Baltimore Ravens’ grade through start of free agency

The Baltimore Ravens failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2017, as they finished in fourth place in the AFC North with a record of 8-9. They started the season 8-3, but lost their final six in a collapse on both sides of the ball. The 2021 season was riddled with injuries for Baltimore, as they lost Gus Edwards, JK Dobbins, LJ Fort, and Marcus Peters to season-ending injuries before the campaign even got started. QB Lamar Jackson was sidelined for the last four games of the season as well with an ankle injury, putting the nail in the coffin for Baltimore.

With Lamar Jackson’s contract extension status still up in the air, there are plenty of other areas the Ravens will need to improve. They’ll also need to make sure all those players who got hurt last year can make a full recovery before next season gets underway.

Let’s take a look at the moves the Ravens have made so far in free agency and the implications those moves might have for next season.

Ravens players added (as of March 18)

Baltimore hasn’t done a whole lot of volume in free agency yet, but they’ve already picked up a few key pieces that were near the top of their list heading into this offseason.. Offensive tackle Morgan Moses signed a three-year, $15 million deal, bringing some veteran leadership to the offensive line. The Ravens will hope that he’ll be protecting Lamar Jackson next year, if they can come to an agreement on terms with the fifth-year quarterback. Moses spent seven years in Washington before he signed with the New York Jets prior to last season. The 31-year-old should bring some extra experience and solid play at right tackle.

The Ravens also signed defensive tackle Michael Pierce to a three-year, $16.5 million contract, while adding safety Marcus Williams with a five-year, $70 million contract. Pierce makes a return to Baltimore after spending two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Williams was their first move during free agency, making a huge splash right away as the free safety made the move away from New Orleans.

Ravens players lost (as of March 18)

Tight end Eric Tomlinson agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos, becoming the first of the Ravens’ 19 UFAs to make the move away from Baltimore. Tomlinson only featured in one game last season, catching his only target for seven yards in a 34-31 OT win against the Vikings.

They also lost cornerback Anthony Averett after he signed a one-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, reportedly set to make $4.5 million on the deal. Averett added some solid depth for the Ravens during his four-year stint in Baltimore, logging 101 total tackles through 44 games played since he was drafted in 2018.

Grade so far

A: They still have plenty of decisions to make, but the three signings they’ve made so far in free agency were pretty big priorities heading into the offseason. While they hope to keep Lamar Jackson in a Ravens uniform, the addition of Morgan Moses will add extra protection for whoever ends up being the starting QB next season. With more rumors swirling around the Ravens team as we head further into free agency, it’s only a matter of time before more announcements are made.