-time starter in 2023. If he continues this trend of improving on his output each year, he could follow many former Ravens’ defensive linemen in pricing himself right out of Baltimore, especially as price tags on interior defenders have skyrocketed in recent years. With Ed Oliver‘s recent new deal, 11 defensive tackles are making $17MM per year or more. That’s a lot to ask of a Ravens team that has failed to see consistently strong returns on recent investments in the defensive line. Still, if they’d like to lock down Madubuike long-term, it’d likely be smart to do it before the guy they view as an ascending player does just that and forces them to allow him to test free agency.

Washington, on the other hand, is walking into his first season as a full-time starter. Despite being arguably more effective than Madubuike last season, his lack of starting experience combined with his smaller presence on the stat sheet make Washington much cheaper to extend. Make no mistake, Washington deserves to be paid for his toughness against the run, his disruption of passing lanes, and his ability to eat up space and open the field for his teammates to make plays, but a lineman with only two career sacks isn’t going to be able to demand a record deal.

Madubuike feels like the higher priority, for right now. That’s not to say that Washington isn’t just as important to the team’s future, it’s just that Madubuike seems to hold a much higher penalty if the Ravens fail to secure him before the end of the season. Baltimore could even potentially wait a beat on Washington to see how he performs in his first year as a full-time starter. Unless he sees quite an uptick in statistical output this season, the Ravens may not even face strong competition in bringing Washington back as an unrestricted free agent.

In terms of contract numbers, Madubuike could potentially push up close to the numbers of Oliver. Oliver had been a bit more consistent in his sack and disruption numbers at this point in his career, but if Madubuike continues to develop and improve, his best season could be better than Oliver’s best. If I had to venture a guess, I’d put a Madubuike extension in the range of $14MM-17MM per year for three or four years, perhaps a four-year, $60MM deal. As mentioned above, Washington’s deal should be a bit more reasonable. Again for three or four years, Washington may end up closer to the $7MM-10MM per year range. It wouldn’t be out of the question for him to end up with a four-year, $36MM or three-year, $30MM extension.

The Ravens are certainly in a position where they need to be thinking of their future at defensive line. Jones showed some promise as a rookie but expecting him to shoulder the load of leading the defensive line next year is asking a lot. They can also continue a short-term rental of Pierce, but cementing a future with Madubuike and Washington on the line could spell success and stability for the Ravens defense moving forward.

Poll: Who Will Sign Dalvin Cook?

June 21st, 2023 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Indicating on multiple occasions he plans to take his time during his first go-round in free agency, Dalvin Cook is surveying the field. The six-year Vikings running back is believed to have attracted interest from a few teams, but the market has not produced many known suitors yet.

When determining a Cook destination, it is probably logical to start with the Dolphins. Cook is a Miami native who dropped a bit of a hint about his hopes after the Vikings released him. Mutual interest is believed to exist between these parties, and while the Dolphins are not planning to give Cook a contract on par with the $12.6MM-per-year deal he signed with the Vikes back in 2020, they are expected to make an offer.

Miami adding Cook would crowd its backfield, given the re-signings of ex-Mike McDaniel 49ers charges Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, along with Myles Gaskin (though, Gaskin’s deal contains no guarantees). The team also drafted Texas A&M’s Devon Achane in Round 3. Cook would fit in on a Dolphins team loading up around Tua Tagovailoa‘s rookie contract. Tyreek Hill‘s deal represents the only notable skill-position contract on Miami’s payroll, and Tagovailoa is due to count only $9.63MM against the team’s cap this season. Next year becomes trickier, with Tua’s fifth-year option bumping his cap number to $23.17MM.

Elsewhere in the AFC East, the Jets have not exactly made their desperation a secret. They have brought in three veteran skill cogs already, in Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman and Randall Cobb, to team with Aaron Rodgers. New York features a question at running back, with Breece Hall coming off ACL surgery. But the 2022 second-round pick is on track to be ready for Week 1. The Jets have Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight and fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda. The Bills appear less needy, having signed Damien Harris and Latavius Murray. But the team does roster Dalvin’s younger brother, James Cook, and is aiming to capitalize on a Super Bowl window that has been open for years.

Beyond the competitive AFC East, the Bengals loom as an interesting option. They are still planning to seek a Joe Mixon pay cut. A refusal by the six-year starter would deal a blow to a locked-and-loaded offense, but in the event the $12MM-per-year back balks, the Bengals would check Cook boxes of a contender with a clear need. That said, Mixon would not have many options were he to refuse a cut. It will be interesting to see how much of a reduction Cincy requests.

The Ravens have seen their J.K. Dobbins–Gus Edwards backfield plan thrown off course by injuries, and considering the aggressive moves to bolster a long-shaky receiver situation, would Baltimore consider a veteran back without major injury questions? Cook has said he is recovered from the February shoulder surgery he underwent. The Browns are likely to explore the addition of a Nick Chubb backup, though the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot notes the team is unlikely to chase a Cook- or Ezekiel Elliott-level back for this role.

The NFC East profiles as another division to watch here. Elliott remains in play to return to Dallas on a significant pay reduction; Cook would be an upgrade on the popular Cowboy. But how much money would the team be comfortable shelling out during an offseason in which it tagged Tony Pollard at $10.9MM? Washington has Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson rostered, but the team is looking into former Eric Bieniemy Chiefs charge Kareem Hunt. Cook may need to compromise on his interest in landing with a contender, given the uncertainty surrounding likely Commanders QB1 Sam Howell. But the team’s running back interest should be factored into this equation.

Last month, the Buccaneers were connected to the pursuit of a veteran to complement Rachaad White. Cook would be overqualified for such a role, and Tampa Bay’s post-Tom Brady contender status is in question. But the Bucs, their Chase Edmonds acquisition notwithstanding, profile as a team that could stand to add a backfield piece. The Broncos initially came out as a team monitoring the four-time 1,100-yard rusher, joining the Dolphins in this regard, but they have since been mentioned as a team expected to steer clear of this market.

Kirk Cousins mentioned a potential Vikings reunion — which would need to come at a significantly reduced rate — and Cook has spoken highly of Minnesota. Though, this does not seem likely. Is there another team that should be mentioned as a Cook destination? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this summer free agency storyline in the comments section.

Who will sign Dalvin Cook?

Miami Dolphins 38.90% (1,114 votes)

He will return to the Vikings at a lower rate 8.94% (256 votes)

New York Jets 8.48% (243 votes)

Buffalo Bills 8.00% (229 votes)

Dallas Cowboys 6.77% (194 votes)

Denver Broncos 6.01% (172 votes)

Cincinnati Bengals 5.17% (148 votes)

Baltimore Ravens 4.68% (134 votes)

Another team (specify in comments) 4.02% (115 votes)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3.74% (107 votes)

Cleveland Browns 3.07% (88 votes)

Washington Commanders 2.23% (64 votes)

Total Votes: 2,864

Ravens Rumors: Ricard, Bateman, OL

June 21st, 2023 at 8:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Baltimore will be without its four-time Pro Bowl fullback to start training camp, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. Head coach John Harbaugh told the media last week that Patrick Ricard underwent hip surgery this offseason, meaning he’ll start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

After five seasons of defensive line play at Maine, Ricard began his career playing on both sides of the ball for the Ravens, serving double duty as a defensive lineman and a fullback. Over the past four years, Ricard has played exclusively on the offensive side of the ball, routinely grading out as the league’s top fullback, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

With Ricard out, the Ravens will turn to former fifth-round pick Ben Mason. It’s no wonder Baltimore saw something it liked in Mason in the 2021 NFL Draft. Coming out of Michigan, Mason had just moved into a fullback/tight end role for the Wolverines after spending a season at defensive tackle as a junior. They must’ve seen a lot of Ricard in Mason, but without an immediate need for him, Mason failed to make the final 53-man roster that year.

Mason spent 2021 on the Patriots’ and Bears’ practice squads. After the season ended, Mason returned to Baltimore, spending last season on the practice squad. If Ricard is forced to miss extended time due to his hip surgery, Mason could finally get a chance to prove his worth.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Charm City:

Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has had a rocky start to his NFL career. Despite obvious displays of the talent that got him drafted in the first round two years ago, Bateman has struggled to stay on the field. Over his first two seasons, Bateman has missed 17 total games, including a playoff game this past season. Groin surgery just before his rookie season forced him to miss five games and a Lisfranc surgery ended his season early last year. He’s not quite out of the woods yet, according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner. Harbaugh told the media that Bateman had received a cortisone shot “for healing purposes.” He seemed to hope that it would help keep the injury short-term, claiming that the shot would only sideline Bateman for a couple of days. “We just decided to let him keep rehabbing and make sure he’s ready to go for training camp,” Harbaugh explained.
A couple weeks ago, we delved into the Ravens’ position battle at left guard. At the time, we mentioned drafted rookies Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees. Vorhees will likely spend most, if not all, of his rookie season recovering from recent injuries, while we noted Aumavae-Laulu was projected as a developmental pick. The assessments on Aumavae-Laulu may have been a bit off as Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic has reported that he appears to be very much in the mix for the starting left guard job. Harbaugh apparently made it very clear by featuring the sixth-round pick heavily in minicamp.
Former first-round wide receiver Laquon Treadwell recently got another chance to stick on a roster by signing with Baltimore. Thanks to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, we now have a few details on his new contract. According to Wilson, Treadwell will receive the league veteran minimum on a one-year, $1.17MM deal.

Latest On Ravens, RB J.K. Dobbins

June 16th, 2023 at 3:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

J.K. Dobbins was not one of the players around the league who skipped mandatory minicamp this past week, but his situation is nevertheless a key talking point at the moment. The Ravens running back’s contract status appears to be an issue as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.

Dobbins has shown plenty of potential when on the field, but a major knee injury suffered in August 2021 has limited the occasions on which he has been available. The 24-year-old figures to find himself atop the depth chart this season, after the Ravens elected not to add to their backfield (one which also includes Gus Edwards and Justice Hill). The matter of working out a new contract is weighing on Dobbins, however.

“The business side is very hard. It’s very different,” he said during an interview with WJZ-TV. “You saw with [quarterback] Lamar [Jackson]… It’s never just roses and daisies. It can be hard at times and it’s business though” (h/t ESPN’s Jamison Hensley).

With an average of 5.9 yards per carry during his career (albeit one which has been limited to 26 combined regular and postseason games), Dobbins could be in line for a signficant raise in the near future. The Ravens are open to the idea of extending him, and their decision not to add to their backfield in free agency or the draft speaks to their confidence in his ability to remain highly efficient over the course of a full campaign. The Ohio State product was not a participant in practice during minicamp, however.

Head coach John Harbaugh indicated that he expected Dobbins to be available for team drills, but added that a recovery from a reported soft-tissue ailment should take place in time for training camp. New offensive coordinator Todd Monken added his desire to see him participate in minicamp, along optimism for when Dobbins is back on the field, though the latter declined to confirm or deny that he is currently injured during his interview.

Dobbins has publicly expressed frustration with his lack of usage as a true lead back in the past, something which no doubt serves as a potential obstacle to team and player reaching agreement on an extension. His value will also be affected by this year’s free agent market, one which has seen the RB position as a whole continue to be devalued. In any case, Dobbins is eyeing a pact allowing him to remain with the Ravens for the foreseeable future.

“So, the thing I can say is – I would love to be a Baltimore Raven for the rest of my career,” he said. “I would love to because I love the city, I love the people. It feels like family here. It feels like my second home. And I hope that happens.”

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