OWINGS MILLS — Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has said that the Ravens are far from finished with shaping their roster for the 2024 regular season.
The team has added some free agents, most notably running back Derrick Henry, re-signed key playmakers such as defensive tackle Justin Maduniuike, and added nine players in the 2024 NFL draft.
Nonetheless, DeCosta wants to add more talent, potentially a veteran safety, edge rusher, and/or an interior offensive lineman.
“I say this every year, but as a wise man once said, ‘We don’t play games until September. We’ll be ready,’” DeCosta said this offseason.
The Ravens might not make another move before training camp opens later this month. Rookies report on July 13th and the veterans show up one week later.
Last year, DeCosta didn’t make many moves until after training camp opened, and he found several players who made an impact in 2023.
The Ravens added outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and cornerback Ronald Darby in mid-August. Clowney wound up setting a career-high with 9 1/2 sacks. Darby was a valuable addition and appeared in 16 games (seven starts), allowing 31 receptions on 60 targets with only one penalty and one touchdown allowed, according to Pro Football Focus.
Both parlayed their performance into big contracts in this year’s free-agent market. Clowney agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. Darby signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars that included a $3 million signing bonus, $5.5 million in guaranteed money and an average annual salary of $4.3 million.
In addition, DeCosta added outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy in September, and he had a strong season, setting a career-high with nine sacks. The Ravens re-signed Van Noy to a two-year deal worth up to $9 million in April.
There are several valuable free agents available.
Safeties who might interest the Ravens are Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Micah Hyde, and Eddie Jackson
Offensive linemen on the market include David Bakhtiari, Duane Brown, and D.J. Humphries.
Edge rushers include Markus Golden, Jerry Hughes, Carl Lawson, Yannick Ngakoue, and Emmanuel Ogbah.
The question is whether DeCosta will have the financial flexibility to sign one of these players. The Ravens have $5.9 million in salary-cap space, which is among the lowest in the league.
Still, look for the Ravens to add a veteran or two before the regular-season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 5th.
