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Ravens OL Kevin Zeitler Seeking New Deal

June 12th, 2023 at 1:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens currently have a vacancy at left guard, but they have had stability at the opposite spot with Kevin Zeitler for the past two seasons. If the veteran has his way, that will continue beyond 2023.

Zeitler is seeking a new contract, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The 33-year-old is attending the Ravens’ mandatory minicamp, though, and plans to be a full participant in the three-day practice period. While he is not holding out, it will be worth watching how Zeitler approaches extension talks with Baltimore.

The former first-rounder signed a three-year, $22.5MM deal with the Ravens in 2021. That pact allowed him to return to the AFC North after he spent time with the Bengals and Browns before a two-year stint with the Giants. Zeitler gave Baltimore an experienced successor to Marshal Yanda at the RG spot, and he has been as advertised for the first two years of his time in Charm City.

Zeitler has started all 32 of his appearances for the Ravens, and his performances have remained consistent during his time with the team. He earned PFF grades of 75 and 74.1 over the past two years, excelling in pass protection in particular. While penalties (seven) were an issue in 2021, that figure dropped to just two last season as Zeitler was part of an offensive line which helped pave the way for the league’s second-most productive rushing attack.

The Wisconsin alum is set to carry a cap hit of $5.2MM in 2023, a reasonable figure given his status as a full-time starter. However, the Ravens selected Andrew Vorhees in the seventh round of this year’s draft, giving them a potential Zeitler successor. The former is expected to miss most or all of his rookie season while recovering from an ACL tear, but he was named the Pac-12’s top offensive lineman and a first-team All-American in 2022, which will lead to considerable expectations for the 2024 campaign. It will be interesting to monitor what developments (if any) will have taken place with respect to Zeitler’s financial future by that point.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Monken, Ravens

June 9th, 2023 at 8:03pm CST by Ely Allen

With Jim Schwartz returning to Cleveland after 28 years, then as a scout, now as defensive coordinator, there are some expected changes to how the Browns‘ defense will get things done. Thanks to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, we have a bit of insight into just how things might change in the secondary under Schwartz.

At safety, the team exchanged starter John Johnson III with Juan Thornhill while also bringing in veteran Rodney McLeod, as well. Schwartz brings two interesting factors to the safety position: he likes to play three at one time often and he expects versatility. He doesn’t strictly prescribe to free and strong safety assignments but more often tends to focus on sides of the field. Grant Delpit, Thornhill, and McLeod will be interchangeable and will be asked to line up in many areas.

Versatility will be expected of the cornerbacks, as well, as Schwartz has reportedly been crosstraining all of Cleveland’s defensive backs in the slot. This is welcome news for Greg Newsome II, who reportedly wanted to play more to his strengths on the outside this year. He won’t solely work outside, but with Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson also getting work as nickelbacks this summer, Newsome won’t be asked to shoulder the load in the slot alone.

Here are a few more rumors from around the AFC North:

  • Schwartz is excited to be bringing together two strong pass rushers in Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith on the Browns’ defensive line, according to Cabot. After a year in which Jadeveon Clowney failed to mesh with Garrett, Schwartz is excited about the flexibility that Smith brings to the table. For one, he’s already had the experience of working across from talented pass rushers like Danielle Hunter, Preston Smith, Matt Judon, Terrell Suggs, and Elvis Dumervil. Secondly, Smith provides a versatile attack that allows him to rush from either side, as well as from the interior, when needed.
  • After four years under a huddle-first Greg Roman offense, the Ravens will allow quarterback Lamar Jackson a bit more agency in the offense under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. According to a report from ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, Jackson will be given more freedom to audible and make adjustments at the line this season. This is not completely foreign to the recently extended quarterback. Baltimore experimented with this type of offense in a Week 2 game last year against the Dolphins as a counter to Miami’s pressure package. In that game, Jackson threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns while adding 119 yards and a touchdown on the ground, as well. The Ravens will hope to see more of that in 2023, as Jackson is presented with more opportunities to truly lead the offense.
  • We mentioned about two weeks ago that Ravens second-year tackle Daniel Faalele was a candidate to replace former starting left guard Ben Powers, who departed for Denver in free agency in March. Knowing Faalele’s importance in his current role as one of the team’s primary backup tackles, we boiled it down to a battle between Ben Cleveland and John Simpson. A recent report from Hensley, though, claims that head coach John Harbaugh spoke highly of Faalele at the position and refused to rule him out as a potential starter. He praised Simpson’s performance in the position, as well, but it may be time to start considering Faalele as one of the top candidates to start next year.

Ravens DL Broderick Washington In Line For Starting Role

June 9th, 2023 at 1:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens saw veteran defensive end Calais Campbell depart in free agency after making him a cap casualty. That left a vacancy in their starting lineup, but an outside addition is unlikely to be made to fill it.

In-house option Broderick Washington is slated to take over Campbell’s starting spot along the D-line, as noted by Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (subscription required). The 26-year-old has been used in a rotational capacity to date during his career, but a step up to a first-team role on a permanent basis would come as little surprise given the increases in his workload which have taken place.

Washington has seen his defensive snap shares rise from 30% to 32% and 44% over the course of his three seasons in the league. The former fifth-rounder produced a career-high 49 tackles last season, adding one sack, four QB hits and six pass deflections. A full-time starting position would allow him to build off those numbers, something which could have signficant financial implications.

The Texas Tech product is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and a strong performance in 2023 could boost his free agent value considerably. The Ravens already have Justin Madubuike in place as a prime extension candidate along the defensive front, after he continued his career ascent with a personal-best 5.5 sacks last season. Running back J.K. Dobbins, a fellow 2020 draftee, is also eligible for a new deal, something the team is interested in getting worked out.

The Ravens added Angelo Blackson as a depth member of their D-line for this season, but Washington should be expected to handle starting duties alongside Madubuike and either Michael Pierce or Travis Jones. Another step forward in production could set Washington up for a considerable payday considering the upward trajectory of the DT market showcased this offseason. For the meantime, though, his attention will turn to another increase in playing time and expectations.

Ravens RB Gus Edwards To Be “Partially Ready” For Minicamp

June 8th, 2023 at 6:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Gus Edwards returned from a torn ACL last season, getting into nine games for the Ravens. The team will be counting on a healthy season from the running back in 2023, and as a result, it sounds like they’re bringing him along slowly.

Coach John Harbaugh told reporters that Edwards will only be “partially ready” for next week’s minicamp and should be “fully ready” for training camp in July (per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on Twitter). The running back was present at OTAs but didn’t participate in team drills.

“I think minicamp, partially ready I’m hearing,” Harbaugh said (via the team’s website). “Training camp he’s supposed to be fully ready.

“He just wasn’t quite ready to get back out and practice yet – no setback. Maybe they’re being a little cautious, but that’s what they’re doing.”

Edwards was a dependable member of Baltimore’s backfield for the first three seasons of his career, with the running back averaging 5.2 yards on his 414 carries while scoring 10 touchdowns. A torn ACL wiped out his entire 2021 season, and after returning this past October, Edwards added another 433 yards and three touchdowns.

The Ravens running back corps will also feature J.K. Dobbins, who made his way back from his own 2021 ACL injury to get into eight games last season. The 24-year-old also missed a chunk of last year after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Justice Hill is the only other RB with any experience on the depth chart, as the team is otherwise looking at UDFAs Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright for depth.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/6/23

June 6th, 2023 at 7:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived: QB Nolan Henderson

Buffalo Bills

Nolan Henderson joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Delaware. He finished his 2022 season with a UD single-season record 32 touchdowns, and there’s some hope he can stick around the NFL. However, he had limited opportunities for practice reps in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Anthony Brown, and Josh Johnson ahead of him.

Isaiah Bowser, a Central Florida product, joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent last month. The running back had more than 1,500 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons.

J.K. Dobbins Extension On Ravens’ Radar

June 6th, 2023 at 1:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries have defined J.K. Dobbins‘ rookie-contract years. The August 2021 ACL, LCL and meniscus tears the Ravens running back suffered stopped the momentum he had built as a rookie, and the fallout reduced his 2022 participation as well.

Despite the injury troubles the Ravens have experienced at running back over the past two seasons, they have not made a notable addition at the position this year. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill remain Baltimore’s top three backs. Both Dobbins and Edwards are due for free agency in 2024, the former because his rookie contract is set to expire. But the Ravens appear interested in exploring the possibility of keeping the 2020 second-round pick around beyond this season.

[RELATED: Patrick Queen Eyeing Ravens Extension]

John Harbaugh confirmed that is the case Tuesday, indicating (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic) the Ravens want Dobbins back for the 2024 season. Although the 16th-year Ravens HC provided a “but nobody knows the future” caveat, it is interesting plans for another Dobbins deal are being considered at this point.

This offseason revealed more hesitancy on teams’ part regarding second contracts for running backs coming off healthy seasons, let alone players who have seen two years hijacked. Dobbins has missed 26 games since the 2021 knee injury. The recovery period delayed his start to the 2022 slate, and another knee issue forced an in-season surgery and IR stint. The ex-Buckeyes back did not look like his rookie-year version upon return from IR in December, but he did rip off two 100-plus-yard games — one of which helped the Ravens to a win without Lamar Jackson.

The injuries to Dobbins and Edwards have forced the Ravens to bring in numerous veteran stopgap options. Le’Veon Bell, Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, Mike Davis and Kenyan Drake stopped through Maryland over the past two seasons. But none of the outside investments remain on Baltimore’s roster. The likes of Kareem Hunt, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, Darrell Henderson and Mark Ingram are among the best-known backs available. Ingram was part of Baltimore’s backfield before Dobbins’ injury.

The 2023 season will obviously serve as a pivotal year for Dobbins, who went from averaging 6.0 yards per carry as a rookie — during an 805-yard, nine-touchdown season — to a player with substantial health red flags. Barring another backfield addition, Baltimore will count on Dobbins being healthy and leading their first Todd Monken-directed ground attack. While Dobbins is eligible for an extension now, the Ravens will surely want to see how he looks this season before making strong considerations about a second contract.

Ravens To Sign WR Laquon Treadwell

June 5th, 2023 at 4:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens’ re-tooling of the receiver room continues. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that Laquon Treadwell has agreed to terms on a deal with Baltimore (Twitter link).

Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport tweets that the deal will be signed tomorrow. The move represents another (albeit more minor) addition at the WR spot for the Ravens, a team which was active both in free agency and the draft this offseason. Their approach was highlighted by signing Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year, $15MM deal and selecting Zay Flowers with their first-round pick.

Expectations will be far higher for those two than for Treadwell, despite the fact the latter is also a former Day 1 pick. His career began in Minnesota, but he put up underwhelming numbers on his rookie contract and has bounced around the league since then. Treadwell’s best season came with the Jaguars in 2021, when he recorded a 33/434/1 statline.

The 27-year-old was among Jacksonville’s final roster cuts at the start of the campaign, however, leaving him on the move once again. Treadwell spent time on the Patriots’, Cardinals’ and Seahawks’ practice squads during much of the 2022 season, and he made six total appearances in Seattle. His 34% snap share in the Emerald City was the fourth-highest mark of his career, though he only managed six catches.

In Baltimore, the Ole Miss product will join a crowded receiver room compared to recent seasons. In addition to Beckham and Flowers, the Ravens have 2021 first-rounder Rashod Bateman, along with veteran signing Nelson Agholor and 2020 draftees Devin Duvernay and James Proche in the fold. Treadwell will look to earn a spot amongst those pass-catchers during the summer, and in doing so perhaps aim to generate some career stability along the way.

Latest On DeAndre Hopkins

June 5th, 2023 at 3:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

As teams around the league begin minicamp, the DeAndre Hopkins free agency watch continues. The list of potential suitors for the veteran wideout has fluctuated in recent days, and a shift in market value could lead to the next signficant development.

Hopkins – who recently signed on with Klutch sports after having not had an agent – is reportedly seeking a contract similar to the one-year, $15MM one Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Ravens in April. Such terms would be quite challenging for many teams to afford given their cap situations this late in the offseason, particularly the Bills and Chiefs, the ones most frequently named as frontrunners to sign Hopkins.

On that point, SI’s Albert Breer predicts that Buffalo and Kanas City would add the three-time All-Pro “only at a discount.” Financial pressures could very well drive down Hopkins’ asking price, something which would be necessary for either AFC contender considering they rank near the bottom of the league in available funds. On the other hand, the value of Beckham’s deal came as a shock to many, so Hopkins still may be able to land a contract of considerable value with a different team.

Breer names the Patriots as a team to watch, especially since acquiring the 30-year-old no longer requires giving up draft compensation. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien – the head coach and general manager of the Texans when Hopkins was traded from Houston to Arizona – “would be plenty on board with, not against” adding Hopkins to New England’s roster, Breer adds. The Patriots have previously been linked to a Hopkins pursuit, and they are in far better shape with respect to cap space than the Chiefs and Bills. Doug Kyed of A to Z Sports confirms that New England is “monitoring” the five-time Pro Bowler’s market.

Finances are also less of an issue for the Browns and Ravens, teams which have been on the fringe of the Hopkins sweepstakes to date. A deal in Cleveland would reunite Hopkins with quarterback Deshaun Watson, of course, but the Browns have already made several moves at the WR position. Breer categorizes a Hopkins-to-Cleveland move as “unlikely” to take place at this point.

To little surprise, the Giants and Cowboys have bowed out of the Hopkins pursuit. Multiple teams should still be in the running to sign him, though, especially if his asking price has indeed come down. More clarity could emerge soon with respect to Hopkins’ intended destination and how willing other squads are willing to engage in a bidding war for his services.

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

June 2nd, 2023 at 3:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The start of June has served as a key NFL financial period for decades. While teams no longer have to wait until after June 1 to make that cost-splitting cut designation, teams pick up the savings from those transactions today. With a handful of teams making post-June 1 cuts this year, here is how each team’s cap space (courtesy of OverTheCap) looks as of Friday:

  1. Chicago Bears: $32.58MM
  2. Carolina Panthers: $27.25MM
  3. Arizona Cardinals: $26.68MM
  4. New York Jets: $24.79MM
  5. Detroit Lions: $23.72MM
  6. Indianapolis Colts: $23.39MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $20.48MM
  8. Houston Texans: $16.81MM
  9. Green Bay Packers: $16.57MM
  10. Pittsburgh Steelers: $15.73MM
  11. Cincinnati Bengals: $14.92MM
  12. New Orleans Saints: $14.27MM
  13. New England Patriots: $14.12MM
  14. Miami Dolphins: $13.9MM
  15. Cleveland Browns: $13.86MM
  16. Philadelphia Eagles: $13.85MM
  17. Los Angeles Chargers: $12.61MM
  18. Jacksonville Jaguars: $12MM
  19. Washington Commanders: $11.57MM
  20. Baltimore Ravens: $11.54MM
  21. San Francisco 49ers: $10.72MM
  22. Atlanta Falcons: $10.7MM
  23. Denver Broncos: $10.13MM
  24. Minnesota Vikings: $9.75MM
  25. Tennessee Titans: $7.99MM
  26. Seattle Seahawks: $7.94MM
  27. New York Giants: $3.82MM
  28. Las Vegas Raiders: $3.37MM
  29. Los Angeles Rams: $1.49MM
  30. Buffalo Bills: $1.4MM
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: $653K
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $402K

The Dolphins gained the most from a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, creating $13.6MM in cap space from a deal that will spread out the cornerback’s dead money through 2024. But the Browns (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney) and Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott) created more than $10MM in space as well.

The Jets’ number is a bit deceiving. They are still working on a restructure with Aaron Rodgers, as the trade acquisition’s cap number — after a Packers restructure — sits at just $1.22MM. In 2024, that number skyrockets to $107.6MM. Rodgers’ cap hit will almost definitely will climb before Week 1, so viewing the Jets along with the other teams north of $20MM in space is not entirely accurate.

Minnesota is moving closer to separating from its $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook contract. The team already created some space by trading Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Cleveland, which is one of the teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins, added Smith and did so with help from its Deshaun Watson restructure. Watson was set to count $54.9MM against the Browns’ 2023 cap. That number is down to $19.1MM, though the Browns’ restructure both ballooned Watson’s mid-2020s cap figures to $63.9MM — which would shatter the NFL record — and added a 2027 void year.

Tampa Bay and Los Angeles sit atop the league in dead money, with the Bucs — largely from their April 2022 Tom Brady restructure — checking in at $75.3MM here. That total comprises nearly 33% of the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The Rams, at more than $74MM, are not far behind. Despite the Bills and Chiefs — the teams most frequently tied to Hopkins — joining the Bucs and Rams near the bottom of the league in cap space, both AFC contenders also sit in the bottom five in dead money.

LB Patrick Queen Hopes To Remain With Ravens Beyond 2023

June 2nd, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

With Lamar Jackson‘s contract situation now in the rearview, attention has increasingly turned to the Ravens’ other offseason priorities. One of those could be working out a long-term deal with linebacker Patrick Queen.

The latter is set to play the final season of his rookie contract in 2023, since the Ravens declined his fifth-year option. That decision fell in line with the ones made by other teams around the league at the LB position, and left Baltimore off the hook for what would have been a $12.72MM price tag for Queen. However, it would not come as a surprise if he were to remain with the team beyond this coming season.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta recently made it clear that the team’s intention remains a multi-year deal for Queen despite their decision on his option. Negotiations with the LSU product have a number of complicating factors to consider, including the historic deal fellow linebacker Roquan Smith was signed to not long after his midseason trade acquisition. Making two major financial commitments at the position would be challenging, especially with Jackson’s $51MM-per-year contract now on the books. Some eyebrows were also raised (including by Queen himself) after Baltimore selected his potential successor, Trenton Simpson, in the third round of this year’s draft.

In spite of those developments, Queen is reciprocating the feeling on the team’s part with respect to finalizing a long-term contract. The 23-year-old enjoyed a career year last season, eclipsing 100 tackles for the second time while adding five sacks and a pair of interceptions. His comments on his future suggest he is prepared to play out the 2023 season without any certainty with respect to his financial status.

“I had many talks with many people and different outlooks on it,” Queen said of his situation, via team reporter Clifton Brown. “I just came to the realization that everything is not a bad thing. The front office, [I] talked to them a little bit. They keep me grounded and let me know what it really was and how they feel. At the end of the day, they know that this is the place I want to play. This is the place I want to be. So, however the chips fall, I’m happy with it.”

Another strong season from Queen could set himself up for a big-ticket extension, albeit one which would likely come in at a lower rate than what the 2023 option or a 2024 franchise tag (roughly $20MM for all linebackers) would cost. For now, his attention is aimed at the upcoming season, one in which he and the Ravens will face high expectations, though his financial situation will remain one worth watching.

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