Tulsa LB Zaven Collins
What Could Best Player Available Look Like?
By now, the Ravens draft needs have been well documented, but there s no consensus among pundits on what direction they ll go with the 27th-overall pick (if they even pick there). We know General Manager Eric DeCosta has always preached best player available The Baltimore Sun s Childs Walker wrote. With so much activity set to unfold before the Ravens pick at No. 27 overall, we can t say with any certainty they ll pick a wide receiver over an edge rusher or a future starting tackle over either one.
The Baltimore Sun s Jonas Shaffer looked at prospects the Ravens could target in the early to middle rounds of the draft as the best players available. In this instance, we re focused on the first round.
Ravens News 4/13: Prospect Musings and more
Defensive line
Again, this would be a luxury for a team that just added Justin Madubuike to a crew of quality veterans. We know the Ravens love drafting defensive linemen, and they’re perhaps a year or two away from needing a younger core to step in for Brandon Williams, Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe. Given these truths, we can’t rule out a Day One or Day Two pick at the position.
The player who’d really make the Ravens think is Christian Barmore, who dominated in his one season as a starter at Alabama and could develop into a rare interior pass rusher. Would Barmore’s upside be enough to steer DeCosta away from prospects who’d probably play more snaps in 2021? He’d at least be worth the discussion on draft night.
Apr 05, 2021 at 06:06 PM Copied!
Were you surprised that you didn t return to the Kansas City Chiefs and that nothing happened where you could go back to the Chiefs? When did you kind of, in your mind, [realize] that it really was starting to get serious with the Ravens?
(Jamison Hensley) No doubt. I just think for me and the Chiefs, I had my fun there. It was an amazing, amazing time [and] a great organization. I just wanted a new scenery for myself. I just think going through this process and knowing I was going to be a free agent, you look at a lot of different teams. There was one team that stuck out, and it was the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. I heard too many great stories about just the team and the history of Baltimore. But I think when they hired one of my favorite guys that I train with in the offseason, [pass game specialist] Keith Williams, and of course [offensive coordinator] Greg [Roman], the offensive coordinator who I worked early in my car
I m glad Dallas got this deal done with Dak Prescott before Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen top it. Marcus Mosher (@Marcus Mosher) March 9, 2021
Dak really changed the quarterback market. Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are going to come to the table talking that talk. Whew. Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) March 9, 2021
No question that Josh Allen & Lamar Jackson are happy about Dak Prescott s new contract. Joel Corry (@corryjoel) March 9, 2021
Looks like Dak Prescott made out very well. The no-trade clause is officially a thing for veteran QBs now. Expect that to become an expectation for the negotiations surrounding Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and others.https://t.co/1YiAIKKCpz Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by JBH) March 8, 2021
Left: DE Yannick Ngakoue; Right: OLB Matthew Judon
Ravens Pass Rushers Rank Among Top Free Agents
Last week we detailed the decisions the Ravens will have to make on a number of their impending free agents, but how do pundits outside of Baltimore view them?
When it comes to the pass rushers, very highly.
ESPN s Kevin Seifert ranked the top 50 free agents for 2021. Yannick Ngakoue was No. 6 on the list and Matthew Judon landed at No. 34. The Ravens have to decide which free-agent outside linebacker to invest in, ESPN s Jamison Hensley wrote. Judon is the more all-around linebacker, and Ngakoue is considered the better pure rusher. Baltimore has tried to get an extension with Judon, but he has been seeking a contract worth $20 million per season, according to a source. The Ravens could put the franchise tag on Ngakoue, but … [he] played just 20 snaps in Baltimore s playoff loss, which suggests he might not be in the team s long-term plans.