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The Baltimore Sun’s live coverage of the 2024 NFL draft. Read more.
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The NFL draft has finally arrived.
After finishing an NFL-best 13-4 and reaching the AFC championship game last season, the Ravens are poised to add a large rookie class. It all begins Thursday night with the first round in Detroit.
Before the Ravens are on the clock, here’s everything you need to know:
What time is the draft, and how can I watch?
The 2024 NFL draft kicks off in Detroit with the first round Thursday at 8 p.m., followed by Rounds 2-3 on Friday at 7 p.m. and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday at noon. Live coverage will be on NFL Network, NFL+, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
What is the draft order?
Here is the order of picks for the first round:
- Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
- Washington Commanders
- New England Patriots
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Chargers
- New York Giants
- Tennessee Titans
- Atlanta Falcons
- Chicago Bears
- New York Jets
- Minnesota Vikings
- Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders
- New Orleans Saints
- Indianapolis Colts
- Seattle Seahawks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Miami Dolphins
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland through Houston)
- Dallas Cowboys
- Green Bay Packers
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Arizona Cardinals (from Houston)
- Buffalo Bills
- Detroit Lions
- Ravens
- San Francisco 49ers
- Kansas City Chiefs
How many picks do the Ravens have?
After a few trades, including a draft pick swap with the New York Jets in the deal for right tackle Morgan Moses last month, the Ravens have nine total selections.
- No. 30 (first round)
- No. 62 (second)
- No. 93 (third)
- No. 113 (fourth, from Denver via N.Y. Jets)
- No. 130 (fourth)
- No. 165 (fifth)
- No. 218 (sixth, from N.Y. Jets)
- No. 228 (seventh, from N.Y. Jets)
- No. 250 (seventh)
What are the Ravens’ biggest needs?
Here’s a deeper look at the positions the Ravens are most likely to fill in the draft, including offensive line, wide receiver, edge rusher, cornerback and safety.
Who are some of the prospects the Ravens could target?
Here’s a look at which players at positions of need could be available for the Ravens when they’re on the clock at No. 30 overall.
• Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims
• Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton
• Arizona offensive tackle-guard Jordan Morgan
• BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia
• Oregon guard-center Jackson Powers-Johnson
• Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell
• Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey
• Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy
• Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman
• Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson
• Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson
• Iowa cornerback-safety Cooper DeJean
• Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry
• Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter
Who are the prospects with ties to Baltimore and Maryland?
Hat tip to “The Beast” draft guide from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
• Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams (Bowie/Gonzaga)
• Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa
• Maryland wide receiver Jeshaun Jones
• Maryland wide receiver Tyrese Chambers (Baltimore/Poly)
• Bowie State wide receiver James McNeill
• Morgan State wide receiver Treveyon Pratt
• Morgan State tight end Abdou Diop
• Michigan running back Blake Corum (St. Frances/St. Vincent Pallotti)
• Maryland offensive lineman Delmar “DJ” Glaze
• Maryland offensive lineman Corey Bullock (Accokeek/Gwynn Park)
• Maryland offensive lineman Mike Purcell
• Maryland offensive lineman Amelio Morán
• Maryland offensive lineman Aric Harris
• Morgan State offensive lineman Dexter Carr
• Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu (Waldorf/Gonzaga)
• Connecticut offensive lineman Christian Haynes (Bowie/Bowie HS)
• Maryland offensive lineman Gottlieb Ayedze (Germantown/Northwest HS)
• Maryland defensive lineman Christian Teague (North Hagerstown/Morgan State)
• Maryland defensive lineman Tre Colbert
• Towson defensive lineman Jesus Gibbs
• Towson defensive lineman Samuel Obiang
• Bowie State defensive lineman Cameron Chesley (Fort Washington/Morgan State)
• Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson (Gaithersburg/Quince Orchard)
• Alabama edge rusher Chris Braswell (Baltimore/St. Frances)
• Charlotte edge rusher Eyabi Okie-Anoma (Baltimore/St. Frances)
• Michigan defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (Olney/Good Counsel)
• Penn State linebacker Curtis Jacobs (Glen Burnie/McDonogh)
• Morgan State linebacker Noah Washington
• Morgan State linebacker Devan Hebron (Lanham/Duval HS)
• Morgan State linebacker Lawrence Richardson
• Maryland safety Beau Brade (Clarksville/River Hill)
• Maryland cornerback Tarheeb Still
• Maryland cornerback Ja’Quan Sheppard
• Morgan State cornerback Jae’veyon Morton
• Bowie State defensive back Mychale Salahuddin
• Morgan State safety Jordan Toles (Baltimore/St. Frances)
• Towson cornerback Robert Javier
• Wake Forest cornerback Caelen Carson (Waldorf/North Point)
• Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart (Baltimore/Good Counsel)
• Oregon cornerback Khyree Jackson (Upper Marlboro/Wise)
• Michigan cornerback Josh Wallace (Bowie/DeMatha Catholic)
• Pittsburgh cornerback A.J. Woods (Germantown/Northwest)
• Maryland punter Colton Spangler (Pasadena/Chesapeake-AA)
• Towson running back-kick returner D’Ago Hunter
Who are the Ravens’ most recent first-round picks?
2023: Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers, No. 22 overall
2022: Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, No. 14
2022: Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum, No. 25
2021: Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman, No. 27
2020: LSU linebacker Patrick Queen, No. 28
2019: Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown, No. 25
2018: South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst, No. 25
2018: Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, No. 32
2017: Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey, No. 16
2016: Notre Dame left tackle Ronnie Stanley, No. 6
Latest mock drafts
• 2024 NFL mock draft (Version 6.0): Connecting the dots for one last first-round projection
• Dueling Ravens mock drafts: Two views on how to rebuild a Super Bowl contender
• 2024 NFL mock draft (Version 5.0): Ravens beat writer Brian Wacker predicts the first round
More Ravens draft coverage
• Grading the Ravens’ three most recent drafts, from Rashod Bateman to Andrew Vorhees
• Ravens roundtable: Answering NFL draft questions and grading Eric DeCosta
• Why the NFL draft is so important for the Ravens, both this year and next
• The Ravens have hosted a slew of players before the NFL draft. A closer look provides some insight.
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Mock draft season is over.
The real thing begins Thursday night in Detroit, which means it’s time to put the pencils down and give one last prediction.
After sifting through all the information, identifying the best prospects and pondering which teams will be motivated to shake up the board, here’s our best guess at how the first 32 picks will play out:
1. Chicago Bears (via Carolina): Caleb Williams, QB, Southern California
With a talented offense and an ascending defense, Chicago has a chance to be good right away with Williams under center. The question is, how aggressive will the Bears be with only three remaining picks at Nos. 9, 75 and 122?
2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Nobody knows for sure what the Commanders will do, but Daniels has emerged as the betting favorite to be new general manager Adam Peters’ first pick. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner said he’d be “blessed” to go to Washington, which has an abundance of picks in the top 100 to build around its franchise quarterback.
3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
The Patriots could look to trade down if they are blown away by an offer, but ownership will likely prefer to stick and pick a quarterback. Maye has the mobility, arm strength and poise to be a star, and he could even sit for a while behind Jacoby Brissett as he works on his technique.
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
The Cardinals have enough draft picks to maneuver up and down the board the way general manager Monti Ossenfort did last year, but sometimes it makes the most sense to stay put. Arizona needs blue-chip talent, and Harrison is the consensus No. 1 player among a database of 96 analysts, according to Arif Hasan of Wide Left.
5. Minnesota Vikings (mock trade via LA Chargers): J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
This is a trade that makes sense for both teams. The Vikings need a quarterback, and new coach Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz need more picks to rebuild a depleted roster. McCarthy might not be coach Kevin O’Connell’s preferred prospect, but he’s certainly more exciting than Sam Darnold.
6. New York Giants: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
My guess is the Giants only want to trade up for a quarterback if it means landing Maye, and he’s gone. So why Odunze over Nabers? While not as explosive, Odunze is a better “X” receiver who can win on the outside and make catches in traffic, which would be a better complement to the shifty and fast receivers the Giants already have.
7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
As good as this offensive line class is, this pick should be a no-brainer for the Titans. Alt is a tier above the other pass protectors in this class and should be a cornerstone piece for new coach Brian Callahan and his father, renowned offensive line coach Bill Callahan.
8. New York Jets (mock trade via Atlanta): Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Can you name any of the Jets’ wide receivers behind Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams? For this all-in strategy to work, quarterback Aaron Rodgers needs more playmakers. Nabers’ speed and explosiveness trump a desire to draft an insurance policy behind 33-year-old tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses.
9. Chicago Bears: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
GM Ryan Poles might see the benefit in trading down and acquiring more picks, but there’s also a chance to grab the best defensive player in the draft. Murphy can be the dominant interior penetrator coach Matt Eberflus craves.
10. Atlanta Falcons (mock trade via NY Jets): Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
The Falcons move down a few spots and still get the draft’s top pass rusher. Latu seems to have been given the all-clear after his neck injury in college, giving Atlanta its best edge rusher since John Abraham was in town.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (mock trade via Minnesota): JC Latham, OT/G, Alabama
Harbaugh believes the offensive line is the foundation of his team. With his size and strength, Latham might have the highest ceiling of any blocker in this class and can help establish a road-grading mentality on offense.
12. Los Angeles Rams (mock trade via Denver): Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
The Rams have a first-round pick for the first time since 2016, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to be patient. Moving up to pair the versatile, explosive Bowers with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp is a dream scenario for coach Sean McVay as he seeks another Super Bowl run with quarterback Matthew Stafford.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Taliese Fuaga, OT/G, Oregon State
If the Raiders don’t find a way to trade up for a quarterback, perhaps they’d take one here. But that feels a little rich for Oregon’s Bo Nix or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., who are outside of the top 30 in the consensus rankings. Las Vegas needs a starting right tackle, and Fuaga can step in immediately.
14. New Orleans Saints: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Offensive line is the most glaring need for New Orleans considering the questionable health of Ryan Ramczyk and the disappointing play of Trevor Penning. Fashanu makes too much sense from both a need and value standpoint.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
The Colts could be a surprise team that moves up to draft one of the top wide receivers or Bowers, but cornerback is a much more glaring need. Mitchell is a big, fast and aggressive player who fits the mold for traits-minded GM Chris Ballard.
16. Philadelphia Eagles (mock trade via Seattle): Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
When GM Howie Roseman finds a player he likes, he isn’t afraid to move up to get him. The Eagles’ aging secondary was one of the league’s worst down the stretch last season and could use an infusion of young talent.
17. Green Bay Packers (mock trade via Jacksonville): Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
The Packers need to find a long-term replacement for left tackle David Bakhtiari. There’s a clear tier break after Mims at tackle, which might incentivize Green Bay to trade up and secure a player with rare size and movement skills who can develop into a star.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Is this too early for Worthy? Probably. Will a team talk itself into getting the most out of his NFL scouting combine-record 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash? Absolutely. The Bengals are an intriguing fit for Worthy alongside stars Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the latter of whom might not be in town beyond this season after requesting a trade.
19. Denver Broncos (mock trade via LA Rams): Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
The Broncos still need a quarterback after trading for Zach Wilson, but they don’t take one here. Turner fills a glaring need at pass rusher for a defense that has few building blocks on top of standout cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Fautanu, OT/G, Washington
The Steelers moved up for offensive tackle Broderick Jones last year, but this time they can stick and pick. Fautanu is athletic, aggressive and has the versatility to play all five spots along the line.
21. Arizona Cardinals (mock trade via Miami): Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
With a chance to add one of the draft’s premier pass rushers, the Cardinals make a move. Verse, a former unranked recruit and Albany transfer, has the tools to become the team’s best defensive player sooner than later.
22. Seattle Seahawks (mock trade via Philadelphia): Graham Barton, G/C, Duke
As tempting as it might be for new coach Mike Macdonald to build his defense, the Seahawks can’t wait very long to address their offensive line. Barton can slot in at center or guard and has experience at tackle in case of emergency.
23. Los Angeles Chargers (mock trade via Minnesota): Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Iowa
New Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter had a lot of success at Michigan with versatile defensive backs such as Dax Hill and Mike Sainristil. DeJean is an elite athlete who could line up all over the secondary and make plays.
24. Buffalo Bills (mock trade via Dallas): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
After losing Gabe Davis and trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, the Bills see a chance to move up and grab their next impact receiver. Thomas is a dangerous vertical threat who has the traits to develop into a true No. 1.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (mock trade via Green Bay): Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
It wouldn’t be shocking to see GM Trent Baalke go the other direction and make an aggressive trade up for a cornerback or one of the top wideouts. In this scenario, the Jaguars move down and come away with a prospect who has the size and movement skills to be an All-Pro-caliber receiver with more consistent effort.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
Robinson doesn’t have the size or production of a typical first-round pass rusher, but the Gaithersburg native and Maryland transfer has rare athleticism and quickness to consistently beat blockers off the edge.
27. Miami Dolphins (mock trade via Arizona, Houston): Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
The Dolphins trade down and still come away with a top prospect at a position of need. Newton is a touch undersized for the position, but he can still shed blocks with the best of ’em and would help fill Christian Wilkins’ big shoes in the middle of the defense.
28. Dallas Cowboys (mock trade via Buffalo): Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
There’s a lot of pressure on the Cowboys to come away with multiple starters in this draft, and that starts with figuring out the offensive line. Guyton might not be ready to start at left tackle right away, but his size and athleticism are worth betting on.
29. Washington Commanders (mock trade via Detroit): Jordan Morgan, OT/G, Arizona
ESPN analyst Jordan Reid said Washington trading into the first round is the “worst kept secret” in the draft. With several tackle-needy teams ahead of them, the Commanders make a move to secure Morgan, a smooth mover who has the versatility to play guard or tackle.
30. Ravens: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
Maybe it’s unrealistic to expect the Ravens to land a player as highly ranked as McKinstry, but sometimes that’s just how the board falls. With Marlon Humphrey coming off an injury-riddled season and Brandon Stephens entering a contract year, the Ravens need to bolster their depth at cornerback.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
It would come as a surprise if the 49ers traded Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk, but neither is signed beyond 2025. Legette is big, fast and explosive with the ball in his hands, and would provide valuable insurance if San Francisco decides to move on from one of its top two receivers.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
Entering the draft, the Chiefs’ top option at left tackle is 2023 third-round pick Wanya Morris. Suamataia is far from a finished product, but the former five-star recruit is an explosive athlete with room to grow who can develop into a reliable starter.
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The Ravens’ draft board is mostly set at this point. Save for a few “tweaks,” as general manager Eric DeCosta put it earlier this month, they have a pretty good idea of whom they will draft at No. 30 in the first round and beyond, with adjustments made along the way based on who’s still available.
Unlike last year, when Baltimore entered the draft with just five picks — its fewest since 1999 — DeCosta has nine selections this time.
Given the various holes on the roster after more than a dozen players from last year’s 13-4 team headed elsewhere because of free agency or other moves, the Ravens will need every one of them.
If they are to compete for another AFC North title and their first Super Bowl appearance in more than a decade, they have to find several players who can contribute as rookies, and in some cases significantly so. That’s just one reason DeCosta could look to add even more picks to this year’s haul with a draft day trade or two, with the belief that the more picks he has, the more likely he can find players who can make an immediate impact.
“It’s great to have additional picks,” DeCosta said during the team’s predraft news conference two weeks ago. “You certainly have to have players that you covet and that you want to draft. So, that’s always a factor with every draft.
“I always think about it as, ‘What picks do you need to get the players that you want to take?’ You can have some great picks, but if the board doesn’t fall the right way, and you’re looking at a bunch of players that aren’t any better than the players you have on your roster, those picks don’t really help you very much. I like the idea of having more picks, but I want to have more picks in a specific range in the draft. If we can get that done, then I could see us being in a good position to really maximize our chances to find good players.”
In terms of those players and what the Ravens need most, here’s a look at the positions they’re most likely to fill in the draft, which begins Thursday night in Detroit.
Offensive line
With three starters from last season’s line having departed via free agency or trade, this is easily the Ravens’ biggest need in terms of sheer volume. Gone are guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler, signing lucrative deals with the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, respectively, while right tackle Morgan Moses was dealt to the Jets in a draft pick swap.
Coach John Harbaugh said earlier this month that there are “absolutely” young players already on the roster who can step in, but all of them have question marks.
Is Daniel Faalele ready to take a sizable leap forward in Year 3 to become an every-down starter at tackle? Did Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu improve enough from his rookie year after getting beaten out by Simpson last summer? How will guard Andrew Vorhees fare after missing his rookie season because of a torn ACL? Baltimore has versatile veterans in Patrick Mekari and Josh Jones, but they are mostly rotational players.
The good news for Baltimore is that the two deepest positions of this draft class are offensive line and wide receiver. The Ravens have also drafted at least two offensive linemen in six of the past eight drafts, so don’t expect this one to be any different.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh talks with wide receiver Rashod Bateman during practice last season. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Wide receiver
There’s certainly an argument to be made that this is the Ravens’ biggest need, with second-year receiver Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and unspectacular but dependable veteran Nelson Agholor the top three on the depth chart and the group thin after that.
The only other receivers on the roster are Tylan Wallace, who has played mostly on special teams his first three seasons, and Sean Ryan, who played zero snaps as a rookie last year. The good news is, it’s a deep class.
There should be plenty of opportunities for the Ravens to add an immediate contributor to this group, whether that’s early in the draft or in the middle rounds. Given the abundance of offensive linemen and receivers, it’s possible Baltimore could trade out of the first round, acquire an extra pick or two and bolster both positions.
Edge rusher
The Ravens made a smart decision to bring back veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who had a career-high nine sacks last season. Signed for $9 million over two years, he’s a much more affordable option than Jadeveon Clowney, whom the Carolina Panthers are paying $20 million over two seasons after he recorded 9 1/2 sacks for the Ravens last year.
There are questions about the rest of the Ravens’ pass rushers, though, including whether Odafe Oweh can somehow find consistency in Year 4 and if David Ojabo can remain healthy after essentially missing his first two seasons because of injuries.
Baltimore has a history of signing veteran pass rushers during the summer and it’s a route they’ll likely take again with some options still out there, including Emmanuel Ogbah, Yannick Ngakoue and Shaq Lawson. Unlike the offensive line and wide receiver class, this is not a deep draft or even one with high-end talent.
Consider the strong chance that the top pass rushers will likely be off the board before the Ravens are on the clock, and it’s less likely they’ll find a major contributor via the draft.
With safety Geno Stone, right, in Cincinnati and cornerback Brandon Stephens, left, entering the final year of his deal, the Ravens need reinforcements in the secondary. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Cornerback
The Ravens are in good shape with Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens on the outside and Arthur Maulet returning in the slot. Baltimore also signed free agent Ka’Dar Hollman, though the 29-year-old has just two starts across three seasons and has mostly played special teams and as a depth piece in the defensive backfield.
Beyond that, the group, much like the receiving corps, is thin.
Things only get more concerning when factoring in Humphrey’s age (he turns 28 in July), recent injuries (foot and calf in 2023) and pricey contract ($22.8 million cap hit in 2024). Stephens, meanwhile, is set to become a free agent after this upcoming season and could become cost-prohibitive given rising contract figures and other players who will become extension-eligible at the same time, notably All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton and Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum.
Damarion “Pepe” Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis, meanwhile, have struggled to be consistent, both in their play and ability to stay on the field.
The Ravens like to say they take a “best player available” approach in the draft, and a cornerback such as Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry might check that box near the end of Round 1.
Safety
Much like cornerback, Baltimore has no concern with its top two players at the position, Hamilton and Marcus Williams. But the Ravens like to use three safeties, and Geno Stone’s departure to the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals leaves a void.
The Ravens have Ar’Darius Washington, but he was used primarily in the slot last season. Stephens, originally tabbed for a safety role last year, gives them flexibility, but moving him would stress the outside.
If either Hamilton or Williams gets injured, as the latter did last year, there would be a big problem. Adding another player to the rotation either in free agency or the draft makes sense.
NFL draft
Round 1: Thursday, 8 p.m.
Rounds 2-3: Friday, 7 p.m.
Rounds 4-7: Saturday, noon
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
Ravens draft picks
Round 1: No. 30
Round 2: No. 62
Round 3: No. 93
Round 4: No. 113 (from Denver Broncos through Jets)
Round 4: No. 130
Round 5: No. 165
Round 6: No. 218
Round 7: No. 228 (from Jets)
Round 7: No. 250
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Different drafts serve different purposes for the Ravens as they persist with their mission to contend every season. Last year, with no second-round pick and only six picks total, general manager Eric DeCosta went looking for bets that might pay off in 2024 or 2025. Going into this year, DeCosta has made it plain that he sees the next two pick-rich drafts as major opportunities to restock his roster depth.
As we guess how DeCosta might go about that mission, it’s useful to look at his recent past as a drafter. Which picks did he nail? Where were his blind spots? Did the Ravens get what they needed out of each draft? With that in mind, let’s review every one of the team’s picks and every one of its drafts as a whole going back to 2021.
2021
Rashod Bateman (Round 1, pick 27)
Bateman was a durable, productive pass catcher at Minnesota, praised for his attention to detail as a route runner and capable of busting free downfield. He was expected to fit seamlessly with Marquise Brown to give Lamar Jackson an exciting set of young targets. Over three seasons, we have seen all the talent that put Bateman in this spot, but his rookie totals of 46 catches and 515 yards remain career highs, in part because of terrible injury luck and in part because his chemistry with Jackson has yet to click consistently. Data showed Bateman routinely separating from defensive backs last season, but he did not see increased targets and finished with just one touchdown catch. DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh have said they expect a major leap from Bateman this season, and the Ravens backed up those statements by signing him to an extension through 2026. Grade: C
Odafe Oweh (Round 1, pick 31)
With a pick they obtained by trading starting right tackle Orlando Brown Jr., the Ravens took one of the draft’s most spectacular physical talents. The two numbers everyone knew about Oweh? Zero sacks in his final season at Penn State and the 4.36-second 40-yard dash he ran at 6 feet 5 and 257 pounds. In reality, he has been neither boom nor bust over three seasons in Baltimore. The Ravens probably hoped for more than 13 sacks in 45 games, but Oweh’s underlying pressure numbers are better than that, and last season was his best. He’s a candidate to break out, much as his pal, Justin Madubuike, did in 2023. The Ravens face a vexing decision on his fifth-year option. Grade: B-
Ben Cleveland (Round 3, pick 94)
Harbaugh gushed about this pick, believing the Ravens had obtained a perfect inside mauler to clear space for their runners. Cleveland has struggled to get on the field, however, because of injuries, lackluster conditioning and subpar mobility. To his credit, he has held up fairly well when called to duty, and he will have a real chance to start at guard in the last season of his rookie deal. Grade: C-
Brandon Stephens (Round 3, pick 104)
Stephens’ versatility and pugnacious style made him an intriguing developmental prospect for the secondary, but the converted running back was an obscurity to many draft watchers. Stephens blossomed in his third season, erasing fears over the team’s lack of secondary depth by seizing a starting cornerback job and delivering above-average performance. He will enter 2024 as a starter at a premium position with a chance to earn a tasty deal next offseason. Grade: A-
Ravens vs. Lions
Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunRavens cornerback Brandon Stephens blossomed in his third season. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Tylan Wallace (Round 4, pick 131)
Pundits and fans loved Wallace as a potential value play at wide receiver coming off a productive career at Oklahoma State. He didn’t play much his first two seasons but fought his way off the roster bubble last summer and made one of the most exciting plays of 2023 with his walk-off punt return against the Los Angeles Rams. Grade: C+
Shaun Wade (Round 5, pick 160)
Once regarded as a potential first-round pick based on his decorated career at Ohio State, Wade never made a push for snaps with the Ravens, who traded him for a pair of late-round picks at the end of his rookie summer. Grade: D
Daelin Hayes (Round 5, pick 171)
The odds of finding a starting edge rusher in the fifth round are minuscule, but Hayes arrived with a nifty set of moves and flashed in summer workouts. He could never translate that performance to training camp, and injuries derailed his development. Grade: D
Ben Mason (Round 5, pick 184)
The Ravens steered into their image by drafting a fullback who played for Harbaugh’s brother at Michigan. Mason showed good hands in training camp and hung around the team’s practice squad but never threatened to displace Pat Ricard. Grade: C-
Overall: The Ravens’ top needs coming off a season that ended in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs were a dynamic wide receiver, a productive edge rusher and blockers who could keep Jackson upright against a playoff-quality defense. DeCosta went right at those holes with his first three picks, but the results have been uneven at best. His second third-round pick, Stephens, prompted the most chin-scratching on draft day but returned the best value last season. The Ravens got no game day production from Wade, Hayes or Mason. If neither Bateman nor Oweh breaks out, this could go down as DeCosta’s weakest draft. Grade: C
2022
Kyle Hamilton (Round 1, pick 14)
Some questioned the Ravens using such a high pick on a safety when they already had two starters at the position and when Hamilton’s exact fit was unclear. What we’ve learned over two seasons is that Hamilton fits anywhere because he can do almost anything, from covering tight ends to dropping running backs to rushing off the edge. He might be the best safety in the league and the most important player on the Ravens’ defense. Grade: A+
Kevin Richardson / Baltimore SunThe Ravens nailed their first two picks in the 2022 draft with safety Kyle Hamilton, second from left, and center Tyler Linderbaum, second from right. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)Tyler Linderbaum (Round 1, pick 25)
Some second guessers wondered why the Ravens would use the payoff for trading Marquise Brown on a center. But Linderbaum has been exactly as advertised, starting since the minute he showed up, making the Pro Bowl in his second season and giving the Ravens a building block for their offensive line. Grade: A
David Ojabo (Round 2, pick 45)
This was the Ravens’ big value play as they stashed an edge rusher who would have gone in the first round had he not torn his Achilles tendon during his pro day at Michigan. The hope was that Ojabo would bust out in his second season, but knee surgery shut him down again, and he’s back to the drawing board as he prepares for another shot in 2024. There’s still time for DeCosta’s risk to pay off. Grade: C-
Travis Jones (Round 3, pick 76)
The Ravens have always loved using mid-round picks to accumulate future starters for their defensive interior, and the 6-4, 338-pound Jones is on track after he took a step forward in 2023. He’s still projected to share time with Michael Pierce but has the talent to become a more frequent playmaker. Grade: B
Daniel Faalele (Round 4, pick 110)
The biggest player in the draft wasn’t ready when thrust into an emergency start at tackle as a rookie. The Ravens liked Faalele’s progress going into Year 2, and he helped them by rotating in for a hurting Morgan Moses late in the season. Will he have a real chance to start in 2024, or will the Ravens fill Moses’ shoes in this draft? Grade: B-
Jalyn Armour-Davis (Round 4, pick 119)
Armour-Davis had the speed to be another first-round cornerback out of Alabama but could not stay on the field consistently. That has been the story of his NFL career as well, and he might be running low on chances. Grade: C-
Charlie Kolar (Round 4, pick 128)
The Ravens saw Kolar as a possession target who could relieve Mark Andrews. Then, they hoped he might add strength and polish his blocking to fit an in-line role. He has yet to find his niche and could be on the roster bubble going into training camp. Grade: C-
Jordan Stout (Round 4, pick 130)
Stout’s big leg and all-around athleticism made him the Ravens’ choice to succeed franchise institution Sam Koch at punter. He’s locked in as the team’s starter but still searching for the consistency, especially on more tactically delicate punts, that set Koch apart. Grade: B
Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely flashed star potential as a pass catcher from the moment he stepped on the practice field in the summer of 2022. (Jerry Jackson/Staff) Isaiah Likely (Round 4, pick 139)
Likely flashed star potential as a pass catcher from the moment he stepped on the practice field in the summer of 2022 and was a major reason why the Ravens thrived in Andrews’ absence last year. The trick now will be to get him and Andrews producing at the same time. Either way, Likely is integral to the Ravens’ plans for giving Jackson a dynamic set of targets. Grade: A-
Damarion Williams (Round 4, pick 141)
Williams has potential as an option to cover slot receivers, but injuries wiped out his opportunity to show it in 2023. Grade: C
Tyler Badie (Round 6, pick 196)
Badie couldn’t find an opportunity with the Ravens, and the Denver Broncos signed the running back off their practice squad in December 2022. Grade: C-
Overall: DeCosta took an unusual approach, steering away from premium positions with his first two picks, but it’s hard to argue with any draft that yields a pair of Pro Bowl selections in the first round. The gamble on Ojabo has yet to pay off, and the six fourth-round picks are a mixed bag, as one might expect. Jones and especially Likely could provide outstanding value. Grade: A
2023
Zay Flowers (Round 1, pick 22)
DeCosta used his first pick on a wide receiver for the third time in five years, and Flowers proved to be a good one, leading the Ravens in catches and receiving yards as a rookie. He also produced in the playoffs, though his goal line fumble was a key negative play in the Ravens’ AFC championship game loss. The Ravens are still figuring out how to use Flowers, who was frequently bottled up when Jackson targeted him with quick outside throws. But he’s the team’s No. 1 receiver going into 2024. Grade: A-
Trenton Simpson (Round 3, pick 86)
The Ravens didn’t have a second-round pick because they traded it for Pro Bowl linebacker Roquan Smith. In the third round, they chose a potential future partner for Smith in the speedy Simpson. With Patrick Queen on the field for almost every defensive snap in 2023, Simpson didn’t play much, but he excelled in the regular-season finale and will be the top candidate to fill Queen’s shoes this year. Grade: B
Ravens inside linebacker Trenton Simpson, with the ball, and outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, right, could make the 2023 draft look even better if they can step into bigger roles in 2024. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Tavius Robinson (Round 4, pick 124)
Robinson was the steadiest contributor from the class other than Queen. The 6-foot-6, 258-pound outside linebacker didn’t flash much as a pass rusher but was sturdy enough as an edge-setter that the Ravens gave him defensive snaps in every regular-season game. Grade: B-
Kyu Blu Kelly (Round 5, pick 157)
Even when injuries struck their secondary during training camp, the Ravens never seemed to see Kelly as a viable option to step in at cornerback. They waived him at the end of training camp, and he bounced to three other teams by the end of the season. Grade: D
Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (Round 6, pick 199)
The Ravens treated the 6-5, 325-pound Aumavae-Laulu as a potential starting guard going into training camp, but he quickly fell behind in that competition and was regularly inactive on game days once the season started. He’s rarely mentioned as a candidate to fill one of the three open starter jobs on the Ravens’ offensive line, a sign of how raw he proved to be. Grade: C+
Andrew Vorhees (Round 7, pick 229)
DeCosta pulled a nifty move, jumping back into the last round to add an experienced, powerful offensive lineman who would have been picked several rounds higher if he was healthy. Vorhees is back from that torn ACL and is expected to compete for snaps at guard this summer. Teams don’t find many starters in the last round, so the upside here is significant. Grade: B
Overall: This is the most difficult draft to grade because two of the key picks, Simpson and Vorhees, could jump into significant roles this year. If both of them join Flowers in the starting lineup, that would be a great payoff for six total picks, but we can’t say for sure. Grade: B-
NFL draft
Round 1: Thursday, 8 p.m.
Rounds 2-3: Friday, 7 p.m.
Rounds 4-7: Saturday, noon
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s guests to the city’s private suites at M&T Bank Stadium and Camden Yards last year included members of his family, local labor leaders, numerous elected officials and a few donors to his campaign, records released by the city show.
As part of lease agreements with the Maryland Stadium Authority, the Baltimore mayor, as well as the governor, are provided with skyboxes — valued at thousands of dollars per game — at the Ravens and Orioles stadiums. There are no restrictions on who the officials can invite.
Records obtained by The Baltimore Sun via a Public Information Act request show Scott was a frequent attendee at games held at both sports stadiums as was his mother, Donna Scott, and fiancée Hana Pugh.
At Camden Yards, Scott occupied the city’s third base side suite Opening Day and during 12 additional games that season. He attended two late-season games against division rivals the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. In July, he sat in the suite with women’s basketball star Angel Reese. The city’s suite package includes additional tickets to each game located behind home plate. Scott’s spokesman Bryan Doherty said the mayor has used those seats for some games, while he has personally purchased tickets in that area for others. Records provided to The Sun do not indicate how those tickets were allocated.
Scott’s office typically distributes tickets for the entire suite at Camden Yards to an agency or group, while suite tickets for M&T Bank Stadium are handed out individually.
Scott’s top staffers were repeat guests in both suites in 2023. Chief of Staff Marvin James attended seven Ravens games and occupied the Orioles box for three. City Administrator Faith Leach was invited to five Ravens games and had the Orioles suite for three, records showed. State Del. Caylin Young, who works for Scott as the deputy director of the Office of Equity and Civil Rights, received two suite passes each to two Ravens games in September and December. Suite passes require the holder to have a ticket for a seat elsewhere in the stadium, but grant access to the stadium’s suite level. Calvin Young, Caylin Young’s brother and Scott’s campaign treasurer, received suite passes to four Ravens games.
Elected officials were often recipients of tickets for both the Ravens and Orioles suites. Every member of the Baltimore City Council received tickets for the Orioles box for at least one game in 2023 except for Councilman Zeke Cohen. Cohen said he has a policy of not accepting free tickets. Council President Nick Mosby was the most frequent council guest at Camden Yards. He received suite tickets for three games during the 2023 season. Baltimore County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr., Baltimore County Councilman Pat Young, state Del. Luke Clippinger and Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates also used Orioles suite tickets. All are Democrats.
Mosby was also the council’s most frequent attendee at M&T Bank Stadium. The council president received two tickets to 10 football games including one playoff game. Eight other members of the Baltimore City Council went to at least one game in 2023, but most attended more. Councilman Antonio Glover attended four games through a combination of tickets and suite passes. Five members of the council attended the divisional round playoff game on Jan. 20 as did Comptroller Bill Henry, records showed.
Other elected officials who were guests of the mayor at M&T Bank at least once last season included: Bates, state Del. Stephanie Smith, state Sen. Cory McCray, state Sen. Antonio Hayes and state Sen. Arthur Ellis, a representative of Charles County. Former Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who first hired Scott and has served as a mentor to the mayor, received suite passes to two Ravens games.
City employees were also regular guests, particularly at Orioles games. More than a dozen city offices were given tickets to the box during the 2023 season.
At least one city labor leader was generally in attendance at each Ravens game in 2023. Tickets went to Josh Fannon and Matthew Coster, presidents of the two city fire unions; Antoinette Ryan, president of City Union of Baltimore; Clyde Boatwright, president of the Maryland State Fraternal Order of Police; Diamonté Brown, president of the Baltimore Teachers Union; and Ricarra Jones, political director for SEIU Local 1199 United Healthcare Workers East. Mike Mancuso, president of the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police, received a suite pass to one game.
SEIU Local 1199, the Baltimore Teachers Union and both fire unions have endorsed Scott during his bid for reelection. The primary is May 14.
Several donors to Scott’s campaign were among suite guests at Ravens games. Phillip Stokes, a principal with media company greiBO solutions, attended four games in the city’s Ravens suite in 2023. Stokes gave $1,500 to Scott’s campaign earlier this year. Jeffrey Hargrave, founder and president of commercial construction firm Mahogany Inc., was the recipient of two tickets to the Ravens suite in September. Hargrave gave the Scott campaign $6,000. Mahogany gave $2,500.
Brandon Wylie, co-owner of florist Fleurs D’Ave, was a guest in the Ravens suite for the divisional round playoff game as was Al Wylie, owner of Wylie Funeral Home. Wylie Funeral Home contributed $1,000 to Scott’s campaign in January 2023. Brandon Wylie contributed $10,000 to Scott’s campaign during the current election cycle, above the $6,000 individual maximum. Following a Sun story about the overage, the campaign said it has issued Wylie a refund for $4,000.
Scott’s mother attended nine football games in 2023 including the divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans. (The Sun’s record request did not include the conference championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs.) Pugh attended six regular season football games and one preseason game. Pugh’s son, Ceron, attended four games.
Other notable guests to Ravens games included:
- Robyn Murphy, owner of a media consulting company that founded a legal-defense fund to benefit Nick and Marilyn Mosby. Murphy received a ticket to a game in November and three tickets to a game in January;
- Brittney Verner, a then-reporter for television station WMAR. Verner attended a game in the mayor’s suite on Nov. 16. She has since left the station, but published a story about Scott in December;
- Ike Carter, an organizer behind 300 Men March, a group co-founded by Scott. Carter received suite passes to 11 Ravens games.
In addition to the better-known guests to the Ravens suite were numerous community members who were also selected to attend. Youth from the city’s Brooklyn Homes neighborhood were invited to a preseason game in August one month after a mass shooting there killed two and injured 28, many young people.
Community groups were frequent recipients of the city’s suite at Camden Yards, too. Church groups and faith leaders received tickets as did the Fund for Educational Excellence, Uproar Care Foundation, Mt. Washington School and College Bound.
Scott said he has made a point to try to get more tickets into the hands of average city residents since he became mayor.
“If you look at my record on how we give out the city’s tickets to sporting events, and you compare them to folks that came before me, a lot more average Baltimoreans are getting those tickets, sometimes much to the chagrin of other elected officials,” he said.
Use of the city’s suites at M&T Bank Stadium and Camden Yards came under a spotlight during the administration of Rawlings-Blake after she rescinded an offer of tickets to then-City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young to a playoff game in 2012 after he publicly criticized her. Public records requests filed by The Sun at the time showed Rawlings-Blake was using the box primarily for city employees, prominent business leaders, donors to her campaign and family members.
Henry, the city’s comptroller who had suite tickets for two Orioles games in 2023, said he has seen a shift during the Scott administration to include more non-elected officials and community leaders in the suites than his predecessors.
“It’s a very, very important thing for me,” Scott said. “I try to … help those families, especially families that have been through a lot, people who quite frankly need a little bit of good in their life.”
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In suites reserved for Wes Moore at Maryland’s publicly owned sports stadiums, the governor welcomed more than 1,000 different individuals or groups during the Orioles’ and Ravens’ 2023 seasons — making up a list filled with government staffers and political allies, friends and family, community leaders, donors and executives, according to rosters The Baltimore Sun obtained through public records requests.
The suites, which typically cost thousands of dollars per game, at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium are built into contracts between the teams and the Maryland Stadium Authority. They have long been used by governors. Under Moore, a lifelong sports fanatic who played wide receiver at Johns Hopkins University, it was no different for his first year as Maryland’s sports fan-in-chief, the records show.
Some visited frequently — one cabinet member went to a quarter of the Orioles’ 81-game home slate. Others showed up for a game or two, like Baltimore native and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi cheering on the Ravens with Moore at a disappointing AFC Championship game in January, or prominent local developer David Bramble watching the Orioles lose in game 2 of the ALDS in October.
Invitations have gone to both the leaders of the powerful teachers’ union — the Maryland State Education Association — and local education-focused groups like Building African American Minds, a nonprofit based in Easton. At the Sept. 28 Orioles game, when Moore surprised the city by announcing the initial agreement on a new stadium lease, the guests included volunteers and staff for We Our Us, a Baltimore group working with young people to avoid violence.
More recently, on opening day last month, Moore honored Maryland Transportation Authority Police Officers just days after they stopped traffic on the Francis Scott Key Bridge moments before its collapse.
Mar. 28, 2024: At Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Governor Wes Moore shakes the hand of officer Garry Kirts, left, one of the first responders at the Key Bridge collapse. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Pelosi, whose father and brother were both Baltimore mayors, and her husband, Paul, were among several prominent names in the suites for the Ravens playoff games. Those also included former Orioles player Adam Jones, state Senate President Bill Ferguson and Downtown Partnership of Baltimore President Shelonda Stokes at the same Jan. 28 game. Two Eastern Shore Republicans were also there, Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano and Del. Carl Anderton, along with Baltimore Democratic Sen. Antonio Hayes, according to the guest list.
A week earlier, at the Jan. 20 playoff win against the Houston Texans, were Maryland Democratic Party leader Ken Ulman and Montgomery County Councilman Will Jawando, who ran for and dropped out of the ongoing U.S. Senate race a few months earlier.
The Orioles disappointing playoff games, meanwhile, featured a who’s who of Maryland politicos at the suite with a view from behind home plate. Invited to the Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 games were U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, U.S. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, former U.S. Rep. Tom McMillen, and state leaders Attorney General Anthony Brown, House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, Treasurer Dereck Davis and Comptroller Brooke Lierman. All are Democrats.
Also among that crowd: Bramble, the Baltimore developer who, three weeks later, stood with Moore and other elected officials to unveil his plans to redevelop Harborplace, which his firm had purchased out of receivership in 2022. Bramble was the only private sector executive aside from John Avirett, a partner at the private equity group Stepstone, on the list for those games.
The other standout on those Orioles playoff lists is Paul Edwards, a Republican who heads the Garrett County Board of Commissioners. Edwards said in an interview that he and Moore had bonded over a mutual love of Baltimore sports during one of Moore’s visits to Western Maryland.
“He invited me to discuss some priorities. We spent most of that time together talking about childhood memories of the Orioles,” Edwards said, laughing about how they’ve been able to strike a friendship despite their political differences. “We’re about as opposite as you can get. He’s a big city guy and a Democrat and I’m a small-town country boy and a Republican.”
Edwards was one of only two Republicans — the other being Rising Sun Mayor Travis Marion — among the 97 individuals who attended at least two Orioles games in the governor’s suite in 2023. Half of those were staff in Moore’s administration. Most of the rest were either elected officials or high-ranking state appointees.
Brown, the attorney general, went to four games, as did Labor Secretary Portia Wu and Veterans Secretary Tony Woods. Cardin, Ruppersberger and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., a Democrat, each went twice.
The most frequent visitor to the governor’s Orioles box, though, was Tisha Edwards, a Moore cabinet member who worked in top roles during his campaign and previously at the education-focused startup he ran, called BridgeEdU. Before that, she was a top Baltimore City government and schools official.
Now serving as the governor’s secretary of appointments — a position in charge of vetting and nominating hundreds of appointed positions every year — Edwards attended 21 Orioles games, more than a quarter of the team’s appearances at home. Her partner, Lamont Riley, attended 12, which was the fourth-most of any individual and seven more than any other person who was not a government employee.
The records show Edwards, who did not respond to a request for comment through a governor’s office spokesperson, attended two Ravens games. She was one of the 19 individuals or groups — out of 160 total — who attended more than once.
There is no formal policy in the governor’s office on how frequently staff can grab a ticket, though staff members “work hard to ensure that as many people as possible have access to games,” said spokesperson Carter Elliott IV. Capacity for the Orioles suite is 22 people and for the Ravens suite it’s 24, Elliott said. Market rates for the suites are between $2,000 and $6,000 at Oriole Park and between $8,000 and $25,000 at M&T Bank Stadium, according to Suite Experience Group, an online marketplace that sells tickets.
Others scattered throughout the guest lists are friends or donors to Moore.
The July 28 game against the Yankees, for instance, included a small list of wealthy investors and their spouses from New York and elsewhere who have also donated to Moore’s campaign or his inauguration. That included investor David Kleinhandler, hedge fund manager Paul Touradji and private equity firm manager Ernest Lyles.
Moore was previously a New York-based investment banker and chief executive of Robin Hood, one of the country’s largest anti-poverty nonprofits. His predecessor, Republican Larry Hogan, had similarly entered office in 2015 from a successful private business career running the real estate-focused Hogan Companies.
In Hogan’s early years in office, he frequently invited Hogan Companies employees to the stadium suites, according to previous Baltimore Sun reporting.
Moore’s family has also attended games in the suites. His mother, Joy Moore, went to four Ravens games while his sisters, Shani Moore and Nikki Moore, went to three and two, respectively.
Moore himself attended several Orioles games and most of the Ravens games in his first year in office. An enthusiastic cheerleader for the teams and their role in Baltimore, he’s thrown out the first pitch on opening day, tossed footballs with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and talked about his pride in securing the Orioles’ new lease that will keep them at Camden Yards for up to three more decades.
“I’m really proud that 20 years from now, hopefully, I’ll be able to hang out with my kids and grandkids at Camden Yards, watching the Orioles play,” Moore said in an interview earlier this year.
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Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after wide receiver Rashod Bateman signed an extension with the Ravens through the 2026 season on Wednesday before Thursday night’s NFL draft.
Brian Wacker, reporter: Giving Bateman an extension is a calculated but risky move. In three years in Baltimore, he’s had just one fully healthy season, which came last year when he had 32 catches for 367 yards and only one touchdown. That’s middling production at best, though not all of it should be pinned on Bateman, who was open often but rarely in rhythm with Lamar Jackson, a disconnect that was at times seemingly on the quarterback. There’s no denying Bateman’s talent — he’s a fluid and fast route runner with excellent hands who can take the top off defenses. But foot injuries are unpredictable and who knows whether Jackson and Bateman can ever be consistently in sync. That said, the Ravens need Bateman and need him engaged. Beyond him, Zay Flowers and Nelson Agholor, the receiving corps gets thin quickly. They could draft a receiver, but finding an immediate contributor is anything but a guarantee. Declining his option would have signaled they were ready to move on from him and picking it up would have been even more expensive. With Baltimore showing Bateman it believes in him by extending him now, perhaps he’ll be poised to break out.
Childs Walker, reporter: The Ravens like their draft week surprises, and this was another one, given that some fans had convinced themselves Bateman would be traded. A skeptic might look at Bateman’s production through three seasons and say there’s no way he merits an extension. An optimist would counter that he has flashed plenty of talent for getting open downfield and that the interruptions to his career have been beyond his control. The bottom line is it’s a reasonable bet on a pass catcher with so much upside. On a human level, it’s cool to see the Ravens show faith in a guy who has done his best to stand tall through maddening injuries and personal anguish. Bateman is in line to start and be Jackson’s top deep target this season. This is his time.
Mike Preston, columnist: General manager Eric DeCosta must have seen something in Bateman’s performance a year ago that warranted an extension. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen that. Bateman has always been a player with great potential, but never lived up to the reputation. This was a surprising move.
C.J. Doon, editor: I was wondering whether the Ravens would trade Bateman during the draft, let alone pick up his fifth-year option before the May 2 deadline, so this is pretty surprising to me. That said, it makes a ton of sense. Bateman’s stats haven’t been what many expected since he was drafted in the first round in 2021, but his underlying numbers and performance on film suggest better days are ahead. In ESPN’s receiver tracking analytics, which use player-tracking data from NFL Next Gen Stats to evaluate every route a pass catcher runs, Bateman posted an “open score” of 62 (on a 0-99 scale) last season that ranked 37th in the league. He might never become the true No. 1 outside receiver the Ravens and their fans have always craved, but he’s only 24 years old. The Ravens are betting he’ll ascend, and that’s probably a smart bet. And given the exploding wide receiver market (Amon-Ra St. Brown just got $120 million over four years with $77 million guaranteed from the Detroit Lions), signing a young player to a reasonable deal is prudent team building.
Tim Schwartz, editor: Well, this one is a surprise. I think the terms of the deal are important here. The scuttlebutt was that the Ravens might be looking to trade their 2021 first-round pick for some draft capital this weekend or for 2025, but clearly they view Bateman as someone who fits Todd Monken’s scheme and has likely run into some bad luck since arriving in Baltimore. At the least, this gives quarterback Lamar Jackson some much-needed continuity after so much transition at the position. While Bateman has not been stellar with the Ravens, he likely has not reached his ceiling, and perhaps the peace of mind of this contract pushes him to the next level. It’s likely this deal gives the Ravens some cap room in 2025, too, considering his fifth-year option would have been fairly expensive. This feels like it could be a boom or bust move for Baltimore.
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When Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was asked earlier this month if he’d made a decision about wide receiver Rashod Bateman’s fifth-year contract option, he said he had about a month to make that decision before the May 2 deadline. He didn’t wait that long.
On Wednesday, the team announced a contract extension with Bateman, keeping the 2021 first-round draft pick in Baltimore through 2026. Terms of the deal were not announced.
The move comes just eight days before the Ravens had to decide whether to pick up or decline his option. Declining it would have made Bateman, 24, a free agent after the 2024 season.
In three injury-filled seasons with the Ravens, Bateman has 93 catches for 1,167 yards and four touchdowns, though 2023 marked the first season in which he was healthy for an entire campaign.
“Congratulations to ‘Bate’ and his family,” DeCosta said in a statement. “This is a good day for the Ravens.”
This story will be updated.
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The Ravens are looking for offensive linemen in the NFL draft, but their philosophy should change. Instead of looking for the dominant, physical maulers up front, they should seek versatile performers who can balance run and pass blocking.
In recent seasons, the Ravens have been one of the best — if not the best — in the NFL at running the ball, but they can’t get to the Super Bowl because of their inability to protect quarterback Lamar Jackson.
It hasn’t mattered who has lined up under center, the results have been the same. In the gut-wrenching wild-card playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals two seasons ago, backup Tyler Huntley was sacked twice and hit five times.
In the 17-10 AFC championship game loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs, Jackson was sacked four times in a game that was reminiscent of the 23-17 wild-card-round loss to the Los Angeles Chargers after his breakthrough 2018 rookie season.
The Ravens should stress more versatility with their offensive linemen and draft players who can do more than maul people in the running game. There are several holes to fill, including both guard spots and right tackle. This draft presents them with several opportunities to find a starter, or more than one.
“It’s a very deep pool of players,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said of the offensive linemen class in this draft, which begins Thursday night in Detroit. “We see a lot of different opportunities in different rounds to get players at tackle, guard and center, and we’re excited about that.”
It’s still possible that the Ravens might want to trade down from their No. 30 overall spot in the first round to acquire more picks in later rounds or for next year’s draft, which is already considered to be one of the strongest in a while. They might also want to select a receiver or a cornerback, but filling out the offensive line is the more pressing need.
One of the main reasons the Ravens have struggled in the postseason is because they either can’t keep pace with opposing quarterbacks or have panicked out of fear.
In the playoffs, the Ravens have to face quarterbacks such as the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes or the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen. The Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud isn’t going away and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert, with new coach Jim Harbaugh, should be formidable.
Those quarterbacks excel in the passing game, and a 10-point lead might seem insurmountable against some of those top signal-callers. That’s what happened to the Ravens in the AFC title game — Baltimore panicked and its top two running backs, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, had only six rushing attempts.
Ravens training camp
Kevin RichardsonRavens offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris gives instructions to guard Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, right, during training camp last year. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)The Ravens’ struggles haven’t just been in the postseason, either. For most of the 2023 regular season, right tackle Morgan Moses had problems with speed rushers. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley was constantly overpowered.
The Ravens traded Moses in March to the New York Jets in exchange for draft picks, and Stanley’s monstrous contract was renegotiated to make it more salary cap friendly. The Ravens also lost their two starting guards in free agency in John Simpson to the Jets and right guard Kevin Zeitler to the Lions.
So, rebuilding on the offensive line and protecting their star quarterback is the priority. The Ravens might have some capable replacements in 6-foot-8, 380-pound right tackle Daniel Faalele and 6-6, 370-pound right guard Ben Cleveland, but neither bend well at the knees and have struggled in pass protection in limited action.
Perhaps if both have strong offseasons in the weight room, that will change. Stanley, in his ninth season, has struggled since his 2020 ankle injury and his best years are probably behind him.
That leaves the Ravens with Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, swing lineman Patrick Mekari and possibly Andrew Vorhees, who missed all of his rookie season while recovering from an injury, as their starting left guard. Merkari can play any position on the line, but his body probably can’t hold up for an entire season as a starter. He’s more valuable in his current role.
Center Tyler Linderbaum, left, and swing tackle Patrick Mekari will be playing next to new guards in 2024. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Vorhees, who had a stellar career at Southern California before the Ravens selected him in the seventh round, might be a sleeper. He was projected to be a fourth-round pick before tearing his ACL at the scouting combine.
“Andrew was a guy that I’ve seen on tape, and I thought that he was a good player and that he would have a chance long term to be a player for us and be a starter for us potentially,” DeCosta said. “He’s a physical, tough guy that loves football. He’s done a fantastic job with rehab. The strength coaches and the trainers and the doctors are all very excited about him. So, we’ll see what he does.”
It will be interesting to see what the Ravens do in the first round. According to some draft experts, there could be as many as 10 offensive tackles taken in the first round. The Ravens might end up with Alabama’s JC Latham, Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton or Georgia’s Amarius Mims.
All could help immediately, and all of them are huge. The Ravens certainly have some inside connections with executive vice president of player personnel Ozzie Newsome being an Alabama alumnus and offensive coordinator Todd Moknen having spent three years in the same capacity at Georgia.
After a tackle, the Ravens might target a guard, such as Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe or Connecticut’s Christian Haynes, in the second round. Regardless, though, the Ravens need to get out of that old-school mindset when it comes to evaluating offensive linemen.
They had the prototype for years in Hall of Fame left tackle Jonathan Ogden, who was far from one-dimensional. They also had another possible Hall of Famer in right guard Marshal Yanda who, like Ogden, was mean, nasty and preferred run blocking over being in a pass set.
But they could do both. The Ravens need more linemen like them.
NFL draft
Round 1: Thursday, 8 p.m.
Rounds 2-3: Friday, 7 p.m.
Rounds 4-7: Saturday, noon
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
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For Eric DeCosta, the stakes are clear entering the 2024 NFL draft.
“There’s going to be some spots that need to be filled,” the Ravens general manager said during the team’s annual predraft luncheon earlier this month. “The burden is on me to find those players.”
With nine picks, the Ravens must restock a roster that was raided in free agency after an NFL-best 13-4 regular season and the franchise’s first trip to the AFC championship game in a decade. Baltimore is expected to target players at offensive line, cornerback, running back and wide receiver, among other positions, but how those picks are spent — and where they are ultimately made — remains a mystery.
Before the first round starts Thursday, Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker and Childs Walker and columnist Mike Preston answer questions about positions of need, potential trades, late-round targets and DeCosta’s draft history.
Which positions — offensive line, wide receiver, cornerback and edge rusher — should the Ravens target early, and which prospect is the best fit?
Wacker: All options being equal, they should target the offensive line. It’s their biggest need with three starting positions to fill and they have a chance to land a top prospect they can plug in for years to come. Washington’s Troy Fautanu, who can play tackle or guard, would be ideal, but he’s unlikely to be available by the time Baltimore picks at No. 30. The next best option is Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton. He has the size (6 feet 8, 322 pounds), length, footwork and tools to be a highly productive pass protector who Baltimore can start at right tackle this year before sliding him over to the left side whenever the Ravens move on from Ronnie Stanley. Guyton had just 14 career starts in college, but the tape and results speak for themselves with the Sooners star allowing just two sacks over three seasons, including two in which he allowed none.
Walker: The Ravens won’t lock in on one position, and that approach has led to a very good track record in the first round. That said, an offensive lineman makes a lot of sense given their need for multiple starters, their draft position and the depth of quality tackle prospects. Arizona’s Jordan Morgan, a potential Day 1 starter at right tackle or guard, has become the player most linked to the Ravens in mock drafts, and it’s hard to argue with his versatility. But they would be tempted by the greater upside of Georgia’s Amarius Mims or Guyton if either tackle prospect slides to No. 30.
Preston: It all depends on how the draft is going and whether there are runs on certain positions in the first round. The Ravens need offensive linemen, but the consensus is that this draft is filled with quality linemen, so there might not be a sense of urgency, at least in the first round.
If there is a receiver or edge rusher who the Ravens have rated highly and is available when they pick in the first round, they should go with their draft board because they can’t go wrong with a top player at either position.
It’s easier to make that decision when a team has a pick in the top four, but much harder near the tail end of the first round. With that said, I’ve always been an advocate of building strong interior lines on both sides of the ball.
The Ravens could target Oklahoma offensive lineman Tyler Guyton with the No. 30 overall pick in the NFL draft. (Alonzo Adams/AP) Given the state of the roster, should the Ravens trade up in the first round for a premium player or trade down to amass more picks?
Wacker: Picks, picks and more picks. That’s the Ravens way and that should be the objective this year if their top player isn’t on the board when they’re on the clock, especially given the depth of the offensive line and wide receiver classes. They could slide out of the first round for a quarterback-needy team, acquire an extra pick and still get a starting-caliber cornerback, offensive lineman and wide receiver. It’s not a deep draft, but there is value in the early-to-middle rounds.
Walker: A trade up would be a major upset and a sign that some prospect the Ravens love is plummeting, whereas a trade down seems very much in play given that there will likely still be excellent offensive line prospects available around pick No. 40.
The Ravens never want to reach for a player when they can squeeze more total value out of a draft, and DeCosta has made it clear the next two years will present a major opportunity to rebuild the team’s roster depth. That said, the Ravens have plenty of picks in a draft that’s not deep overall. They need to come away with a starting offensive lineman, so if a candidate they fancy is sitting there at the end of the first round, they should not get too cute.
Preston: If the Ravens are using this draft with the primary purpose of building the offensive line, then it might be in their best interest to trade down and acquire more picks, and certainly more talented offensive linemen. Passing on an offensive tackle such as Guyton in the first round, though, would be a tough decision.
I don’t see the Ravens trading up. The history of this organization has always been to acquire more picks, so I think they will either stay put or trade down.
South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette could be a player the Ravens target in the second or third round. (Artie Walker Jr./AP) Which Day 2 or Day 3 prospect are you most interested in as a potential Ravens target?
Wacker: There will still be plenty of tantalizing wide receiver options in what is a deep class if the Ravens don’t go that direction in the first round. Michigan’s Roman Wilson is small (5-11, 185 pounds) but a dynamic, explosive and efficient slot weapon perfect for today’s NFL. South Carolina’s Xavier Legette is big (6-1, 221 pounds) with enough speed to be a deep threat and a good complement to the smaller Zay Flowers. Central Florida’s Javon Baker, who reportedly had a predraft visit with the Ravens, is also on the bigger side (6-1, 202 pounds) with a wide catch radius and was one of the best in the country in yards per route run (5.07) last season. Another player to keep an eye on later in the draft will be Marshall running back Rasheen Ali, an instinctive runner with good burst who can also line up out wide.
Walker: We’ve talked so much about offensive linemen, but this draft is also rich in wide receivers, and the Ravens need another one of those with Rashod Bateman potentially approaching the last year of his rookie deal. Legette is a big, fast (4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash) outside target who would complement Flowers after developing for a year as the team’s No. 3 or No. 4 option. He would also be an immediate candidate to help on special teams, either as a returner or in coverage, and we know how much the Ravens value that quality in rookies.
Preston: Oregon cornerback Khyree Jackson, Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter or safeties Beau Brade of Maryland or Trey Taylor of Air Force. Southern California running back MarShawn Lloyd is also worth a look.
After saying goodbye to Tyler Huntley, the Ravens have Josh Johnson and Malik Cunningham as Lamar Jackson’s backups. Should they invest a middle or late-round pick on a quarterback?
Wacker: Only if they fill all their other needs and/or if the players they want are off the board at that point. Then, if someone like Florida State’s Jordan Travis falls to them, it would be good to snap him up.
Walker: Never rule out a late-round quarterback, but it’s not a priority given their need to add young depth in the secondary, on the edges of their defense and at running back. Remember, Huntley was an undrafted free agent. It seems more likely the Ravens will go that route to add another arm for training camp.
Preston: I would. It’s always good to have four arms in training camp, primarily to keep the starter fresh. But the Ravens brought in Todd Monken as the offensive coordinator last season, so allow him to make a selection. If he can find a quarterback to work with in those rounds, that’s a major positive for the future.
DeCosta is about to oversee his sixth draft as Ravens general manager. How would you grade his performance thus far?
Wacker: A former colleague once described DeCosta as a .275 hitter with occasional pop, though that was also taking into account the totality of his work and before last year’s draft and free agent signings. I’d go a bit higher and give him a B, given the immediate impact Flowers had last season, a highly successful 2022 class that included All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and fourth-round tight end Isaiah Likely. There have been several misses, too, particularly in the middle and late rounds, but no one has a high success rate in those rounds. And trading a second- and fifth-round draft pick for All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith turned out to be a steal for Baltimore.
Walker: DeCosta has yet to miss badly on a first-round pick, though the Ravens need a breakout year from Bateman for him to go down as a successful choice. Hamilton and Linderbaum both made the Pro Bowl in their second seasons, so the 2022 draft is DeCosta’s magnum opus. The jury remains out on his 2023 class, with players such as Trenton Simpson and Andrew Vorhees in line for major opportunities this season. DeCosta has missed on plenty of later-round picks, as most general managers do, but he usually pulls at least one major value from the middle rounds, whether we’re talking Justin Madubuike in 2020, Brandon Stephens in 2021 or Likely in 2022. Let’s go B+ overall.
Preston: B. DeCosta got off to a slow start, which was to be expected because the pressure is greater being in the GM’s chair as opposed to being the top assistant. He has drafted some top players at their positions in Linderbaum, Hamilton and Madubuike while snagging some good mid- to late-round picks such as safety Geno Stone, punter Jordan Stout and Likely.
The Ravens have as much depth as any team in the NFL. They’ve proved it over the past four or five years.
NFL draft
Round 1: Thursday, 8 p.m.
Rounds 2-3: Friday, 7 p.m.
Rounds 4-7: Saturday, noon
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
Ravens 2024 draft picks
No. 30 (first round)
No. 62 (second)
No. 93 (third)
No. 113 (fourth, from Denver via N.Y. Jets)
No. 130 (fourth)
No. 165 (fifth)
No. 218 (sixth, from N.Y. Jets)
No. 228 (seventh, from N.Y. Jets)
No. 250 (seventh)
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The NFL draft kicks off Thursday in Detroit. After a dearth of picks in last year’s draft, the Ravens have a healthy nine selections this year, beginning with No. 30 overall.
Given more than a dozen departures from last year’s team and the financial breakdown of the current roster, this will be an important draft for Baltimore if it’s going to match or surpass the success of last season when it reached the AFC championship game.
How could it unfold? While Ravens officials always have contingency plans, there’s no way to take into account every option. Still, their needs — offensive line, receiver, cornerback and edge rusher being the most obvious — have been well-documented.
Using Pro Football Focus’ simulator and taking into consideration Baltimore’s needs along with other scouting and draft projection information, Baltimore Sun reporter Brian Wacker and editor C.J. Doon played the role of general manager and picked their own rookie class. Here’s whom they took.
Brian Wacker’s picks
No. 30 (Round 1): Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton
It would not be a surprise to see the Ravens trade out of this spot, either back into Round 2 or possibly up with the thought that the overall draft class is not as deep as they like. It is, however, a deep tackle class and staying put will give the Ravens someone they can plug in as a starter on the right side of the line this season and eventually move to the left side. If the 6-foot-8, 322-pound Guyton is still available here, they get a large and athletic player who immediately checks that box. He didn’t allow a sack in more than 350 pass-blocking snaps at right tackle last season for the Sooners and would give quarterback Lamar Jackson the protection he needs for years to come.
Also considered: Arizona OT/G Jordan Morgan, Florida State WR Keon Coleman, Clemson CB Nate Wiggins
South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette runs away from Mississippi State safety Shawn Preston Jr. on Sept. 23. (Artie Walker Jr./AP) No. 62 (Round 2): South Carolina WR Xavier Legette
Baltimore could go in several directions here. If the Ravens take a wide receiver or cornerback in the first round, expect them to go offensive line in the second. If they go offensive line in the first round, it seems like they will go with a cornerback or wide receiver in Round 2.
Though the receiver class is deeper than the cornerback class, Legette (6-1, 221 pounds) is an NFL-sized target who can make contested catches and has tremendous speed, reaching 22.3 mph on one play last season. His route running isn’t as smooth, but his size and ball skills give Jackson a great target opposite Zay Flowers, especially with Rashod Bateman’s future murky if the Ravens decline his fifth-year option.
Also considered: Georgia CB Kamari Lassiter, Kansas State G Cooper Bebe, Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley
No. 93 (Round 3): Oregon CB Khyree Jackson
As mentioned, I could certainly see the Ravens taking a cornerback before a wide receiver. But Jackson’s size (6-3, 195 pounds) and physical nature make him an intriguing option, and here he falls into their lap in Round 3.
The Ravens are in good shape with Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens on the outside, but they’ve made it clear they never have enough corners and Stephens will be a free agent after this season. Jackson is a reliable tackler who graded well against the run and is a Maryland native, having starred at Henry A. Wise High School in Upper Marlboro.
Also considered: Washington WR Jalen McMillan, Boston College G Christian Mahogany, Illinois OT/G Isaiah Adams
No. 113 (Round 4): Miami S Kamren Kinchens
Kinchens had a less-than-stellar scouting combine, turning in a 40-yard dash time of 4.65 seconds, which has caused him to possibly slide on some boards. But he brings athleticism, experience and good ball skills. He played in a dozen games as a freshman before taking over as the full-time starter in 2022 and 2023 and had 12 career interceptions, five of which came last season. With Geno Stone having bolted for the Bengals in free agency, Kinchens gives the Ravens a solid third safety option.
Also considered: Washington State EDGE Brennan Jackson, Wake Forest S Malik Mustapha, Georgia S Tykee Smith
No. 130 (Round 4): Washington State EDGE Brennan Jackson
With Baltimore having lost outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney in free agency and questions surrounding young pass rushers Odafe Oweh, David Ojabo and others, Jackson is the kind of player who fits the Ravens mold.
The 6-4, 264-pound sixth-year senior lacks refined pass-rush moves but plays fast and with high energy. He was always around the football for the Cougars and unsurprisingly led the team with 12 1/2 tackles for loss and 8 1/2 sacks last season while also forcing a fumble and recovering four. He consistently got to the quarterback with 26, 31 and 23 hurries over the past three seasons.
Also considered: Colorado State EDGE Mohamed Kamara, Notre Dame RB Audric Estimé, Temple LB Jordan Magee
Temple linebacker Jordan Magee runs a drill during the NFL scouting combine on Feb. 29 in Indianapolis. (Darron Cummings/AP) No. 165 (Round 5): Temple LB Jordan Magee
With Trenton Simpson stepping in to take over for the departed Patrick Queen, the Ravens could use some depth behind last year’s third-round pick.
Magee, who is from Dover, Delaware, led the Owls with 80 tackles, including 14 for loss, tied for the team lead with 3 1/2 sacks, recorded four pass breakups and forced a fumble. He’s also fast, with his 4.55-second 40-yard dash time ranking fifth among linebackers at the scouting combine.
Also considered: Clemson RB Will Shipley, Monmouth RB Jaden Shirden, Notre Dame LB Marist Liufau
No. 218 (Round 6): Marshall RB Rasheen Ali
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said during the team’s predraft news conference earlier this month that there’s a “pretty strong chance” that Baltimore would draft a running back. With Derrick Henry and Justice Hill their only healthy backs on the roster as Keaton Mitchell continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in mid-December, there’s also a need.
Ali had a predraft visit with the Ravens and there’s a lot to like about the elusive 5-11, 206-pound back, who had 1,135 yards and 15 touchdowns on 212 carries last season. He also had 28 catches for 213 yards and another score. In other words, in some ways, he’s this year’s version of Mitchell until Mitchell is healthy enough to return.
Also considered: Michigan TE AJ Barner, Illinois TE Tip Reiman, Colorado State TE Dallin Hooker
No. 228 (Round 7): Northern Iowa DT Khristian Boyd
DeCosta enjoys finding talent at small schools and Boyd also met with the Ravens on a predraft visit. The 6-4, 317-pound 24-year-old is a project to be sure, but if he sticks he would add depth behind Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington and Travis Jones.
Boyd’s stock has also been rising since the Shrine Bowl, and his 38 reps on bench press during his pro day would’ve ranked second at the scouting combine.
Also considered: Mississippi DT Jaden Crumedy, Air Force S Trey Taylor, Tennessee CB Kamal Hadden
No. 250 (Round 7): Canadian Football League CB Qwan’Tez Stiggers
Sticking with the mantra that the Ravens can never have enough cornerbacks, they snag perhaps the most intriguing prospect of the draft. Stiggers essentially went from high school to semipro football to the CFL, overcoming tragedy along the way when his father was killed in a car accident.
The 5-11, 204-pound corner was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie last year with the Toronto Argonauts after 53 tackles and five interceptions and ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash during his pro day last month. He also recently visited with the Ravens.
Also considered: Maryland OT Delmar Glaze, Florida Atlantic DT Evan Anderson, Iowa DT Logan Lee
C.J. Doon’s picks
No. 30 (Round 1): Arizona OT/G Jordan Morgan
The Ravens have no shortage of options in the first round, but I keep coming back to the offensive line. Sure, it’s a deep class at the position, but how long are you willing to wait to find a potential starter?
The 6-5, 311-pound Morgan checks all the boxes for me. He’s experienced (37 career starts at left tackle), athletic (seventh in athleticism score among tackles at the scouting combine) and resilient, playing through a high-ankle sprain in 2021 and coming back from a torn ACL suffered late in the 2022 season. Arizona offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll called him a “fantastic role model.”
His NFL future might be at guard — a position the Ravens also need to fill — but I’m willing to bet on the 22-year-old’s athletic traits and intangibles to develop into a starting-caliber tackle.
Also considered: Florida State WR Keon Coleman, Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Oregon C/G Jackson Powers-Johnson
No. 62 (Round 2): Kentucky CB Andru Phillips
The run on receivers and cornerbacks in the second round took some of my favorite prospects off the board, but I’m not going to call Phillips a consolation prize.
What the 5-11, 190-pound corner lacks in size and speed (4.48-second 40-yard dash) he more than makes up for with physicality and toughness. And he’s far from a middling athlete, posting a 42-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot, 3-inch broad jump that both rank in the 97th percentile at the position in the MockDraftable database.
With two years of starting experience playing both inside and outside, the strength and mentality to defend the run and the tools to grow into a lockdown press defender, the 22-year-old Phillips brings an intriguing package to a cornerback room that needs to bolster its depth behind Humphrey and Stephens.
Also considered: Alabama EDGE Chris Braswell, Connecticut G Christian Haynes, Central Florida WR Javon Baker
USC wide receiver Brenden Rice runs for a touchdown past San Jose State linebacker Matthew Tago on Aug. 26. (Keith Birmingham/Pasadena Star-News) No. 93 (Round 3): Southern California WR Brenden Rice
Yes, he’s from that Rice family. Brenden is the youngest son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, but those bloodlines are not the only reason to be excited about his potential.
The 6-2, 208-pound Colorado transfer was a two-year starter at outside receiver for the Trojans and became one of star quarterback Caleb Williams’ favorite targets, catching a team-leading 12 touchdown passes this past season.
While Rice isn’t an outstanding separator downfield, his size, feel for the game, long arms (33 inches, 79th percentile among wideouts per MockDraftable) and strong hands offer starting potential for a team that needs a true outside receiver — especially if Bateman doesn’t return next year.
Also considered: Washington EDGE Bralen Trice, Kansas State G Cooper Beebe, Texas Tech S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
No. 113 (Round 4): Notre Dame RB Audric Estimé
The fourth round feels like the sweet spot for the Ravens to find their running back of the future.
With Henry, Hill and Mitchell leading the way, there isn’t a clear path for a rookie to get many touches this year or next. But Estimé has a tantalizing package of size, athleticism and experience that could push him onto the field.
At 5-11 and 221 pounds (and only 20 years old), Estimé might be the hammer the Ravens need to keep Henry fresh and wear down opposing defenses late in the game. He averaged an incredible 6.39 yards on 210 carries last season, using his imposing physique (reportedly 7% body fat), agility and balance to churn through defenders. A whopping 892 of his 1,341 yards came after contact, according to PFF, and he forced 64 missed tackles.
While his lack of long speed (4.71-second 40-yard dash) might limit him to being a short-yardage grinder like Gus Edwards, that’s still a valuable role for an offense that runs the ball as much as the Ravens do.
Also considered: Texas DT T’Vondre Sweat, Penn State C/G Hunter Nourzad, Pittsburgh OT Matt Goncalves
No. 130 (Round 4): Wake Forest S Malik Mustapha
After saying goodbye to breakout star Stone, the Ravens are left with no depth behind starting safeties Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams. And given how important Stone was when Williams was injured last season, finding a third safety is a must.
While undersized at 5-10 and 209 pounds, Mustapha is well-built, reportedly adding 25 pounds of muscle during his time in college. What sets him apart is his ability to fly downhill in run support and cover ground quickly. The Richmond transfer models his game after Arizona Cardinals star Budda Baker and lined up all over the field, including in a hybrid “Panther” position on third downs that ranged from covering the slot to blitzing off the edge.
Mustapha might be best served taking on a special teams role as a rookie, but he has the athleticism, versatility and mentality to grow into a dependable part of the secondary.
Also considered: Temple LB Jordan Magee, LSU DT Mekhi Wingo, Colorado State EDGE Mohamed Kamara
Michigan defensive end Braiden McGregor rushes the passer against Rutgers on Sept. 23. (Paul Sancya/AP) No. 165 (Round 5): Michigan EDGE Braiden McGregor
The Ravens still have high hopes for Oweh and Ojabo, but the return of veteran Kyle Van Noy suggests they’re not satisfied with their group of edge defenders.
The 6-5, 257-pound McGregor’s production and athletic profile are not very inspiring, but there’s a strong case to be made that his best football is ahead of him. The top recruit in Michigan’s 2020 class improved over the past three seasons and saved his best for last, recording 3 1/2 sacks over his final five games.
With just 697 career defensive snaps, the former hockey, basketball and lacrosse player is still raw in terms of technique and might already be maxed out as an athlete, but his first-step quickness and relentless attitude could help him earn playing time. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler said he often wrote “fast” and “violent” in his notes while watching McGregor’s tape, and those traits would be a welcome addition to the Ravens’ group of pass rushers.
Also considered: Michigan G Zak Zinter, Tennessee CB Kamal Hadden, Oregon State WR Anthony Gould
No. 218 (Round 6): Northern Iowa DT Khristian Boyd
The Ravens reportedly brought in Boyd for a top-30 visit, so there’s a chance we might see this match in the real draft.
The 6-2, 329-pound Football Championship Subdivision star stood out during the East-West Shrine Bowl, showing off a strong bull rush that proved difficult for offensive linemen to stop. After posting 10 1/2 sacks and 22 1/2 tackles for loss in six college seasons, the surprising combine snub finished with a school-record 38 bench-press reps at his pro day.
Boyd is already 24 years old and didn’t face top competition during his college career, but he can be a reliable run defender with the potential to grow into a better pass rusher.
Also considered: Mississippi State DT Jaden Crumedy, Utah OT Sataoa Laumea, Tennessee QB Joe Milton III
No. 228 (Round 7): Arizona TE Tanner McLachlan
Another tight end for the Ravens? Hear me out.
Mark Andrews is a star, Isaiah Likely is quickly becoming one and Charlie Kolar has the potential to be a productive player, but none of them are going to earn much praise for their blocking. There’s no guarantee McLachlan will ever become an outstanding blocker, either, but his effort and competitiveness suggest there’s a chance.
The 6-5, 244-pound McLachlan is also no slouch when it comes to catching the ball. The Southern Utah transfer’s 79 career receptions in two seasons at Arizona broke Rob Gronkowski’s school record for a tight end, and he did plenty of damage after the catch, too, including some hurdles.
He’d face a steep climb to not only make the roster but earn playing time behind the Ravens’ top tight ends, but McLachlan could carve out a role for himself because of what NFL.com scout Lance Zierlein described as a “whatever it takes” mentality.
Also considered: NC State C Dylan McMahon, Maryland CB Tarheeb Still, Pittsburgh WR Bub Means
No. 250 (Round 7): Wyoming OT Frank Crum
We’re in dart-throw territory at the end of the draft, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a quality player.
The 6-8, 313-pound Crum, a third-generation Wyoming player, was a full-time starter for four seasons with the Cowboys and has experience at both tackle spots. He earned the nickname “Frank the Tank” for his prowess as a run blocker, and that showed up at the combine when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.94 seconds, third-best among offensive linemen. He also posted a vertical jump of 31 1/2 inches (85th percentile, per MockDraftable) and a 9-foot, 6-inch broad jump (93rd percentile), showing off his explosiveness.
Ultimately, Crum has work to do to hold up as a pass protector at the next level, but his athletic profile is worth betting on as the Ravens seek a long-term solution at tackle.
Also considered: Penn State CB Daequan Hardy, Charlotte EDGE Eyabi Okie-Anoma, Mississippi State LB Nathaniel Watson
NFL draft
Round 1: Thursday, 8 p.m.
Rounds 2-3: Friday, 7 p.m.
Rounds 4-7: Saturday, noon
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
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When the NFL draft descends upon Detroit on Thursday, it will mark the 89th time the league’s franchises have gathered to select newly eligible players. It will also mark both a turning point and an important juncture for the Ravens.
“This whole draft landscape has changed,” general manager Eric DeCosta said earlier this month.
He was referring to the impact name, image and likeness deals, along with the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA in 2020 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, are having on this year’s class. And, at least in the case of NIL, likely future ones, too.
“There are less players in the draft this year,” he said. “There are less probably ‘draftable’ players this year on our board, less juniors, less underclassmen.”
Indeed.
Because of the perfect storm of the pandemic and newfound financial gains for players who might previously have been inclined to enter the draft early, this year’s class includes just 58 players who still had college eligibility remaining. That’s the fewest since 2011. Only five years ago, there were a record 135 players who entered the draft early.
How all of it impacts the Ravens remains to be seen, but with nine picks this year and a projected 11 in 2025, the upcoming drafts will be particularly important for Baltimore for a couple of reasons.
For one, they lost more than a dozen players, including many significant contributors, in free agency or other roster moves from last season’s 13-4 team that reached the AFC championship game. They brought back some key contributors and added new players, including four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry, but replicating the kind of success they had with their free agent signings last offseason is anything but a guarantee.
For another, the Ravens’ handful of core stars are only going to get more expensive over the next three years and beyond. For example, quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson ($32.4 million), inside linebacker Roquan Smith ($13.5 million) and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike ($11 million) already account for more than 20% of the team’s salary cap this year after signing lucrative extensions. Meanwhile, veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey ($22.9 million) has the second-biggest cap hit on the roster behind Jackson, and All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton and Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum will become eligible for extensions beginning next year. That means a handful of players will chew up an increasingly larger percentage of cap space, thus leaving less money for all the Ravens’ other needs.
Enter this year’s draft, which isn’t particularly deep, and next year’s, which should be much more so, especially at running back. That’s a position Baltimore might address with Henry only signed for two years and already 30 years old.
“[This is what happens] when you have a quarterback no longer on a rookie deal plus a lot of other really, really good players on your roster who have already been paid or are soon to be paid,” ESPN draft analyst and former NFL scout Field Yates told The Baltimore Sun. “But this is all part of a larger, more complicated web that they have always done an excellent job of managing. The draft is going to end up being a friend in a lot of ways.”
Yates added that he also doesn’t sense panic from Baltimore amid its current landscape.
DeCosta isn’t worried, either, and is confident about how he’ll be able to replenish all those missing parts.
“We’ve always been a team that’s built through the draft primarily,” said DeCosta, who will oversee his sixth draft for Baltimore this year. “We feel that’s the best way to build your team long-term from a cost standpoint — obviously cheaper players, but also young players that you know a lot about who can develop and become good players.
“We see this year’s draft and we see next year’s draft as real opportunities for us to begin to build that depth up again.”
Baltimore Ravens training camp, Aug. 3
Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunRavens general manager Eric DeCosta, from left, and coach John Harbaugh talk with owner Steve Bisciotti during training camp. DeCosta jokingly described trading for draft picks in future years as “The Bisciotti Reign of Terror.” (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)The good news is that this year’s class is deep in some areas, and they align with the holes the Ravens need to fill, particularly on the offensive line, wide receiver and to some extent cornerback.
Baltimore has both starting guard spots open after John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler left in free agency. Right tackle Morgan Moses, meanwhile, was traded to the New York Jets. There is also a need at cornerback, with question marks beyond Humphrey and Brandon Stephens, who is set to become a free agent after this season.
With three picks among the top 100, including No. 30 in the first round and No. 62 in the second, finding a starting caliber offensive lineman, a cornerback and wide receiver who can contribute immediately will likely be a priority.
“Cornerback and offensive tackle are not exactly spots in free agency where a lot of great players hit the open market, so the Ravens might feel their best way to attack those two positions is in the draft,” Yates said. “The offensive tackle class I do think there are possibilities of players that last late into the late portion of the second round, but both of those [positions] are areas where 30 is the only place where I feel confident they could address one of those two issues.”
Fellow ESPN draft analyst and Baltimore native and resident Mel Kiper Jr. agrees, which is why he projects Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry to the Ravens in the first round and Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe to them with the 62nd overall pick in Round 2.
“Cornerback is their biggest need and the offensive line would be right there,” Kiper told The Sun. “Kool-Aid ran 4.47 [seconds in the 40-yard dash] with that Jones [foot] fracture [when] everyone thought he would be a 4.55 guy. He was better than that, even with the injury. He’s been a starter since Day 1. He was better than [teammate] Terrion Arnold most of his career … Kool-Aid at the end of the first round, that’s a heck of a pick there in terms of where they were, where they are now in terms of value.
“Cooper Beebe can play left tackle, right tackle, but he’s got shorter arms than I prefer; that’s why I moved him down into the late second. He’s more of a guard I believe in the NFL. … That gives them the versatile piece that they could use as a starter at guard or kick to right tackle.”
Given DeCosta’s penchant for viewing draft picks as lottery tickets, there’s also the possibility the Ravens could instead trade back out of the first round to acquire more picks.
“There’s a way you could work it where you could move out of the first round and all of a sudden you could get an additional several picks and still get a good corner,” Kiper said.
Added Yates: “There is always the possibility for a team wanting to secure the fifth-year option for a quarterback pick at the end of the first round. Any of those teams picking in the last five or six spots are worth watching.”
Of course, it depends on the perceived value of those picks in DeCosta’s eyes when it comes to acquiring them, particularly when he’s already said he does not view this as a deep class.
“It’s great to have additional picks,” he said. “You certainly have to have players that you covet and that you want to draft.
“You could have 15 picks, and sometimes you’re there at the end of the draft and you’re looking at the [board and you have no idea who you want to pick. You just don’t see anybody that you really covet. I always think about it as, ‘What picks do you need to get the players that you want to take?’ You can have some great picks, but if the board doesn’t fall the right way, and you’re looking at a bunch of players that aren’t any better than the players you have on your roster, those picks don’t really help you very much.
“I like the idea of having more picks, but I want to have more picks in a specific range in the draft.”
Which could mean the Ravens might not end up using nine picks after all if, for example, they decide to move some of their late-round picks in exchange for picks next year.
“We’ve done it a couple of times, but that’s always an interesting thing,” DeCosta said. “I think [owner] Steve [Bisciotti] would love us to do that. He’s excited about that. His idea would be — not to give anything away — but he has what he calls ‘The Bisciotti Reign of Terror,’ and that would basically be that you trade a seventh-round pick in any given year for a sixth-round pick next year, and then take that sixth-round pick and trade it for a five, and then trade that five for a four. And so in seven or eight years, you’d have a first-round pick. We’ve always talked about that, but we never get to that point.”
Asked how often it has worked, DeCosta laughed and said, “That’s why it’s called ‘The Bisciotti Reign of Terror.’ It’s unique.”
A lot like this year’s draft.
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With less than a week before the 2024 NFL draft begins Thursday night in Detroit, Ravens beat writer Brian Wacker predicts all 32 picks in the first round.
1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): Caleb Williams, QB, Southern California
After Chicago traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is the next man up in the Bears’ seemingly never-ending search for a franchise quarterback.
2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
With comparisons to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson for his dual-threat ability, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner gives Washington its franchise quarterback.
3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said there’s “no ceiling” for the 2022 ACC Player of the Year. With Daniels off the board, New England sticks with Maye.
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
The consensus best receiver, and perhaps best overall prospect, Harrison won’t get by the receiver-needy Cardinals.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz give quarterback Justin Herbert a much-needed target who has drawn comparisons to the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase.
6. New York Giants: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Another team that desperately needs a wide receiver and an injection of life on offense after running back Saquon Barkley bolted for division rival Philadelphia, the Giants snag Odunze, who has drawn comparisons to Davante Adams and Larry Fitzgerald.
7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
With second-year quarterback Will Levis and the addition of receiver Calvin Ridley, the Titans’ biggest focus will be improving what was one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last season. The best tackle prospect in the draft helps them do so immediately.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
To help a defense that was 26th in pass-rush win rate (37.6%) and last in quarterback pressure percentage (.249), the Falcons get the best pass rusher in a class light on them.
9. Chicago Bears: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
What better way to protect your No. 1 pick and franchise quarterback than by taking a tackle who didn’t give up a sack in college and grades as a highly effective run blocker?
10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
After the Jets added right tackle Morgan Moses and guard John Simpson from the Ravens to help protect Aaron Rodgers, they give the veteran quarterback an elite pass-catching tight end who is also a capable blocker.
11. Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Kirk Cousins left for the Falcons in free agency, so the Vikings get his replacement in the national championship-winning quarterback. Don’t be surprised if Minnesota trades up to ensure it, either.
12. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
With Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh and without another pick until the third round, Denver can’t afford to wait and takes last season’s FBS leader in completion percentage (.774).
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Troy Fautanu, OT/G, Washington
A native of nearby Henderson, Nevada, Fautanu gives Raiders coach Antonio Pierce a plug-and-play tackle who helped block for the nation’s second-best passing offense (343.7 yards per game) last season. Fautanu was also part of a unit that won the Joe Moore Award recognizing the country’s top offensive line.
14. New Orleans Saints: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
A first-team All-American and the Big Ten Conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Year, Fashanu gives the Saints the starting-caliber tackle they need.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
With the Colts ranking 23rd in yards per pass attempt allowed last season, the need is obvious. Arnold allowed a completion rate of 52% and recorded five interceptions with 13 pass breakups last season.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
New coach Mike Macdonald saw the success he had in Baltimore with Justin Madubuike and gets another disruptive force in the middle of the defense in Murphy, who had career highs in tackles (29), tackles for loss (8 1/2), sacks (5) and quarterback hurries (7) last season.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
The Jaguars had one of the league’s worst pass defenses last season, ranking 26th in passing yards allowed per game and 19th in completion percentage allowed. Mitchell fits the bill as an athletic lockdown corner who stood out at the Senior Bowl.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Latham’s size (6-foot-6, 342 pounds) and strength is a good investment in keeping quarterback Joe Burrow upright. Over the past two seasons as the Crimson Tide’s starting right tackle, he allowed only two sacks and four quarterback hits.
19. Los Angeles Rams: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
Latu, who led the FBS last season in tackles for loss (21 1/2) and tied for fourth in sacks (13), provides an immediate boost to a Rams defense that ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in sacks and bottom third in quarterback pressures.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
New Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson gets immediate help with Thomas, who had 1,177 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns last season. The LSU star is fast, hitting 22.91 mph on a go route at the scouting combine to lead all receivers.
21. Miami Dolphins: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
After losing Christian Wilkins and Andrew Van Ginkel in free agency and with Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips working their way back from injury, Miami needs help up front. Verse is a versatile an experienced edge rusher who would be a good fit with new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Iowa
The Eagles are one of a handful of teams DeJean reportedly met with on a top-30 visit, and his versatility to play corner or safety makes him a tantalizing option. An explosive athlete who can play all over the field, DeJean had seven interceptions, 13 passes defended, five sacks and three touchdowns in three seasons in Iowa.
23. Minnesota Vikings (from Houston via Cleveland): Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
After addressing their offense, the Vikings turn to defense and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Newton recorded a team-high 7 1/2 sacks last season and led all of FBS with four blocked kicks.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
While Mims has limited experience and played right tackle at Georgia, he has the athleticism and skill to protect the blindside of quarterback Dan Prescott after the departure of Tyron Smith in free agency. Dallas could also plug Mims in at right tackle if it felt more comfortable with 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith sliding over to the left side.
25. Green Bay Packers: Graham Barton, G/C, Duke
With some turnover up front, the Packers get a versatile player in Barton, who can play anywhere along the offensive line but is projected to line up on the interior given his relatively short arms. That includes center, which would allow the Packers to keep Zach Tom at tackle.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
Given a deep offensive line class, the Buccaneers target a pass rusher early instead. Robinson’s stats aren’t great — 11 1/2 sacks the past two seasons, including four in 2023 — but the Maryland transfer does have first-step quickness, athleticism and a strong motor.
27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): Darius Robinson, EDGE/DT, Missouri
After recording the third-fewest sacks (33) in the league last season, the Cardinals land a versatile pass rusher who has played on the interior as well as the outside. Robinson had 8 1/2 sacks last season.
28. Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
With Stefon Diggs traded to the Houston Texans, Buffalo gets its “X” receiver replacement in Mitchell, a 6-2, 205-pound speedster with a big catch radius who can beat press coverage and make an immediate impact.
29. Detroit Lions: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
McKinstry is represented by the same firm as Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, had a top-30 visit with Detroit and is a versatile, intelligent corner who can help shore up a secondary that is on the rise after adding Carlton Davis III.
30. Ravens: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
It would not be a surprise to see the Ravens trade out of this spot — either back into Round 2 or possibly up the board to snag an even higher ranked tackle. But if they stay put and select Guyton, they get a large and athletic player who can immediately fill the need at right tackle and eventually move to the left side. Guyton didn’t allow a sack in more than 350 pass-blocking snaps at right tackle last season for the Sooners.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan, OT/G, Arizona
The offensive line is the biggest area of need for the 49ers and Morgan checks a lot of boxes given his versatility to play guard or tackle. He’s also fast for his size, which speaks to his ability to pull and get to the second level on running plays, and graded as solid pass blocker.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
An elite route runner who is savvy at getting open, quick out of his breaks and capable of picking up yards after the catch, the sure-handed McConkey would be a welcome addition to quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ offense.
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Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers will not face discipline from the NFL after a police investigation into an alleged domestic incident earlier this year, the league announced Thursday.
“Following a review, the NFL concluded there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that Zay Flowers engaged in any activity that violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy,” the NFL said in a statement. “There will be no action taken by the league and Flowers remains eligible to participate in all team activities.”
The news comes after The Baltimore Sun reported in February that Baltimore County Police suspended the investigation that was connected to Flowers without any criminal charges.
In January, a woman told police in Acton, Massachusetts, about a “violent domestic incident” in Owings Mills on Jan. 16, in which the “suspect’s brother also drew a firearm.” She declined to name the suspect, other than to say he is an “NFL player.” The woman told police in Massachusetts that she was “physically assaulted” and left with “multiple bruises,” according to the Baltimore County report, and in that interview said she was “living with her boyfriend in a townhouse outside Baltimore, Maryland, when the incident became physical and violent.”
She did not take Acton Police up on an offer of a protective order.
At the NFL scouting combine in February, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said the team was continuing to assess the situation with Flowers, who led the team in catches and receiving yards as a rookie last season. Ravens team president Sashi Brown said at last month’s NFL owners meetings that there has been no change to the team’s “zero-tolerance” policy on domestic violence.
The Ravens began the voluntary portion of their offseason program earlier this week, with players allowed to begin working out at the facility on Monday. Flowers, who has yet to speak with the media since news of the investigation was first reported, was among those in attendance.
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The Ravens and M&T Bank will each donate $10 million to help a national college access nonprofit, College Track, open an education center in Baltimore that seeks to assist under-served youth as they graduate high school and college.
The combined $20 million gift is part of a $40 million donation to the Ravens College Access Program over the next decade: $10 million from M&T Bank and $30 million from The Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation and the Ravens, which will be split between three education programs, College Bound, Bridges Baltimore and College Track.
College Track, which first started in California, has 12 locations, including one in Prince George’s County — established with the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation — and in Southeast Washington. Ravens president Sashi Brown, who’d first heard of College Track just before the coronavirus pandemic, visited both of those Washington-area locations.
One of the things that drew the Ravens specifically to College Track, Brown said, is “that they actually create a physical space where students actually go and the programming is housed there.”
Shirley Collado, president and CEO of College Track, said the Baltimore center will eventually support 300 to 350 Baltimore City public high school students. College Track makes a “10-year promise,” according to a news release, and will continue to assist students as they graduate college. Ninety percent of College Track’s students are first-generation college students and 84% come from underserved communities, according to the release.
The center is tentatively expected to open in May 2025, but it is not yet publicly known where in Baltimore it will be located.
“We target students that are constantly overlooked and underestimated,” said Collado, the former president of Ithaca College. “We want students that are often left behind but have fire in their belly and can do the work if they have the right resources and support.”
The Ravens’ venue has been named M&T Bank Stadium since 2003 and, following an extension of that naming rights agreement last year, will keep that name until at least 2037. Augie Chiasera, the bank’s regional president for Greater Baltimore, said their donation is a continuation of their partnership with the Ravens.
“We have shared values, we care deeply about the city, and that’s particularly true when it comes to educating our youngest citizens,” he said.
The Ravens have a lease to play at state-owned M&T Bank Stadium, which is currently undergoing significant state-funded renovations, until at least 2037. The Maryland Stadium Authority is spending $430 million in bonds, to be paid off with public money generated by the state lottery, over the next three years to bolster the stadium with new suites and clubs, as well as expanded concourses and bathrooms.
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Beau Brade is past the nervous stage of the NFL draft, which begins next week in Detroit. He just wants to get started on his pro career.
As far as he is concerned, it’s time for a new scheme, playbook, home and opportunity.
“It’s all part of a cool process,” said Brade, a Clarksville native and former University of Maryland safety. “It’s been a long process and I’ve been waiting for some time, so I’m just ready to get that full-time job and start playing.
“I’m not nervous anymore. I’m just interested to see where I could end up across the country.”
The consensus on Brade, a former standout at River Hill, is that he will be picked anywhere from the third to the fifth round. That depends on whether there are any “runs” on safeties, which is not as deep of a position as offensive line or wide receiver and is not considered as valuable across the league.
But the two things that stick out about Brade are his work ethic and aggression. He wants to hit. He likes collisions. In the Terps’ 2023 season, the 6-foot, 203-pound safety recorded a team-high 75 tackles, including 48 solo. He also broke up seven passes, forced a fumble and had one interception.
With the draft nearly one week away, Brade has visited the Washington Commanders and the Ravens, who need someone to replace Geno Stone after he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like current Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, Brade can play near the line of scrimmage or off the ball. And like most college players from Maryland, Brade learned the game while studying Ray Lewis, the Ravens’ Hall of Fame middle linebacker.
“I grew up a Ray fan,” Brade said. “He was that guy I tried to be so I tried to hit people hard like Ray Lewis, and I had that work ethic too.”
Maryland safety Beau Brade participated in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, in January. (Butch Dill/AP) Brade is a Christian and there are no pretenses about his faith. He talks about it openly, and the challenges and temptations he faces in college life these days.
On the field, though, the aggression surfaces. Those who have watched him play consistently this season emphasize his ability to dissect plays and slip into gaps to make tackles. He plays with force, which allowed the Terps’ cornerbacks to be more aggressive knowing that Brade was there on the back end.
But his strength also appears to be his weakness. He doesn’t always take the proper pursuit angles and is vulnerable to giving up big plays off play-action fakes.
Brade also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds, which is serviceable but not ideal for playing in the deep third of the field. His versatility is his primary asset.
“I feel like part of my upside is that I’ve had three different defensive coordinators my whole time in Maryland,” Brade said. ”Initially, it was really tough. After my junior year, I started to see the bright side and learn from different coaches that are experts in their crafts.
“I feel like in the long run it made me better, but at the time it was hard to really create a relationship with someone that’s there for less than 12 months.”
Doug Kapustin / Baltimore Sun Media GroupRiver Hill senior safety Beau Brade was named Howard County football Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. (Doug Kapustin/Freelance)According to Brade, 17 colleges recruited him out of high school, including several from the Atlantic Coast Conference such as North Carolina, Syracuse and Wake Forest, as well as Big Ten power Michigan. But he chose Maryland because of the school’s business department and because it was close to home.
The Terps originally offered him a spot as a running back before allowing him to play safety. At the time of his graduation, his 450 career tackles at River Hill ranked second in Howard County history.
But it’s the shot at the NFL that has him buzzing, not nervous.
“I believe my faith and my work ethic, which were instilled in me by my parents [Ron and Angela], are my biggest assets,” Brade said. “That’s what has gotten me to this point in my life and really pushes me. I just want a shot with a team that is aggressive and has a shot at winning the Super Bowl.
“The Ravens have been a winning organization for a long time and they have a lot of grit about them. I grew up a big Ravens fan but I’d be happy with anywhere right now. I just want to get to work.”
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Former Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins is headed west.
Dobbins is planning to sign a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, his agency LAA Sports confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Wednesday evening. The move reunites the 2020 second-round draft pick out of Ohio State with his former offensive coordinator in Baltimore, Greg Roman, who was hired by the Chargers for the same role in February.
The 25-year-old running back is just the latest former Raven to migrate to Los Angeles.
Running back Gus Edwards, fullback Ben Mason, tight end Hayden Hurst and center Bradley Bozeman all joined the Chargers after previously playing in Baltimore. Former Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz bolted for Los Angeles earlier this year as well, taking over as the team’s general manager, while Ravens coach John Harbaugh’s younger brother Jim was named the Chargers’ coach in January.
Though his Ravens career ended unceremoniously, Dobbins was one of the NFL’s most efficient running backs when healthy, rushing for 1,347 yards and 12 touchdowns on 234 carries across three seasons. But over the past three years, he has been sidelined for 42 of 51 games because of injuries, including 16 games last year after he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 1. Dobbins missed all of 2021 after tearing the ACL, LCL and meniscus in his left knee, along with his hamstring, in the preseason finale, and he missed half of 2022 after another knee surgery.
Last year, after he sat out of team drills for three weeks at the start of training camp and expressed his displeasure over the lack of a contract extension, Dobbins hit the practice field in mid-August and said that he felt 100% healthy for the first time in three years. He also said he wanted to finish his career in Baltimore.
“I do think that healthy, I can be one of the top backs in the league,” Dobbins said at the time. “I just gotta prove it and I am gonna prove it. One day, one day it will happen.”
But after catching a short pass early in the third quarter of the season opener against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium, he suffered a torn Achilles as he was tackled short of the end zone.
Dobbins missed the remainder of the season, and the Ravens moved on this offseason by signing four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry.
Still, when Dobbins has been on the field, he has been effective. His career average of 5.8 yards per carry is the highest among running backs with at least 200 carries since 2020.
Now, he’ll join his former backfield mate Edwards, as well as third-year back Isaiah Spiller and reserves Elijah Dotson and Jaret Patterson, as he tries to rekindle his career yet again. The Ravens are set to play the Chargers in SoFi Stadium next season.
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New Ravens running back Derrick Henry strolled out of the team’s weight room at the Owings Mills facility alongside Zay Flowers, the sleeves of his workout T-shirt struggling to contain his biceps and his 6-foot-2, 247-pound frame dwarfing the second-year receiver — as well as the sun trying to poke through a nearby window.
Monday marked the start of Baltimore’s offseason workout program and Henry, when not running over and past would-be tacklers, lives to work out, so it was hardly a surprise that he was in attendance for the voluntary sessions after signing with the Ravens last month.
“I’m the new guy,” Henry said Wednesday in a soft tone that belies his size. “I wanna make sure I show up, show my teammates, show the organization that I’m committed. I wanna come and put the work in, be around my teammates and develop that relationship with them and just put the work in and work as hard as I can when I’m in the building.”
The nine-week offseason program consists of three phases — the first spans two weeks and covers strength and conditioning along with meetings; the second includes on-field workouts; and the third includes organized team activities.
All of them are voluntary, until a three-day mandatory minicamp in mid-June. But for Henry, along with quarterback Lamar Jackson, inside linebacker Roquan Smith, center Tyler Linderbuam and others, it provides a good opportunity to begin the process of a new season and put last year’s mistake-filled AFC championship game further in the rearview mirror.
“It was definitely very tough, after all you go through throughout the year physically, emotionally,” Smith said. “To come up short, it sucks.
“Obviously last season is last season. … I think everyone is very excited about what all we have coming forward, the potential that we have with this team, with added pieces, and I’m sure throughout the draft and throughout the rest of the offseason we’re gonna add more pieces.”
Henry, literally and figuratively, is the biggest one.
A four-time Pro Bowl selection and NFL leader in rushing yards and touchdowns in 2019 and 2020, he is easily the best backfield mate Jackson, the reigning and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, has had in what will be his seventh season in Baltimore. Only once in Jackson’s tenure has he had a 1,000-yard rusher (Mark Ingram II), which was in 2019, when he won his first NFL MVP award. Henry, 30, is one of only eight running backs to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a season, recording 2,027 and 17 touchdowns in 2020 when he was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year.
And while it remains to be seen how exactly the Ravens will deploy the bruising and speedy back in an offense that transitioned from a heavy ground-and-pound scheme under former offensive coordinator Greg Roman to a more spread-out attack under Todd Monken, Henry’s ability should make Baltimore much more potent. If nothing else, his presence should at least take some pressure off Jackson, who led the team in rushing again last season while throwing for a career-high 3,678 yards.
“Shoot, the guy’s very built and strong and fast,” Linderbaum said of Henry. “He’ll be a good addition for us.”
Smith was even more bullish, calling the running back’s addition “huge,” and that he’ll help the team stick to what they do best.
“Having a guy like that, anytime you need a play with him and Lamar back there, I think it’s gonna be crucial,” Smith said. “It’s gonna open up a lot for everyone. … It’s gonna be scary.”
It’s also a change for Henry.
After eight years with the Tennessee Titans and missing the playoffs each of the past two seasons with a combined 13-21 record, he’s excited about the opportunity to play alongside Jackson and for a team that had the NFL’s best record during the regular season last year.
“Lamar’s a cool guy,” Henry said. “You can tell he’s a great leader by how everybody flocks to him. He has great energy as well.
“His body of work speaks for itself.”
As does Henry’s. Among his myriad accolades, about the only thing he hasn’t done is win — or even get to — a Super Bowl. Neither, of course, has Jackson.
“I love playing this game,” Henry said when asked about his motivation at this point of his career. “I really want to hold that trophy up at the end of the year. It starts right now with putting the work in.”
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Former Ravens running back Willis McGahee sometimes struggles to find the words.
“You don’t know how long you’re gonna be here or you don’t know when you can receive the proper healthcare that you need,” he told The Baltimore Sun in a Zoom interview last week. “It’s tough. I think about my kids more than anything. I wanna be here for my kids.”
In his darkest hours, McGahee, a two-time Pro Bowl selection whose career spanned 10 years, 151 games, 8,882 rushing yards, and more than a dozen surgeries across 10 seasons with four teams, said he contemplated taking his own life “a few times” given the physical and emotional burden the sport left on him.
But the 42-year-old is spurred on, he said, by his 10 children, one of whom, Willis McGahee IV, will play outside linebacker at Nebraska this fall. His spirits have also been lifted more in recent days, thanks to a court decision that could potentially allow him and other former players to receive the disability benefits that McGahee believes have long been owed by the NFL for injuries suffered during their careers.
A class-action lawsuit filed by 10 former players, including McGahee in February 2023 against the league’s disability board, which is based in Baltimore, is moving forward after the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ruled two weeks ago that it can proceed to discovery and trial, though not against Commissioner Roger Goodell or trustees individually because they were not accused of wrongdoing.
The lawsuit alleges that doctors in the plan are financially incentivized to deny disability claims. It also says that data shows a “disturbing pattern of erroneous and arbitrary benefits denials, bad faith contract misinterpretations and other unscrupulous tactics,” that include flagrant violations of federal law, according to lawyers Chris Seeger and Sam Katz. Other plaintiffs include Eric Smith, Jason Alford, Daniel Loper, Michael McKenzie, Jamize Olawale, Alex Parsons, Charles Sims, Joey Thomas and Lance Zeno.
The NFL disability plan, which came out of a 2011 collective bargaining agreement between the players and the union, has been touted as a way to help debilitated former players with claims that can lead to payments between $65,000 and $265,000. However, the plaintiffs’ lawyers say few players receive the top amount and many are denied disability benefits altogether.
For example, Katz cited a statistical example in which the board’s 14 highest-paid neuropsychologists all had a 100% denial rate in evaluations for permanent disability, while physicians in the program who had around a 25% success rate were paid significantly less.
The complaint also alleges that the board relied only on physicians’ conclusions and did not review all related material for claims, even though it consistently told players they’re required by law to review all of the evidence in the record.
“Willis has so many different impairments — physical, neurological, neurocognitive, psychological,” Katz told The Sun. “We based the claim not only off those things individually but the cumulative impact of all of his impairments together. … Despite multiple courts telling [the disability board] they have to do it, they’ve continued this unlawful practice of compartmentalizing and only considering impairments in silo with no one coming together and saying … Willis can’t work from all those things combined.”
One of the denials for McGahee, who lives in Miami, took place in Atlanta in 2016. Of the more than 37 exams done by that same neurologist on players, all were denied benefits, according to the complaint. And in McGahee’s most recent claim, in late 2022, he was denied again.
“My injuries, physical and mental, have gotten worse because of the disability board refusing to provide the proper benefits that I need,” McGahee told The Sun.
The NFL had no additional comment from the statement it issued last February when contacted by The Sun because of the ongoing litigation, though it has said it expected annual payouts for the disability plan to reach $330 million last year. The league has until May 24 to respond to the latest ruling.
The news of the judge’s decision brought a momentary smile to the face of McGahee, who suffered more than 40 injuries over a decade in the NFL that included four years with the Ravens from 2007 to 2010, during which he was knocked unconscious twice, including against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2009 AFC championship game. McGahee also said that other players have reached out to him in recent years, including one former Raven who “didn’t know where to turn” after multiple benefit denials left the player in a dark place.
What McGahee hopes to come out of the lawsuit, he said, is that the players show the NFL disability board that “we’re not pushovers, not going to take no for an answer.” They also hope to have doctors who their data alleges are not neutral removed from the program.
In the meantime, McGahee said he will continue to fight for what he believes is just, for himself and other players in the league past and present.
“I have my ups and downs. That’s everyday life,” he said. “But that we’re standing up to them shows that we have a lot of character amongst each other. We’re not gonna give up.”
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When Air Force safety Trey Taylor wanted some inside information on the Ravens, he went to a relative: Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed.
They are cousins by marriage, but Taylor always called Reed “unc,” and Reed calls Taylor his nephew. Reed’s diagnosis of the Ravens organization was as thorough as his film study when he played in Baltimore from 2002 through 2012.
“It’s called 1 Winning Drive, the street they are on,” said Taylor, who went to The Castle for a predraft visit with the Ravens on March 19. “I loved the place, I loved the people there. It seemed like everybody was happy to be there, and they all had winning attitudes.
“It was definitely a positive experience. I’m looking forward to comparing the experience I had with them to the other places I will visit.”
Taylor is also expected to visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders before the NFL draft, which is April 25-27 in Detroit.
But Taylor fits the profile of a Ravens “hybrid” safety. At 6 feet and 206 pounds, he can play near the line of scrimmage and in the deep third of the field. He had 71 tackles last season and earned first-team All-Mountain West honors. He also recorded six career interceptions.
It’s one of the things he said he discussed with Ravens coach John Harbaugh and first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr during his visit.
“That’s what they were saying, they would be excited about me playing underneath, but they like how I can also convert to being somebody that plays deep,” Taylor said.
The Ravens need safety help, too. They lost Geno Stone to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency, and while they return starters Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams, Williams missed seven games last season with various injuries and played much of the year with one arm because he declined to have surgery for a torn pectoral muscle.
There is a lot to like about Taylor. He started for three years at Air Force and finished with 205 career tackles. Various draft reports have said he has good intuition reading plays. He also received the 2023 Jim Thorpe Award, which is given annually to the best defensive back in college.
Air Force’s Trey Taylor, the 2023 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation’s top defensive back, is the cousin of former Ravens safety and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed. (Air Force Athletics/Handout) Taylor, who played at Lone Star High School in Frisco, Texas, was recruited by 30 schools, including every Ivy League school but Princeton.
But Taylor chose the Air Force Academy.
“I really wanted to have a positive lifestyle for my family whenever I was getting out,” he said. “I didn’t think that football or going to the NFL at that time in my life was even a possibility. At the Air Force Academy, everybody was really like-minded, everybody had some aspirations in life. They wanted to do big things, wanted to be around big corporations, and I really appreciated that.”
Playing at a service academy, though, has some disadvantages. Army, Navy and Air Force don’t play a traditional, modern style of football. Defenders face run-oriented offenses in practice every day.
There is also the five-year obligation to stay in the military after graduation, though Taylor said he can play in the NFL first as long as he is under contract before having to serve that obligation.
Afterward, according to Taylor, he can pay $250,000 or serve out the five-year commitment. Those things might have played a part in Taylor not being invited to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis in February.
Air Force safety Trey Taylor said he “dominated” practices at the Shrine Bowl while competing against some of the country’s top NFL draft prospects. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Taylor has also been criticized by draft analysts for being too aggressive on the field and not waiting until he can dissect a play. Maybe that’s why he is projected to be a late-round pick.
But at his pro day in Colorado Springs, Taylor ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds. He bench-pressed 225 pounds 22 times and recorded a 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump.
He has heard his stock is rising.
“I got to the Shrine Bowl and played against some of the best competition in the country and honestly dominated those practices,” Taylor said, “so hopefully [scouts] can bring that back to the [general managers] and really be able to say he’s actually really effective no matter who or what opponent he is playing against.
“I’m pretty confident in what I’ve been hearing from my agency and how I’ve been climbing up the draft board. I’m happy with the progress. The reality is I can slip into the fourth round or possibly sign as an undrafted free agent. It all depends how the board shakes out.”
Regardless, Taylor is easy to like. He is well-rounded and likes to fish, cook and paint. He loves snowboarding, skiing and seeing different parts of the world. Because of his service background, the Ravens know “he is going to play like a Raven” and he can spend possibly a year polishing his skill set playing behind Hamilton and Williams.
Taylor has watched Hamilton play for years going back to the 2022 first-round pick’s days at Notre Dame. Taylor likes the leverage Hamilton plays with, especially filling gaps and taking on blockers. Before Air Force games, he used to watch Washington safety Sean Taylor deliver vicious hits because it amped him up.
And then, of course, there’s “unc,” Ed Reed.
“I literally can call him up right now and be like, ‘Hey, let’s talk ball, or let’s talk investments, or let’s talk life after football,’ and we can have a two-hour conversation,” Taylor said. “It’s crazy. He’s really like having somebody in my corner.
“He has a ton of love for the organization and you can see it in the way that he talks about the team.”
Now, we’ll see if the Ravens have that mutual feeling about Taylor on draft weekend.
NFL draft
Round 1: Thursday, April 25, 8 p.m.
Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 26, 7 p.m.
Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 27, noon
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
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The Ravens might have their new kick returner.
Baltimore is signing Deonte Harty to a one-year deal, his agent confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Wednesday. His addition fills the void left by Devin Duvernay, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency.
Harty, 26, is a Baltimore native who starred at Archbishop Curley before playing at Division II Assumption. He spent last season with the Buffalo Bills, where he primarily served as the team’s punt returner, though he also has experience returning kickoffs.
Last season, he averaged 12.4 yards on 26 punt returns, including a 96-yard touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 that helped Buffalo secure the AFC East title. Harty returned only one kickoff for 7 yards last season, but he was an All-Pro as an undrafted rookie with the New Orleans Saints in 2019 when he averaged 26.8 yards per kickoff return.
For his career, Harty, who was also a Baltimore Sun first-team All-Metro selection in 2014, has averaged 10.4 yards per punt return and 25.2 yards per kick return. He also has 79 career catches for 943 yards, the bulk of those coming in 2021 with the Saints. Two years ago, he legally changed his last name from Harris to Harty in honor of his stepdad.
The Ravens’ move comes as the NFL undergoes a drastic change to its kickoff format this year.
The new rule, which will be in place for one season before it is reviewed and voted on again, is designed to increase the number of returns per game while limiting the number of injuries from high speed collisions. A steady decline led to a record-low 23.7% return rate in 2023.
“I love the fact that kickoff returns are going to be back in the game,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday. “I’m kind of on record saying I wish they would have looked at a couple other things before taking the line of scrimmage out of the kickoff [and] kickoff return play, because the onside kicks and all that are still pretty cool, and they had already taken the wedges out and the double teams out. If you create some space for the kickoff return team to operate, maybe that would have slowed the kickoff team down; that was a theory.
“But they went all in with this new rule, and I’d rather have this than what we had in the past, where they were going all in for fair catches. We were never in favor of that.”
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Former Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs was arrested in Arizona on Tuesday night.
Suggs, 41, was charged with one count of assault and one count of offense against public order, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. He has since been released, according to police.
More details about the allegations against Suggs were not made immediately available, though a Scottsdale police spokesperson confirmed to The Baltimore Sun that the arrest stems from an incident that happened on March 10. KTVK/KPHO in Arizona reported that the charges relate to an alleged road rage incident in Scottsdale that involved weapons.
Drafted 10th overall out of Arizona State by Baltimore in 2003, Suggs spent all but one of his 17 years in the NFL with the Ravens, who inducted him into their Ring of Honor in October.
Suggs won two Super Bowl titles in his career, including one with Baltimore in the 2012 season. He was also named the NFL’s Rookie of the Year in 2003 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, as well as an All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
This is also not the first time that Suggs has been accused of assault.
In 2003, he was charged with a felony aggravated assault after a man was allegedly struck with a piece of rebar during an argument at a basketball tournament. Suggs was later acquitted of the charges.
In 2009, Suggs’ future wife, Candace Williams, accused him of domestic violence and filed a request for a protective order claiming he had hit her and spilled bleach on her and their then-1-year-old son. She later requested that the order be rescinded after they reconciled.
Then, in late 2012, she accused him of punching her in the neck and dragging her behind his car as he drove away with their two children. Suggs was ordered to turn over seven guns, including an AK-47 assault rifle, because of the temporary protective order granted by the Baltimore County Circuit Court.
Less than a month later, the couple married, and she again asked for the protective order to be lifted. After two years of marriage, she filed for divorce in 2015.
Suggs, who spent his final season in the league in 2019 with the Arizona Cardinals and then the Kansas City Chiefs, finished his career with 139 sacks, 895 tackles, 15 fumble recoveries and seven interceptions.
This story will be updated.
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With nine picks and holes to fill on both sides of the ball, the Ravens see the 2024 draft as essential to rebuilding the roster depth that made them a top contender last season. General manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh shared a bit of their vision — while proudly obscuring specific plans — at the team’s annual predraft luncheon Tuesday.
Here are three takeaways from what they said.
The draft will be more essential to building the 2024 Ravens than it was for last year’s team.
DeCosta made just six picks last April, fewest for the franchise since 2009, and only one of those players, wide receiver Zay Flowers, played a prominent role as the Ravens went all the way to the AFC championship game. This was largely by design as DeCosta tabbed players such as linebacker Trenton Simpson and offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees with an eye on what they might contribute in 2024 rather than 2023.
The script has flipped this year. More talent left the organization than entered it over the last two months. The Ravens kept several of their own key free agents, most recently outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, and added an offensive hammer in running back Derrick Henry. But they said farewell to three starters on their offensive line, a Pro Bowl inside linebacker, their best edge rusher and a pair of essential reserves from their secondary. They anticipated this exodus, sure, but it left them with much work to do just to get back to par.
Both Harbaugh and DeCosta made a point of saying the Ravens have no plan to take even a half-step back this season. Come September, they aim to field a team at least as good as the one that won 13 games and clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a week to spare. To do so, they’ll return to a bedrock principle established by DeCosta’s predecessor and mentor, Ozzie Newsome: build through the draft first.
“There’s a real opportunity for us to build that depth up again,” DeCosta said, referring to the flood of picks the team is expected to make over the next two drafts.
This isn’t just about back filling behind the team’s highly compensated stars and young Pro Bowl starters, however. The Ravens need multiple players from this class to compete for snaps right away, especially on the offensive line but also potentially at wide receiver, edge rusher and cornerback. Even if they don’t need immediate starters at all those spots, they need players who might shove their way to the front of the line heading into 2025, when players such as left tackle Ronnie Stanley, cornerback Brandon Stephens, wide receiver Rashod Bateman and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh aren’t guaranteed to be around.
“We’ll have some opportunities for sure. There’s going to be some spots that need to be filled,” DeCosta said. “The burden is on me to find those players.”
Is this a make-or-break draft? Not quite, but the Ravens’ talent pipeline needs feeding.
Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims could be an option for the Ravens in the first round. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) This is a great year to need offensive linemen.
Harbaugh reiterated that the draft isn’t the only means by which the Ravens plan to fill the gaps left by departed starters Morgan Moses, Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson. They expect tackle Daniel Faalele, guard Ben Cleveland and the powerful Vorhees (coming off a de facto medical redshirt year) to compete for snaps this summer.
But it’s hard to imagine DeCosta would have been comfortable waving goodbye to stalwart veterans Moses and Zeitler if he was not confident he could snag at least one immediate starter from this draft. We’ve heard it from evaluator after evaluator: there could be 10 starting tackles drafted from the top of the first round to the middle of the second, with potential standouts at guard and center also available on all three days of the draft.
DeCosta noted that the Ravens spent all of Monday on offensive line prospects, because there were just so many draftable players to review. Do you fancy an athletically gifted talent who didn’t play much such as Georgia’s Amarius Mims? Or a more refined plug-in at right tackle such as BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia?
There’s an answer to fit every strategy, including a possible trade out of the first round.
And the key point to keep in mind is the Ravens’ work won’t stop with the first offensive lineman they draft. DeCosta will almost certainly draft at least two and perhaps three, recognizing that center Tyler Linderbaum is his only current starter certain to be on the team in 2025. This is the year for the Ravens to set up their offensive line for the next half-decade.
“Offensive line is just stacked across the board, in most rounds,” DeCosta said.
It’s a perfect meeting of need and opportunity.
The calls for a playmaker aren’t quite as urgent, but expect another wide receiver and another running back.
It was unusual to go through a predraft news conference without DeCosta having to answer for the team’s spotty track record evaluating wide receivers. That’s partly because Flowers, the team’s third first-round receiver in five years, performed well as a rookie, and partly because of the more obvious holes along the offensive line.
But with Bateman, the team’s 2021 first-round pick, still looking for a breakout season and potentially headed to free agency after this year, the Ravens do need another young pass catcher. Harbaugh and quarterback Lamar Jackson have discussed which type of receiver — fans still lust after a big, fast X receiver on the outside — might be the the best fit.
Again, the good news for the Ravens is that this draft class comes packed with options of all sizes, speeds and styles. DeCosta put the wide receiver group right next to the offensive linemen when asked which positions will yield the most fruit on the draft’s second and third days.
The running backs are far less hyped, and the Ravens already made their big move there when they signed Henry. In fact, DeCosta suggested that teams rushed to scoop up starters in free agency in part because there’s not a premium ball carrier projected to go in the first round of the draft.
That said, he expects interest in running backs to intensify in the middle three rounds and all but guaranteed the Ravens will draft a player to supplement Henry, Justice Hill and rehabilitating Keaton Mitchell. No, they won’t be looking for a runner to take carries away from Henry, but they could use another versatile threat to rotate in on third down and to take advantage of the NFL’s new kickoff rules, designed to increase returns.
Ravens Insider: Ravens select Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins with 30th overall pick in 2024 NFL draft
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Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta is fond of saying Baltimore can never have too many cornerbacks, and two weeks ago he conveyed as much by adding that he would love to pick one at some point in this year’s NFL draft.
That point came in the opening round Thursday night when the Ravens selected Nate Wiggins from Clemson with the 30th overall pick. It marks the first time they have taken a cornerback in the first round since 2017 when they drafted Marlon Humphrey 16th overall.
In drafting Wiggins, they also might have found their eventual replacement for Humphrey, or at least someone who could contribute immediately.
While the Ravens have a solid duo on the outside with Humphrey and Brandon Stephens, along with Arthur Maulet returning for another season in the slot, Humphrey is coming off an injury-hampered season in which he played 10 games and the fewest defensive snaps (541) of his career after undergoing foot surgery last summer. Stephens performed well last season, but he was initially tabbed for safety before being pressed into cornerback duty and is due to become a free agent after the 2024 season.
“That’s a position that typically you never have enough due to injuries and different things — guys will break down through the course of the season,” DeCosta said during the Ravens’ predraft news conference earlier this month. “Our depth has always been tested in the secondary.”
In taking Wiggins, a 6-foot-1, 173-pound long and athletic corner with elite speed, the Ravens get a player who had 24 pass breakups, three interceptions (including two returned for touchdowns), two forced fumbles, a sack and a blocked field goal in 1,377 career snaps over 34 games, including 18 starts. He also ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash (4.28 seconds) at the 2024 NFL scouting combine and his wingspan allows him to match up with bigger receivers.
Though Wiggins had only three interceptions in his career at Clemson, he had 21 pass breakups the past two seasons, including nine last year.
If there is a concern about Wiggins’ ability at the next level, it would be run defense. He is not the prototypical physical cornerback the Ravens covet, though he has added about 10 pounds since the scouting combine and performed well in both man and zone coverage for the Tigers.
“The Ravens always value players who can rush the quarterback and guys who can cover pass catchers,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote. “Wiggins has outstanding cover ability, but Baltimore will need to help him be a little more of an urgent defender against the run.”
This story will be updated.
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