OWINGS MILLS — Just days after the Ravens lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFF Championship Game, general manager Eric DeCosta didn’t have time to dwell on the disappointment.
He was already moving forward to the next season.
As the new league year is set to begin on Wednesday, the Ravens have a lot of work ahead of them to build a roster that compares to last year’s. DeCosata is confident the Ravens will be ready to make another Super Bowl run when the season opens in September.
“We don’t have windows opening and closing, and that’s kind of been the Ravens’ mindset – that we want to be a competitive, good team every single year,” DeCosta said. “That’s what we aspire to, and I think we have a lot of the types of people in that locker room still, and we’ll remain to have those types of guys to put us in a position to win every single year.”
The Ravens addressed one of their biggest offseason questions by signing defensive tackle Justin Madubuike to a four-year contract extension on Friday. The deal reportedly is worth $98 million over four years, but the first-year salary cap number will be about $11 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The new contract comes just three days after the Ravens placed the franchise tag Madubuike, which would have cost them $22.1 million next season.
DeCosta also can make a number of cost-cutting moves before Wednesday to give the Ravens the funds to sign a running back, offensive lineman, or defensive back in free agency.
The Ravens were also awarded a fourth-round compensatory pick, 134th overall, in this year’s draft for losing guard Ben Powers in free agency last offseason. They have eight selections in the 2024 draft, which should help them fill various holes on the roster.
The Ravens have impact players on defense in Madubuike, linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton. And they have quarterback Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, leading the offense, so they appear poised to remain one of the NFL’s best teams.
“We all should be excited about where we’re going and what’s in front of us and what we’re building here,” coach John Harbaugh said. “And then we’re challenged by the things that we have to overcome. There are always things that you lose, and you have to make up for it and improve on. We did a great job of that last year. I hope we can do even better this year.”