Ravens offseason primer: The outlook of Baltimore’s top 5 free agents

Despite a disappointing end to the season, the Baltimore Ravens made tremendous progress during 2018. The team ended a three-year playoff drought, overcoming the odds to win the competitive AFC North. Perhaps more importantly, the Ravens found their quarterback of the present and future in Lamar Jackson, the crown jewel of their 2018 rookie class.

All of these developments bode well for the franchise, but now the hard work of the offseason begins.

Since Jackson entrenched himself as the starting quarterback, the Ravens have all but officially declared the Joe Flacco era over. Flacco, who led the team to a victory in Super Bowl XLVII, will leave Baltimore as the most decorated quarterback in franchise history. His departure will also generate somewhere between $10.5 million to $18.5 million in cap relief depending on how new general manager Eric DeCosta decides to move on from the veteran quarterback.

The Ravens face several difficult decisions with players still under contract as well. Cornerback Brandon Carr, wideout Michael Crabtree, and other contributors to the team’s first division crown in over half a decade could become cap casualties. Baltimore enters the offseason with approximately $28.5 million in available cap space, though that number figures to grow significantly with Flacco’s likely departure.

With those matters out of the way, let’s dive into the Ravens’ top 5 free agents, ordered by priority.

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C.J. Mosley
Age: 26
Position: Linebacker
2019 status: Unrestricted free agent

C.J. Mosley arrived in Baltimore in 2014 and immediately became the focal point of the defense. Other than his injury-plagued sophomore campaign, Mostly has earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors every year as a professional. His presence has also elevated the play of those directly around him, with former undrafted free agents Zach Orr and Patrick Onwuasor becoming stalwart inside linebackers.

Should Mosley reach the open market, he would likely command one of the largest contracts for an off-ball linebacker. That, combined with the inherent difficulty involved with replacing such an integral piece of the defense, should give the Ravens plenty of motivation to reach an agreement before the new league year. Regardless, Mosley should return to Baltimore in 2019.

Za’Darius Smith
Age: 27
Position: Edge rusher
2019 status: Unrestricted free agent

Despite meager beginnings as a Day 3 draft selection, Za’Darius Smith has developed into the Ravens’ top pass rusher and one of their premier young defensive talents overall. Smith’s size and athleticism allow him to line up in multiple spots along the defensive front, a form of versatility not regularly seen in Baltimore since Pernell McPhee. And with Smith just entering his athletic prime, a breakthrough All-Pro season doesn’t seem totally out of the question.

Of course, Baltimore has to retain Smith to benefit from his improvement. Smith will command a decent market given the annual dearth of productive pass rushers. That free-agent leverage might well price out the Ravens, who have let players like McPhee, Paul Kruger, and others depart in the past. Perhaps that approach changes with DeCosta now in charge, but the new GM has shown little inclination that he will abandon mentor Ozzie Newsome’s practices.

Terrell Suggs
Age: 36
Position: Edge rusher
2019 status: Unrestricted free agent

For half a decade or more, pundits have forecasted Terrell Suggs’ demise. For just as long, he has defied those expectations. Suggs’ seven sacks in 2018 tied for the second most on the Ravens. While that mark pales in comparison to his best years, the former All-Pro remains a viable edge rusher as he hits the back half of his 30s.

But while Suggs still holds value, the Ravens have a difficult decision to make. Several young defenders came on during the 2018 season, including fellow free-agent edge rusher Smith. While re-signing one doesn’t preclude keeping the other, Baltimore should think long and hard about giving opportunities to Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams, two Day 2 picks from the 2017 NFL Draft. Unless the coaching staff believes that neither will develop into a regular contributor, it makes sense to elevate them into larger roles in 2019.

John Brown
Age: 28
Position: Wide receiver
2019 status: Unrestricted free agent

The Ravens took a bargain-bin approach when rebuilding their receiving corps this past offseason, signing free agents John Brown, Michael Crabtree, and Willie Snead to inexpensive deals. The trio combined for 158 receptions for 1,973 yards and nine touchdowns and helped reboot the passing game in Baltimore.

Though Crabtree and Snead currently remain under contract, Brown hits free agency with plenty of heat. “Smokey” averaged 17 yards per reception in 2018, re-establishing himself as the type of deep-threat receiver coveted by nearly every team in the league. This year’s free-agent pool probably won’t feature many premier wideouts, giving Brown even more leverage for negotiations. As such, he seems more likely to sign elsewhere in the coming months.

Michael Pierce
Age: 26
Position: Defensive tackle
2019 status: Restricted free agent

Michael Pierce doesn’t garner much attention around the league, but the former undrafted free agent has developed into a consistent run defender capable of anchoring the defensive line. Though Pierce saw fewer opportunities in 2018 (389 snaps from scrimmage, 205 fewer than the season prior), his ability to two-gap and free up players around him holds value to the defense moving forward.

Unlike the Ravens’ other top free agents, Pierce doesn’t have the advantage of unrestricted free-agent status. As such, the team can tender him at the first- or second-round level and effectively take him off the market. Doing so gives the defense one of its most important run defenders at a low price while pushing off the real decision on Pierce for another year.