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Justin Madubuike will be staying a Raven for at least one more year. The Ravens issued the nonexclusive franchise tag for the 26-year-old star defensive tackle Tuesday after they couldn’t come to terms on a long-term agreement, just ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline. “We were unable to agree on a contract extension with Justin before the deadline and will use the franchise tag,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Justin is a great player and person, and we will continue to negotiate a long-term deal with him.” By issuing the nonexclusive tag, Madubuike can still sign an offer sheet with another team, and Baltimore would then have the right to match it or refuse and receive two first-round draft picks from the team he signs with as compensation. Given the cost — the franchise tag for defensive tackles in 2024 is more than $22.1 million — it seems unlikely that another team would be willing to spend that much, even for a player of Madubuike’s caliber. Even with the tag, Madubuike and the Ravens have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term extension, something DeCosta said at last week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis he is interested in doing. “We’ve had discussions with Justin,” DeCosta said. “He’s the guy that obviously has put himself in a fortuitous position this year by the way that he played. Had a great season for us. He’s a valued player on the team, and we’re hopeful that we can get a long-term deal done.” Madubuike is coming off a breakout season in which he led all NFL interior linemen with a career-high 13 sacks, part of the Ravens’ league-best 60 for the season. His 13 sacks also tied a franchise single-season record for a defensive tackle, and he became the first Raven to record double-digit sacks in a season since Terrell Suggs in 2017. Madubuike’s streak of 11 straight games with at least half a sack tied the NFL’s single-season record, and Baltimore became the first team in the modern era to lead the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed per game. It’s just the second time the Ravens have used the franchise tag on a defensive tackle; the last was in 2011 on Haloti Ngata, who later agreed to a five-year extension. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens still searching for a great leader like Ray Lewis | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens end 21-year relationship with Aramark, will announce a new concessions operator Baltimore Ravens | Five things we learned, including potential Ravens draft targets, from NFL scouting combine Baltimore Ravens | Will the Ravens draft a wide receiver? It depends what you believe. Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Ravens’ needs include pass rusher, defensive back and running back Baltimore also used the nonexclusive tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson last March before signing him to a five-year, $260 million deal in April. Madubuike’s next contract is projected to be $92 million over four years, according to Pro Football Focus. Using the tag on Madubuike this season does limit the Ravens’ salary cap flexibility this offseason, particularly with more than 20 of their players due to hit the open market when free agency begins next week. But securing Madubuike was the organization’s biggest priority after he was a consistently disruptive force who helped the Ravens to an NFL-best 13-4 record last season and an appearance in the AFC championship game. In addition to his sack total, Madubuike had 64 quarterback pressures last season, according to Next Gen Stats, which tied for the second most of any Ravens player since 2016 and were behind only outside linebacker and pending free agent Jadeveon Clowney last season. Madubuike was selected to his first Pro Bowl and named second-team All-Pro after finishing with 56 tackles, including 12 for loss, and 33 quarterback hits. Bringing back the former third-round draft pick out of Texas A&M also gives the Ravens an All-Pro caliber player at every level of their defense, along with inside linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton, and a $30 million increase in the NFL’s salary cap to $255.4 million in 2024 should help when it comes to bringing back at least some of their other pending free agents. It also means the Ravens will have to undergo cost-cutting elsewhere on their roster. Before issuing the franchise tag, the Ravens had only about $12 million in salary cap space, according to Over The Cap, and they’ll need to be cap-compliant by the time the new league year begins March 13. There are several ways they can get under the salary cap, including restructuring the contracts of Jackson, inside linebacker Roquan Smith and others. And that’s just the start of it. Baltimore can create even more cap space — something it’ll need to do with a draft class that’ll require about $15 million, plus several other holes, including at running back, that will need to be accounted for in free agency — by getting left tackle Ronnie Stanley to agree to a pay cut. His $26.2 million cap hit is second to only Jackson’s, a prohibitively big number for a player who struggled with injury for a second straight year and was not close to one of the best tackles in the game as his contract would suggest. Among other possibilities to free up more money could include releasing fullback Patrick Ricard, which would create $4 million in cap space, and outside linebacker Tyus Bowser ($5.5 million), who played just nine games in 2022 and missed all of 2023 with a knee injury. But all of these are decisions that will come over the next week. Tagging Madubuike was just the first step. This story will be updated. View the full article

The Ravens still miss middle linebacker Ray Lewis, who retired shortly after the team won Super Bowl 47 to end the 2012 season. It’s not just Lewis’ physical presence, but the psychological effect he had to will his team to victory. If Lewis had been a member of the 2023 Ravens, what a great battle it would have been watching him going against Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the AFC championship game, which the Ravens lost, 17-10, in Baltimore. Both of those players had “it,” that swagger and charisma that becomes contagious and makes everyone around them better. We saw that for 17 years in Baltimore with Lewis winning two NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards and two Super Bowl titles. We now see that in Mahomes, 28, who has played in four Super Bowls and won three, including two in a row. He is the consummate professional and has the same aura of invincibility. The Ravens don’t have that type of player on the roster — not yet anyway. Middle linebacker Roquan Smith has the potential, but he has only been in Baltimore for 1 1/2 years and is still learning the culture, identity and work ethic of this franchise. This type of machismo usually comes from a quarterback, but Lamar Jackson doesn’t exude that type of confidence. The great ones, such as Hall of Famers Johnny Unitas, John Elway and Joe Montana, never had to talk about being “locked in” or focused. That was a normal assumption. Those players could carry a team, but Jackson needs superior talent around him. He emerged somewhat as a leader on his way to a second NFL Most Valuable Player Award this past season, but only on the offensive side. The same is true with Smith. He understands the signature of this franchise is defense. His teammates soak up his words both on and off the field, and he has become the player who consistently delivers the pregame speech, or “boomalacher.” The Ravens need someone who transcends both offense and defense. Lewis had been on the roster for six years before he became the unquestioned team leader. He watched and learned from the big men who played in front of him, such as tackles Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams and ends Rob Burnett and Michael McCrary. That’s not to say he wasn’t the top defensive player in the league, but Lewis knew his place. And his teammates, such as offensive tackle Orlando Brown Sr., put him in it when Lewis got too big too soon. Ravens TrainingKim Hairston/Baltimore SunRavens quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, and inside linebacker Roquan Smith walk off the practice field together. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Since the team moved to Baltimore from Cleveland in 1996, only two players have been the complete face of this organization. One was Lewis, and the other was tight end Shannon Sharpe, who played on the 2000 Super Bowl championship team. No player, with the possible exception of Minnesota Vikings defensive end John Randle, talked more trash than Sharpe, but he also had possibly the greatest defense in NFL history backing him up. Sharpe would buzz and rattle his teammates and even the opposing team (remember him calling Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress “Plexiglass”?), but he didn’t care. Lewis had a similar charm. There were times in games when he would go over and get running back Jamal Lewis amped up, telling him it was “time for the Lewis brothers to take over the game.” That was a pretty imposing pair with Ray at 240 pounds and Jamal at 245. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens end 21-year relationship with Aramark, will announce a new concessions operator Baltimore Ravens | Five things we learned, including potential Ravens draft targets, from NFL scouting combine Baltimore Ravens | Will the Ravens draft a wide receiver? It depends what you believe. Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Ravens’ needs include pass rusher, defensive back and running back Baltimore Ravens | Ravens face important rebuild on offensive line, but how ‘remains to be seen’ Ray Lewis could energize M&T Bank Stadium with his “squirrel dance,” complete with picking up dirt and grass. He would challenge his teammates to defend late-game drives. His pregame speeches were priceless, especially the famed, “Where would you rather be right now than right here playing this game?” He delivered it like clockwork for almost every big game. He was the soul of the Ravens, quoting scripture (“no weapon formed against you shall prosper”) to laying hands on a teammate in prayer like he did with receiver Jacoby Jones before Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown in Super Bowl 47. Veteran players such as offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, linebackers Adalius Thomas and Bart Scott and even quarterback Joe Flacco would stand in the back of the pregame huddles because they had seen or heard the routine several times. But young or new players on the roster such as Jones, offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and defensive tackle Arthur Jones would eat it up and think they were invincible. That was all part of the will and strength of Ray Lewis, not just his presence on the field. The Ravens miss that ingredient, especially late in games and in the postseason. Steve Young had it, and so did Roger Staubach and Terry Bradshaw. There have been defensive leaders who’ve had it as well, such as former Steelers defensive tackle Joe Greene and New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan. There is only one Ray Lewis, and he can never be replaced. But the Ravens need to find a similar leader who can push this team over the top. Maybe it’s Smith, or maybe it’s a draft pick. But there’s a hole and void in leadership that Lewis left and hasn’t been replaced in nearly a decade. View the full article

The Ravens will have a new concessions operator come next season — but for now, they’re not saying who that will be. The team said Monday that it has ended a more than two-decade-long relationship with Aramark, the Philadelphia-based company that has managed food and beverage service at M&T Bank Stadium since 2003. “We are grateful for our partnership and thank Aramark, particularly its staff, which served Ravens fans for many seasons,” Ravens spokesman Patrick Gleason said in a statement. The decision comes as the team prepares for an extensive round of upgrades to its stadium. The renovation project, boosted by a $430 million infusion of state money, will result in new bathrooms, expanded concourses, additional suites and three plazas with bars, restaurants and shops. Gleason declined to comment when asked for more details about the concessions changes. In the Ravens’ announcement, the team said it has been planning a “major expansion” of its food and beverage program since January 2023 “to continue elevating the gameday experience for all Ravens fans.” The team issued a request for proposals last fall “to secure necessary capital investment and identify a food & beverage and hospitality partner for the lease extension.” Aramark was among the companies invited to participate in the RFP process, though the Ravens ultimately decided to partner with a new food-service provider. “We look forward to sharing the exciting upgrades to our food and hospitality program in the near future,” Gleason said in the team’s statement. The decision is the latest food and beverage switch for Baltimore’s teams. Last year, the Orioles embarked on a concessions partnership with Chicago-based Levy, ending a 13-year run with Delaware North. Aramark wasthe ballpark’s concessions manager from 1992 to 2010. In a statement, Aramark senior vice president for corporate affairs Debbie Albert said the company’s deal with the Ravens was terminated four seasons before it was set to expire. “We are disappointed with this decision, especially given our excellent performance, as demonstrated by our top-of-class scores in the NFL’s Voice of the Fan rankings for food and beverage at M&T Bank Stadium – top five in the NFL in every year since 2019,” Albert wrote. “Our focus now is on taking care of our employees, many of whom have worked at the stadium for their entire careers, and on continuing to deliver world-class hospitality on behalf of our other partners across the NFL and beyond.” A spokesperson for Levy said the company was invited to participate in the Ravens’ food and beverage RFP process, but did not indicate whether it would be the stadium’s new vendor. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — From the Ravens’ biggest priority on offense this offseason to general manager Eric DeCosta’s thoughts on what is a long list of free agents for Baltimore to the strangest questions of the week, here are five things we learned from last week at the NFL scouting combine. Rebuilding offensive line ‘most important thing’ Ravens will do The Ravens had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL this past season, paving the way for a league-best 163.8 rushing yards per game, allowing the fifth-fewest quarterback pressures (160) and providing enough time for NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson to throw for a career-high 3,678 yards. It also could look very different in 2024. Guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson are both free agents, while tackles Morgan Moses, who turned 33 Sunday, and Ronnie Stanley, who will turn 30 in two weeks, face concerns over injury, age and salary. Nine linemen played at least 160 snaps last season, which speaks to Baltimore’s depth but also to injury concerns, with Zeitler, Moses and Stanley among those who all missed time, so finding a starting tackle and/or guard early in this year’s draft will be a priority. Fortunately for Baltimore, which doesn’t pick until 30th in the first round, there is plenty of depth at the position. One potential target for the Ravens is Georgia right tackle Amarius Mims, who is massive at 6 feet, 7 inches and 330 pounds with long arms, did not allow a sack and gave up just six pressures in 376 career pass blocks, according to Pro Football Focus, in his career for the Bulldogs. But he also played in just 30 college games, including only eight starts, because of, in part, injuries. Two others to keep an eye on: Arizona tackle Jordan Morgan and Washington tackle Troy Fautanu. Morgan, a 6-5, 312-pound three-year starter for the Wildcats’ run-pass split, zone-based run scheme at left tackle, has what ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. dubbed “outstanding” footwork in pass protection with enough arm length and quickness to keep speedy pass rushers at bay. He suffered a torn ACL in November 2022 but started 12 games last season, allowing two sacks and seven pressures. Fautanu, meanwhile, is a 6-4, 317-pound prospect who is rated among the top 20 overall prospects by former Ravens scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah. He also has experience at left tackle and left guard, and the Ravens love offensive linemen with versatility. “The offensive line is where it starts,” coach John Harbaugh said last week. “We talked about that in 2008. It’s been true forever. You win in the trenches first, so we think that we’re offensive line-centric in our philosophy, and we’ve got some question marks on our offensive line. There is going to be some rebuilding that is going to have to be done in there, and we’re getting to it already. It’s going to be probably the most important thing we do on offense.” Ravens vs TexansJerry Jackson/Baltimore SunIt’s unlikely wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. returns to the Ravens next season. (Jerry Jackson/Staff) Odell Beckham Jr. and Geno Stone probably aren’t returning Beckham and Stone are among the more than 20 Ravens who will be free agents, and based on how general manager Eric DeCosta addressed questions about each at the scouting combine, it doesn’t sound like either will be back. “We’ve just texted,” DeCosta said. “He’s a great, great guy. I love Odell. He’s become a great friend of mine and a friend to the Ravens, and I think we’ll just kind of assess and see what happens over the next couple of weeks.” Beckham certainly was beloved in the front office and the locker room, but with the Ravens’ already re-signing veteran receiver Nelson Agholor, it would seem unlikely that Beckham would be coming back, too. For one, a big part of the reason the Ravens signed him was to get Jackson to sign a long-term extension, which he did. For another, at $15 million he was expensive for a player who caught 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns. He brought other intangibles, but if another contender is willing to pay him in the projected range of around $10 million, that is simply too rich for the Ravens. As for Stone, his seven interceptions led the AFC and were second-most in the NFL, which is sure to land him a lucrative deal. According to Spotrac, he’s projected to get a three-year, $21.6 million offer. Again, that’s a lot for someone who was not an every-down player. The Ravens are also invested in Marcus Williams and will be looking at a contract extension next year for All-Pro Kyle Hamilton. “I’m very proud of Geno,” DeCosta said. “Geno might be the best seventh-round pick that we’ve ever had — playmaker, attitude, special teams. Just an excellent season. He has been cut, been brought back. I love his cerebral nature, [and] I love his attitude on the field. He fancies himself an overachiever; I love that about him. He’s put himself in an awesome position. We’re fortunate that we have some good safety depth, and I’m not really sure exactly what that means for Geno and the Ravens, but regardless, I know he’s going to be a great pro.” Ravens vs. TexansKenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunWith so many question marks surrounding the Ravens’ running back situation, it’s not inconceivable for J.K. Dobbins to return in 2024. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) J.K. Dobbins or Gus Edwards are still options Currently, the Ravens have just two running backs signed to their roster: Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell, who is only 2 1/2 months removed from a torn ACL. That puts them in the market to bolster their backfield through free agency and the draft. Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry, who was rumored as a potential trade deadline acquisition last season, continues to be the free agent back with the most buzz when it comes to the Ravens, but he figures to be costly at close to $10 million a year. It’s also a deep class, both in free agency and the draft, when it comes to running backs. Inexpensive and familiar options, though, could include Dobbins or Edwards, though the former is coming off a torn Achilles tendon and the latter wouldn’t make a lot of sense given the $1.8 million in dead money already carrying over to next season after the Ravens didn’t extend their touchdown leader by the void deadline. Still, neither were publicly ruled out by Harbaugh and DeCosta last week. “We would love to get Gus back,” Harbaugh said. “J.K. is floating around out there. Those guys have been with us. We’ll just have to see how it goes.” Added DeCosta: “We’re still talking to Gus. We’ll talk to J.K. [We’re] hopeful that we can get something done with those guys. We’ve looked at the draft class. [It’s] probably not as deep as some other positions that we’ll see in this year’s draft class. There are some UFAs [unrestricted free agents] this year in free agency. [There’s] some talented [free agent] players that we will look at as well.” Dobbins also put out a brief video that showed him running and moving well 5 1/2 months removed from surgery, and his agent, who also represents wide receiver Zay Flowers, didn’t rule out a return to Baltimore if the two sides can come to a deal both sides like. Whether they will, of course, is a big if. RavensKevin RichardsonVeteran outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney enjoyed his lone season with the Ravens. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Jadeveon Clowney ended season ‘happy’ for first time The scouting combine is the nexus of the NFL universe for the week. General managers, coaches, scouts, agents and media, among others, descend upon the Indianapolis Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium for long days and longer nights at St. Elmo Steakhouse, Prime 47 and High Velocity, to name a few. In other words, what fans see on TV of the combine is only a fraction of what goes on, with most of the action taking place somewhere other than on the Colts’ home field. In the myriad hallways and lobbies and streets connecting them all, Harbaugh said he ran into the agent of Jadeveon Clowney, who told him that his client ended the season “happy” for the first time in his 10-year career. It’s easy to understand why. Clowney matched a career-high in sacks (9 1/2), earned a $750,000 bonus and genuinely enjoyed going to work at the Ravens’ facility. But does it mean he will be back? “That says so much right there. It says so much for everything, for everybody in the organization,” Harbaugh said of Clowney’s reaction. “Maybe we can get him back. We’re going to try.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Will the Ravens draft a wide receiver? It depends what you believe. Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Ravens’ needs include pass rusher, defensive back and running back Baltimore Ravens | Ravens face important rebuild on offensive line, but how ‘remains to be seen’ Baltimore Ravens | NFLPA report card: Ravens rank 15th overall, improve grade for strength coaches Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ 2024 draft will set the tone for the future | COMMENTARY After a one-year deal at $2.5 million plus incentives last year, Clowney won’t come as cheap this year, though. Questions and answers are getting stranger The scouting combine, much like media night at the Super Bowl, offered no shortage of bizarre questions to future NFL players. Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell was asked if he thinks birds are real. “That’s a crazy question, bro,” he said. “I do want a pet parrot when I get myself established. I just want to be able to talk to somebody when I’m at the crib.” Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams, the prospective top pick in the draft, meanwhile, was asked if he’s “afraid to compete” for his decision to skip throwing and taking part in medical evaluations at the scouting combine. Then there was Texas Tech defensive back Tyler Owens being asked what he doesn’t believe in. The fifth-year senior had an even stranger response. “I don’t believe in space,” he said. “I’m real religious, so I think we’re on our own right now. I don’t think there’s other planets and other stuff like that.” View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell was one of dozens of players and several receivers who met with the Ravens this week at the NFL scouting combine. Baltimore has a history of drafting the position in the first round. General manager Eric DeCosta has done so in three of the past five years, including 2023, when he used the 22nd overall pick to select Zay Flowers. The Boston College star went on to lead the team in catches and yards and set franchise rookie records in both. DeCosta again has his sights set on the wide receiver group this year. “That’s a critical position; the data supports that,” he said earlier this week. “And that’s a position, too, where some of these guys are like race cars; they break down at times. And so, having depth at that position is critical, [and] we saw that this year. We think we built the room out pretty well this year and were able to sustain some injuries along the way.” As for Mitchell, he’s a 6-foot-4, 196-pound speed shifter who had 55 receptions for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and is projected to be picked in the late first/early second round. He also said Friday that he likes to take nuggets from various receivers’ games and add it to his own, because, “if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t trying, and I definitely try to cheat a lot.” Of course, a similar refrain could be applied to NFL teams this week at Lucas Oil Stadium and in the weeks ahead: If they ain’t lyin’, they ain’t tryin’. In other words, fans shouldn’t read too much into what they hear about DeCosta and the Ravens, particularly when it comes to interviewing several receivers and the prospect of taking one in the first round of April’s NFL draft. Simply put, there are far more pressing needs with the 30th overall pick, notably the offensive line, cornerback and pass rusher. A more plausible scenario would be for the Ravens to look for a receiver in the second round or beyond. No matter what the Ravens do, though, there is a need at the position with Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor and little-used Tylan Wallace the only receivers under contract. Odell Beckham Jr. (who is technically under contract but expected to be released post-June 1 if not re-signed), Devin Duvernay and Laquon Treadwell, meanwhile, are likely headed for free agency. And with the Ravens failing to have a 1,000-yard wide receiver for the sixth time in the past seven years, it would make sense to try to bolster the position. With what’s been dubbed a deep draft class at receiver, there are plenty of intriguing prospects the Ravens will get a look at this week at the scouting combine, where receivers will work out on the field Saturday, along with quarterbacks and running backs (the latter being another area of interest for Baltimore). They’ve already interviewed several of them. Team meetings with prospects are either informal and/or formal, with the latter lasting up to 20 minutes. Organizations can meet with up to 45 players over the course of the week, with the meetings taking place in the privacy of suites inside the stadium. Among the other receivers Baltimore met with: Oregon’s Troy Franklin, Florida State’s Keon Coleman and Georgia’s Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint. Of that group, all but Rosemy-Jacksaint project to be drafted the first two days, and each presents different skills. Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin catches a pass for a touchdown against Colorado cornerback Travis Jay on Sept. 23, 2023. (Andy Cross/The Denver Post) Franklin is a 6-3, 180-pound burner with “long speed” who multiple defensive backs said this week was the toughest receiver they had to cover. He likened his own speed to that of Detroit Lions star Jameson Williams and said the biggest improvement he made this year was in yards after the catch. Franklin put up impressive numbers this past season, with 81 catches for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns. He said he needs to get stronger, but added that it would be “cool” to play with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. At 6-4 and 215 pounds, Coleman isn’t lacking strength. A former basketball player, he’s described in his combine profile as an “above the rim” artist with excellent ball skills and would potentially be a powerful yin to the diminutive Flowers’ yang after scoring 11 touchdowns inside the red zone for the Seminoles. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Ravens’ needs include pass rusher, defensive back and running back Baltimore Ravens | Ravens face important rebuild on offensive line, but how ‘remains to be seen’ Baltimore Ravens | NFLPA report card: Ravens rank 15th overall, improve grade for strength coaches Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ 2024 draft will set the tone for the future | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens ‘probably’ will use franchise tag on Justin Madubuike if deal can’t get done by deadline He likewise would welcome the opportunity to catch passes from the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. “I would be grateful for that,” Coleman said Friday. “And if they would bring Odell back that’d be even better. I don’t even see him as a vet. He’s still legit in my eyes. To be able to play with him, Lamar, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, that would be a dream.” As for Mitchell, McConkey and Rosemy-Jacksaint, they already have familiarity with another member of the Ravens: offensive coordinator Todd Monken. All three played under Monken when he was the offensive coordinator at Georgia from 2020 to 2022 (Mitchell started his career with the Bulldogs before transferring to Texas) and are intrigued by the possibility of reuniting with him in Baltimore. “Just the fact I know his offense, it may be the difference,” Rosemy-Jacksaint said. “He’s a great coach.” Whether the Ravens find a great receiver, particularly in the first round, remains to be seen. There are more significant needs, including offensive tackle, cornerback, pass rusher and perhaps even running back, with Justice Hill, Owen Wright and Keaton Mitchell, who continues to work his way back from a torn ACL suffered in mid-December, the only backs on the roster. There’s also a chance the Ravens trade out of the first round to pick up an extra pick or two. And because the days between now and the draft are as much about deception as anything else, there’s also the possibility that talking to several receivers at the combine is simply a smokescreen to get other teams to trade up ahead of the Ravens to draft one, thus leaving an offensive tackle or cornerback to Baltimore. Still, the receiver position is at least on DeCosta’s mind, or at least appears to be. “We will look at that,” he said. “I think it’s a very, very deep year in the draft. This draft class is pretty impressive from a receiver standpoint. We’ll assess that talent and see what kind of falls our way and then look at the free agency crop as well.” View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Ravens coach John Harbaugh believes the most important priority this offseason will be addressing questions surrounding what will likely be a rebuilt offensive line. But that is hardly the only critical area of concern. From cornerback to edge rusher to running back, there are holes in the roster that need to be addressed. Never mind that Harbaugh will be operating with a slew of new coaches on his staff after defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald left to become the Seattle Seahawks’ head coach and defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver split for defensive coordinator jobs with the Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins, respectively. Harbaugh said he spoke with recently retired coach and friend Nick Saban two weeks ago about all the assistant coaching changes Saban endured after winning six national championships in 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide. “Coaches would come there, be there year or two then go get a head coaching job,” Harbaugh said earlier this week. “So he had to train those guys every single year. That does become a big challenge of success. Nobody had it at a higher level than him.” Whether Baltimore can match the success it had last season — an NFL-best 13-4 record and appearance in the AFC championship game — is another question. To have a chance, they’ll have to get decisions right on several players and positions. Free agency begins in earnest March 11, which is when teams can begin talking to players before the free agency window officially opens two days later, but the draft will be a significant part of the process with eight picks in April. At this week’s NFL scouting combine, Harbaugh, general manager Eric DeCosta and a host of other members of Baltimore’s staff are getting an up-close look at potential draft targets who could potentially fill the team’s myriad needs. Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium, defensive linemen and linebackers began working out on the field for teams, while defensive backs and tight ends will go through drills Friday; quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs Saturday; and offensive linemen Sunday. With Baltimore not picking until 30th in the first round, projections have been all over the place, from offensive line to defensive line to cornerback to receiver. But with what has been dubbed a deep draft class for offensive linemen, it’s possible the Ravens could opt, as DeCosta often says, for the best player available. In this case, that will likely also fill a major need. With outside linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy set to become free agents and questions over the production of Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, the Ravens might opt for a pass rusher with the No. 30 overall pick. Among a few possibilities mentioned by draftniks to keep an eye on this week: Penn State’s Demeioun “Chop” Robinson, Missouri’s Darius Robinson and Alabama’s Chris Braswell. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens face important rebuild on offensive line, but how ‘remains to be seen’ Baltimore Ravens | NFLPA report card: Ravens rank 15th overall, improve grade for strength coaches Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ 2024 draft will set the tone for the future | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens ‘probably’ will use franchise tag on Justin Madubuike if deal can’t get done by deadline Baltimore Ravens | Ravens GM Eric DeCosta says team will ‘continue to assess’ investigation that was connected to Zay Flowers Chop Robinson, a Gaithersburg native who starred at Quince Orchard, began his college career at Maryland before transferring to Penn State. But the 6-foot-3, 250-pound pass rusher didn’t put up eye-popping stats, with just 9 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons, including four in 2023. While he might be off the board by the time the Ravens pick, he said Wednesday that it would be “awesome” to play close to home and alongside Oweh, another Penn State product. The other Robinson, meanwhile, is one of several players who met with the Ravens this week and is coming off a season in which he had nine sacks, six quarterback hits and 27 pressures. At 6-5 and 285 pounds, his long, sinewy frame fits the mold of Ravens pass rushers, and he loves Baltimore’s style. “They run and they hit,” he said. “That’s just my mindset.” Outside linebacker Chris Braswell is a Baltimore native and the Ravens have a history when it comes to taking Alabama players. (Michael Hickey/Getty) Braswell, meanwhile, is a Baltimore native and the Ravens have a history when it comes to taking Alabama players. The 6-3, 250-pound edge rusher had eight sacks and shows “good burst,” though he could project to the second round. As for cornerback, it’s a position that DeCosta is fond of saying the team can never have too many of. With a handful of their defensive backs set to become free agents, there’s even more of an emphasis for the Ravens to fill those openings. That could mean re-signing players such as Ronald Darby or Arthur Maulet, but even with that Baltimore would do well to draft an outside cornerback with Marlon Humphrey turning 28 this summer and carrying big cap numbers each of the next three seasons. A few potential targets could include Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter, Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Maryland’s Beau Brade. Lassiter, a 6-foot, 180-pound corner, didn’t surrender a touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage and allowed just nine catches for 91 yards last season for the Bulldogs. He has just one career interception, however. Rakestraw, meanwhile, didn’t participate in the Senior Bowl because of a core muscle surgery and that could knock him down the draft board, though he is in Indianapolis. The 6-foot, 180-pound corner was impressive when healthy, though, with 35 tackles in nine games last season and 12 passes defended in 2022. “He’s feisty and physical at the line of scrimmage, great in press coverage,” ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller said. “Here’s my favorite stat: LSU threw at him one time last year — he didn’t let them complete a pass, they never went his way again. That prolific LSU offense stayed away from Rakestraw, so we know he is a talented player.” As for Brade, he’s a hybrid defender and is looking to become the second safety and fourth defensive back out of Maryland to be drafted over the past three years. A former River Hill High standout, the 5-11, 201-pound safety from Clarksville projects as someone who could play in the box as well as in a more traditional safety role. The Ravens like versatile defensive backs, though he’s projected to be more of a Day 3 pick. Michigan Maryland FootballNick Wass/APSt. Frances graduate and Michigan running back Blake Corum could be a target for the Ravens in the NFL draft. (Nick Wass/AP) But one of the more intriguing decisions the Ravens will have to make is at running back. Gus Edwards, who was the second-leading rusher on the team behind Lamar Jackson and led the team in touchdowns, is a free agent, as are J.K. Dobbins, who is coming off a torn Achilles, and Dalvin Cook. That leaves just Keaton Mitchell, who suffered a torn ACL in mid-December, and Justice Hill as the lone backs on the roster. With a deep free agent class that is expected to include Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard and Austin Ekeler, among others, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Ravens do something in the open market. Still, it seems plausible they could also look for another back in the middle rounds of this year’s draft. Michigan’s Blake Corum, who was born in Virginia and starred at St. Frances in Baltimore, could be an option. There’s also familiarity, with Corum having played for John Harbaugh’s brother Jim in Ann Arbor, where he rushed for 2,708 yards and 45 touchdowns and caught 27 passes for 197 yards and two more scores over the past two seasons. “It’s probably not as deep as some other positions that we’ll see in this year’s draft class,” DeCosta said about this year’s running back class. “There’s some talented [free agent] players that we will look at as well. But I think it’s probably safe to say that we’ll have more than two running backs on our roster at some point.” View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Major change is coming in Baltimore. Last season, the Ravens led the NFL in rushing, with their 2,661 yards on the ground 262 more than the next closest team, the Chicago Bears. They were pretty good when it came to protecting Lamar Jackson, too, with the offensive line allowing just 160 pressures of their $260 million quarterback, the fifth-fewest in the league during the regular season. That Baltimore’s men in the trenches performed as well as they did spoke to several factors, including the emergence of second-year center and Pro Bowl selection Tyler Linderbaum, enough depth around him and the teaching of offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, who in his more than four decades of coaching has been the professor behind some of the league’s best lines. But replicating that kind of success in 2024 will perhaps be the Ravens’ biggest challenge. For reasons ranging from free agency (guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson) to injuries, age and cost (tackles Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses), as many as four of Baltimore’s five starters up front could potentially be gone by next season. That would be a big blow for a group in which continuity is perhaps more important than any other. And even if some of them are back — Zeitler at least seems unlikely after Baltimore did not extend his contract before it voided earlier this month — there are questions with, for now, not a lot of answers. “We’ll always have a plan,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said from this week’s NFL scouting combine. “We’re aware of the injuries and the salary cap, and we’re aware of the talent that we have and the talent that’s available, and we’ll build the best offensive line that we can with the best players that we can. “The roster is always going to morph and change year to year.” Indeed. But it helps when teams can keep the majority of their talent up front from year to year. That’s been the case for the Chiefs and 49ers over the past few seasons. Unsurprisingly, Kansas City won two titles, including this past season, and San Francisco appeared in one Super Bowl and two NFC championship games in that span. The Ravens, meanwhile, will likely be in rebuilding mode. The Ravens could get salary cap relief by releasing left tackle Ronnie Stanley, but it would leave them vulnerable. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) In addition to Zeitler and Simpson becoming free agents, DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh will have to figure out what to do about Stanley and Moses, both of whom struggled at times, perhaps because of injury, age or both. Rotating in Daniel Faalele and Patrick Pekari helped, but Stanley, who will turn 30 in March, and Moses, who will turn 33 next week, still missed four and three games, respectively, in the regular season. And when push came to shove in the playoffs, Jackson was sacked seven times and pressured on 16 occasions across two games. Cutting both Stanley and Moses would be a boost to the salary cap-strapped Ravens, saving them roughly $15 million, but it also seems unlikely they would jettison both when they’re probably not bringing back at least one of their starting guards, too. Of the two, Stanley would bring the most cap relief at $8.33 million, but given his role on the left side of the line in a division filled with elite pass rushers, his cost goes beyond money. Cutting Moses, a leader on and off the field who at times played through shoulder and biceps injuries last season and performed solidly, would save the team $5.5 million in cap space. At guard, Zeitler, who will turn 34 next month, was hampered by hefty knee and quad injuries late in the season. By not extending him, the Ravens are already facing $4.27 million in dead money next season, so paying him on top of that would be prohibitive. Simpson, meanwhile, might be inexpensive, but he also had 11 penalties in 2023, tied for fourth-most in the NFL (although one fewer than Stanley). The Ravens have some possible in-house options, including guard Andrew Voorhees, who fell to the seventh round after tearing his ACL at last year’s scouting combine. But there is anything but certainty on the line other than Linderbaum. “The draft can help a lot,” coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday. “The offensive line is where it starts. We talked about that in 2008. It’s been true forever. You win in the trenches first. So we think we’re offensive-line centric in our philosophy. And we’ve got some question marks in our offensive line, so there’s going to be some rebuilding that’s going to have to be done in there, and we’re getting to it already. “It’s going to be really probably the most important thing we do on offense.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFLPA report card: Ravens rank 15th overall, improve grade for strength coaches Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ 2024 draft will set the tone for the future | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens ‘probably’ will use franchise tag on Justin Madubuike if deal can’t get done by deadline Baltimore Ravens | Ravens GM Eric DeCosta says team will ‘continue to assess’ investigation that was connected to Zay Flowers Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Everything Ravens fans need to know Especially when it comes to protecting their two-time NFL Most Valuable Player quarterback and clearing the way for a running back room that has its own set of questions with Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell, who suffered a torn ACL late last season, the only backs signed. “It’s always going to be a priority,” DeCosta said of the offensive line. “We have to have a big, strong, imposing offensive line.” Baltimore’s first pick in April’s draft won’t come until No. 30 overall, but NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said he has at least 10 offensive linemen among his first tier. While the top four tackles are expected to be gone by the time the Ravens draft at the end of the first round, there are other possibilities they could consider, including Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Arizona’s Jordan Morgan and Washington’s Troy Fautanu. “Tyler Guyton and Mims as these two big freaks, like just big physical, athletic kind of rare guys,” he said. “They’re a little bit raw, but there’s a huge upside there. If one of those guys were to fall to them, I think that would be a home run pick.” But given all the moving parts on their current roster, the Ravens will have to go deeper than that when it comes to constructing their line for the future and even next season. “We’re going to have, probably, some change on the offensive line in different ways,” DeCosta said. “It remains to be seen exactly what that looks like. We will have a plan. “Fortunately, this is a deep draft class, as well, so we’ll have a lot of different options in different rounds, players that we like at the offensive line position — at tackle and also guard. … I think there is a lot of depth along the way, specifically at the tackle position and the guard position, so that’s exciting.” View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — A year after the Ravens’ strength coaches got a failing grade and were ranked the worst in the NFL, according to an NFL Players Association survey, they made improvements, according to this year’s survey results. Still, there are concerns over the team’s training room. Baltimore’s strength coaches received a grade of B and ranked 23rd in the league; the weight room a B-minus and 21st; the training staff a B-minus and 22nd; and training room a C-plus and 21st. “The biggest issue raised by player respondents this year centers around quality of care in the training room,” the NFLPA said in the survey, which was conducted among 1,706 players across the league. “Players feel that they don’t have enough access to one-on-one treatment time to prepare and recover. There is a consistent request for more physical therapists, more modalities and better-quality equipment.” Only 79% of players feel the Ravens have enough full-time trainers (28th overall), 74% feel they have enough full-time physical therapists (25th overall), 80% feel they have enough hot tub space (21st overall) and 76% feel they have enough cold tub space (26th overall). Players want more staff and more resources in the training room, the report said, and a lack of training staff makes it more difficult to recover and be prepared to play well. In 2023, the Ravens’ strength and conditioning staff got an F-minus in the anonymous survey, with Steve Saunders specifically cited as being “at the core of these issues.” The Ravens fired Saunders and promoted his assistant, Scott Elliott, before last year’s results being announced. Last year, Baltimore ranked 17th overall out of 32 NFL teams, with a C or better in seven of eight categories. This season, the Ravens were only slightly better, ranking 15th overall with a B-minus or better in eight of 11 categories. Their lowest grade this year was a C-minus for team travel. Veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who joined the team in September, defended the Ravens’ travel situation on X, the website formerly known as Twitter, writing it’s “one of the best the league” and the grade “was the only head scratcher.” In the survey, 88% of the players feel like they have a comfortable amount of personal space during flights, but they are one of just seven teams that require some of their players to have roommates the night before a game. At the other end of the spectrum, owner Steve Bisciotti received an A and was ranked fourth among NFL owners. “The players think very highly of club owner Steve Biscotti and believe he is very willing to make the necessary changes and investments in their facility,” the report stated, with Bisciotti receiving a rating of 9.6 out of10 from the players when considering his willingness to invest in the facilities. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ 2024 draft will set the tone for the future | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens ‘probably’ will use franchise tag on Justin Madubuike if deal can’t get done by deadline Baltimore Ravens | Ravens GM Eric DeCosta says team will ‘continue to assess’ investigation that was connected to Zay Flowers Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Everything Ravens fans need to know Baltimore Ravens | John Harbaugh rebuilds Ravens coaching staff with 4 hires This season, Bisciotti spent more money on offense than any team in the NFL, which included signing quarterback Lamar Jackson to a five-year, $260 million extension. M&T Bank Stadium is also undergoing a $430 million state-funded makeover with several upgrades throughout the 26-year-old venue. Coach John Harbaugh, who is the NFL’s second-longest tenured coach behind only Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, also rated well after guiding the Ravens to a league-best 13-4 record and their first AFC championship since the 2012 season. The 61-year-old, who just completed his 16th season at the helm, got a grade of B-plus and ranked 20th. Seventy-nine percent of players feel he is efficient with their time (25th overall) and players said they feel he is somewhat willing to listen to the locker room (21st overall). The Ravens’ treatment of families, meanwhile, got a B-minus, up from a C-plus a year ago. The food/cafeteria, on the other hand, dipped slightly with a C-plus mark after a B-minus in food service/nutrition last year and ranked 18th overall in food taste and food freshness. The team’s nutritionist/dietician and the locker room both got B-minus grades, with 93% of players feeling like the locker room is big enough (12th overall) but only 66% feeling like they have enough room in their lockers (28th overall). The team added couches and a TV to the middle of the locker room this season, providing players with an area to relax. View the full article

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has been on a roll in recent NFL drafts, and he needs to continue that trend in 2024. When the Ravens signed middle linebacker Roquan Smith to a five-year, $100 million contract in January 2023 and then quarterback Lamar Jackson to a five-year, $260 million deal a few months later, it set a precedent. The Ravens need to be prepared to win with some rookies or other cheap talent as the yearly salaries of these two players escalate. DeCosta said that he doesn’t subscribe to the theory that the window of opportunity to win a Super Bowl closed after the Ravens’ 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. The NFL salary cap will be $255.4 million in 2024, an increase of $30.6 million from a year ago. That will help the Ravens, but also the 31 other NFL teams, and will create more bidding wars for top free agents such as defensive tackle Justin Madubuike — a likely candidate for the franchise tag — linebacker Patrick Queen and safety Geno Stone. “It was nice to see that number. It doesn’t mean that we’re going to just open up the books and go shopping [for free agents],” DeCosta said of the new salary cap. “That’s not really the Ravens’ way, but to have that buffer, so to speak, and to give us a little bit more flexibility along the way. … It helps us this year, but it also helps us in the coming years as we project what we think that salary cap is going to be moving out in years ’25 and ’26, as well. “I think we’re excited about the potential that we have to be a good team this year, and we think that we’ll have some flexibility to remain good in the coming years.” Well, now he has to prove it. The beginning of another opportunity unofficially started this week at the NFL’s annual scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It’s always intriguing to watch the so-called experts grade drafts every year, but true evaluations of each class should be given after four years. When you look back at DeCosta’s work, he has been impressive, especially when the team’s win-loss record is considered. Of his five classes, only the first in 2019 and the third in 2021 are subject to scrutiny, and the 2021 group might still pan out. The 2019 class consisted of Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown in the first round, Louisiana Tech outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson and Notre Dame receiver Myles Boykin in the third, and Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill and Oklahoma guard Ben Powers in the fourth. Only Hill remains with the team. Brown was eventually traded for a first-round pick, Boykin was released and Powers left for the Denver Broncos in free agency. Ferguson died from the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine in Baltimore on June 21, 2022. The 2021 class still has potential with wide receiver Rashod Bateman and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, both first-round picks, and guard Ben Cleveland, a third-round selection. All three need to have breakout seasons. Cornerback Brandon Stephens, also a third-round pick in 2021, had a career year in 2023 with 74 tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions in 16 starts. DeCosta’s other drafts, though, have been successful with early round picks such as Queen, running back J.K. Dobbins and Madubuike in 2020, and safety Kyle Hamilton and center Tyler Linderbaum in 2022. The key, though, has been the success of late-round picks who have become starters or provided depth, such as defensive lineman Broderick Washington and Stone in 2020, or the 2022 class that included offensive tackle Daniel Faalele, cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion “Pepe” Williams, punter Jordan Stout, and tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar. All were taken in the fourth round or later. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFLPA report card: Ravens rank 15th overall, improve grade for strength coaches Baltimore Ravens | Ravens ‘probably’ will use franchise tag on Justin Madubuike if deal can’t get done by deadline Baltimore Ravens | Ravens GM Eric DeCosta says team will ‘continue to assess’ investigation that was connected to Zay Flowers Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Everything Ravens fans need to know Baltimore Ravens | John Harbaugh rebuilds Ravens coaching staff with 4 hires Those players, combined with starters such as Jackson and Smith, help form the nucleus of the team. The Ravens, though, will have at least 20 free agents this offseason. It’s time to reload. Older players, such as guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, will likely command big money, and so will players in their primes, such as outside linebacker Malik Harrison and running back Gus Edwards. DeCosta knows this is a big draft that could set the tone for the future. A lot of teams have gone through this situation before, especially when they sign franchise-caliber quarterbacks such as Jackson. The Ravens had a similar situation when they made Joe Flacco the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL after signing him to a six-year, $120.6 million contract in March 2013. Unfortunately, the Ravens went to the playoffs only once, in 2014, during the next five years. It isn’t coincidental that they had first-round busts during that time such as Florida safety Matt Elam (2013) and Central Florida receiver Breshad Perriman (2015) as well as second-round failures in Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown (2013), Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams (2015), Boise State outside linebacker Kamalei Correa (2016) and Houston outside linebacker Tyus Bowser (2017). The Ravens don’t want to duplicate history. A top priority in the draft should be selecting quality offensive linemen such as Georgia’s Amarius Mims or Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, or replacing Zeitler or Simpson with players such as Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe or Michigan’s Zak Zinter. “It’s always going to be a priority; we have to have a big, strong, imposing offensive line. So, we’ll continue to build that out,” DeCosta said. “Obviously, this year, we’re going to have, probably, some change on the offensive line in different ways. It remains to be seen exactly what that looks like, [but] we will have a plan. Fortunately, this is a deep draft class, as well, so we’ll have a lot of different options in different rounds [and] players that we like at the offensive line position — at tackle and also guard. “You’ve got to stay young, but you’ve also got to have [a] great veteran presence, as well, [on] your offensive line and every other position. So, it’s really a balance.” They will always need cornerbacks, such as Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter or Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr., and edge rushers, such as Alabama’s Dallas Turner or Florida State’s Jared Verse. They’ll also be in the market for a tall, fast receiver on the outside who can stretch defenses, as well as a running back. DeCosta has a lot of work in front of him. But since his first season as general manager, he has helped compile a 56-27 regular-season record. That’s pretty impressive. The Ravens nearly got to the Super Bowl last year. Well, almost. Now is the time to start another opportunity. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Justin Madubuike will likely be a Raven for at least one more season. General manager Eric DeCosta said Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine that Baltimore is trying to get a deal done with the 26-year-old star defensive tackle, who is one of more than 20 players on the roster due to hit free agency next month. Even if he can’t, DeCosta said he “probably will” use the franchise tag on Madubuike by the March 5 deadline. The franchise tag for defensive tackles in 2024 is $22.102 million. Should Baltimore use the tag on Madubuike, it would need to make adjustments to be under the salary cap when free agency begins March 13. The Ravens currently have just over $16.6 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, but could create more room by restructuring current contracts and/or releasing players. Either way, Madubuike should be back in Baltimore for the 2024 season, if not longer. “We’re trying to get a deal done,” DeCosta said. “We’ve had discussions with Justin. He’s the guy that obviously has put himself in a fortuitous position this year by the way that he played. Had a great season for us. He’s a valued player on the team, and we’re hopeful that we can get a long-term deal done.” The only one other time the Ravens have used the franchise tag on a defensive tackle was with Haloti Ngata in 2011. He later agreed to a five-year extension worth $61 million. There are two types of tags — exclusive and nonexclusive — Baltimore can choose from. The former would bind Madubuike to the Ravens for next season, while the latter would allow him to sign an offer sheet with another team. The Ravens would then have the right to match the deal or refuse and receive two first-round draft picks from the team Madubuike signs with as compensation. Baltimore placed the nonexclusive tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson in March before signing him to a five-year, $260 million deal in April. If the Ravens give Madubuike the franchise tag, they can continue to negotiate a long-term extension until the mid-July deadline. Madubuike is coming off a breakout season in which he tallied a career-high 13 sacks, which led all NFL interior linemen and helped the Ravens record a league-best 60 sacks. His 13 sacks tied a franchise single-season record for a defensive tackle, and he became the first Raven to record double-digit sacks in a season since Terrell Suggs in 2017. Madubuike’s streak of 11 straight games with at least a half-sack also tied the NFL single-season record. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens GM Eric DeCosta says team will ‘continue to assess’ investigation that was connected to Zay Flowers Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Everything Ravens fans need to know Baltimore Ravens | John Harbaugh rebuilds Ravens coaching staff with 4 hires Baltimore Ravens | As Ravens head to NFL scouting combine, draft looks deep at positions they need to fill Baltimore Ravens | NFL’s salary cap skyrockets to $255.4 million, up a record $30.6 million For those reasons, bringing back Madubuike has been a priority, particularly with several other key contributors from last season’s 13-4 team set to become free agents. “It’s something that we haven’t just started thinking about, obviously,” DeCosta said at the team’s season-ending news conference earlier this month. “It’s something we’ve been thinking about. Justin [Madubuike] had a great year, as did [inside linebacker] Patrick Queen. Those two guys obviously are Pro Bowlers [who] had great seasons, and we’ll have a good plan in place for those guys.” In addition to being selected to his first Pro Bowl, Madubuike was named second-team All-Pro after finishing with 56 tackles, including 12 for loss, and 33 quarterback hits. One thing that should help — in Madubuike’s case and others’ — is the NFL’s salary cap increase. It will climb to $255.4 million in 2024, up $30 million from last year. Still, with so many free agents and holes at just about every position other than tight end and quarterback, the Ravens won’t be able to bring back everyone from last season’s roster. That possibly includes Queen, who was also selected to his first Pro Bowl after a career-high 133 tackles, as well as safety Geno Stone, whose seven interceptions were the second-most in the NFL last season. DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh were also noncommittal on whether wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who signed a one-year, $15 million deal last offseason, would be back. Still, the increase could help facilitate bringing more players back than initially expected, though a full draft class will eat into it, too. “It doesn’t mean that we’re going to just open up the books and go shopping,” DeCosta said. “That’s not really the Ravens’ way, but to have that buffer, so to speak, and to give us a little bit more flexibility along the way … It helps us this year, but it also helps us in the coming years as we project what we think that salary cap is going to be moving out in years ’25 and ’26, as well.” View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said the organization continues to assess the situation surrounding Zay Flowers after the wide receiver was linked to a police investigation into an alleged domestic violence incident in Owings Mills last month. Baltimore County police opened the criminal investigation in January and suspended it earlier this month without criminal charges, largely because of a lack of cooperation from those involved, including the alleged victim, according to documents the department released last week. The investigation, which is effectively closed, could be reopened if there’s any additional information. “We’re aware of the situation,” DeCosta said Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine, speaking to the media for the first time since news of the investigation was first reported. “Obviously domestic violence is something that we’re deeply concerned about, and we will continue to assess the situation as it unfolds.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens ‘probably’ will use franchise tag on Justin Madubuike if deal can’t get done by deadline Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Everything Ravens fans need to know Baltimore Ravens | John Harbaugh rebuilds Ravens coaching staff with 4 hires Baltimore Ravens | As Ravens head to NFL scouting combine, draft looks deep at positions they need to fill Baltimore Ravens | NFL’s salary cap skyrockets to $255.4 million, up a record $30.6 million Documents released by Baltimore County Police last week confirmed earlier reporting by The Baltimore Sun about the alleged victim’s report to police in Acton, Massachusetts, where she told officers there was a “violent domestic incident” on Jan. 16 in Owings Mills. The document also said that the “suspect’s brother also drew a firearm,” though she declined to name the suspect, other than to say he is an NFL player. Identifying information in the report was redacted by Baltimore County Police, but it indicates Flowers declined through an attorney to be interviewed by police. In the report, the alleged victim told police in Massachusetts that she was physically assaulted and left with “multiple bruises.” She said she was living with her boyfriend in a townhouse outside Baltimore when the incident became “physical and violent.” She also repeatedly inquired about the consequences of filing a police report and if criminal charges would be filed automatically. According to the report, the alleged victim said “it was a really bad 10 minutes, but [she] hasn’t been scared since.” It also noted that her father, who accompanied the alleged victim to talk to police, was “worried about the s— storm that is going to follow.” During the police interview, she received a phone call from someone she said was “his agent,” but she didn’t answer. She did not pursue the protective order that was offered by Acton Police. The documents showed Baltimore County Police contacted the alleged victim Jan. 30 by phone about the report she’d made in Massachusetts, and she reportedly said there were “no further issues.” The alleged victim did not disclose any further details about the original incident. Flowers, who was drafted by the Ravens 22nd overall in April, is represented by the agency Loyalty Above All. His representatives, Zac Hiller and Eric Dounn, have not responded to messages from The Sun seeking comment. Ravens vs. BengalsKarl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunRavens wide receiver Zay Flowers catches a pass during warmups before a game against the Bengals last season. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) On Tuesday, DeCosta referred to the team’s statement earlier this month, which said, in part, that the organization takes these matters seriously. An NFL spokesperson said last week that league officials “are monitoring all developments in the matter, which remains under review,” and that remained the case Tuesday. Whether Flowers will face any discipline from the league remains to be seen. NFL players who do not face criminal charges still can be suspended without pay. Flowers was the team’s leading receiver in both playoff games, catching four passes for 41 yards against the Houston Texans four days after the alleged incident took place and then finishing with five catches for 112 yards and a touchdown in the AFC championship against the Kansas City Chiefs eight days later. The Ravens, who won an NFL-best 13 games last season, will begin their 2024 season in September. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts during the season, is the epicenter of the NFL universe this week. That’s where representatives from all 32 NFL teams started arriving Monday for the league’s annual scouting combine, where more than 300 invited draft-eligible prospects will be poked, prodded and undergo a litany of tests and interviews ranging from the 40-yard dash to comprehensive mental and medical examinations. The brain trust for each team will also meet with the media throughout the week. For the Ravens, general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh will speak Tuesday morning at 10:30 and 11:15, respectively, and there is no shortage of questions they will be faced with in what is one of the more important weeks of the year. Here’s everything you need to know: Schedule of events and TV info (NFL Network) Thursday: Defensive linemen, linebackers (3-8:30 p.m.) Friday: Defensive backs, tight ends (3-8:30 p.m.) Saturday: Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs (1-8:30 p.m.) Sunday: Offensive linemen (1-4:30 p.m.) Maryland players to watch In all, there are 18 players from three local schools who are draft-eligible. Just four — all from Maryland — have been invited to the scouting combine. Defensive backs Beau Brade and Tarheeb Still and offensive linemen Gottlieb Ayedze and Delmar Glaze make up the Terps’ contingent. Former Maryland and River Hill safety Beau Brade will perform at this week’s NFL scouting combine. (Steve Ruark/AP) Brade, an All-Big Ten team honorable mention selection this past season, team captain and former River Hill standout, led Maryland in tackles (75), had six pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception. Still, a second-team All-Big Ten selection, tied for sixth nationally in interceptions (five), was fourth on the team in tackles (45), and had two tackles for loss and two pass breakups. Ayedze, who is from Germantown and starred at Northwest High then Frostburg, started the final 10 games of the year at right tackle and was the sixth-highest rated pass blocking tackle in the Big Ten (over 500 snaps), according to Pro Football Focus, with a 76.5 grade. Glaze was a third-team All-Big Ten selection this past season, honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2022 and started every game at left tackle in 2023. Possible Ravens targets to watch Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | John Harbaugh rebuilds Ravens coaching staff with 4 hires Baltimore Ravens | As Ravens head to NFL scouting combine, draft looks deep at positions they need to fill Baltimore Ravens | NFL’s salary cap skyrockets to $255.4 million, up a record $30.6 million Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Without Gus Edwards, Ravens running game is full of questions | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Police investigation connected to Zay Flowers ‘suspended’ without charges, report shows Other than tight end and quarterback, the Ravens have needs just about everywhere. Here’s a look at some of the players and positions they could target in the first round with the 30th overall pick as well as later on. For more on their draft needs and positions they’ll have their eye on during the combine, click here. Defensive ends — Missouri’s Darius Robinson, UCLA’s Laiatu Latu: At 6 feet, 5 inches and 286 pounds, Robinson fits the mold of Ravens pass rushers. Latu could be gone by the time Baltimore picks at No. 30 after being one of the better pass rushers in the country last season with 13 sacks and 49 tackles, 21 1/2 of which were for a loss. Offensive tackles — Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, Arizona’s Jordan Morgan: With Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses plagued by injuries last season and both getting older, it would be a good idea to draft their tackle(s) of the future. Mims and Guyton are physical freaks, while Morgan, who could play guard or tackle, boasts the kind of versatility the Ravens crave. Guard — Kansas State’s Cooper Bebe: With the Ravens not extending the contract of Kevin Zeiter, it seems they are ready to move on from the veteran right guard. Despite being selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time this season, the soon-to-be 34-year-old was plagued by knee and quad injuries. Bebe, who switched between tackle spots and played left guard for the Wildcats last season, again fits the bill of versatility. At 6 feet and 180 pounds, Georgia defensive back Kamari Lassiter has excellent size along with strong ball skills that would fit well with the Ravens. (John Bazemore/AP) Cornerbacks — Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter, Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr.: DeCosta is fond of saying the Ravens can never have too many cornerbacks. It’s also a position with a lot of uncertainty and lack of depth, given a handful of free agents on the Ravens roster. At 6 feet and 180 pounds, Lassiter has excellent size along with strong ball skills, and Rakestraw (6 feet, 188 pounds) is similar along with featuring excellent speed. Wide receivers — Oregon’s Troy Franklin, Florida State’s Keon Coleman: At 6-3 and 6-4, respectively, either player would give quarterback Lamar Jackson big targets opposite Zay Flowers. Franklin is explosive, while Coleman could play in a variety of positions given he is 215 pounds. Running backs — Michigan’s Blake Corum, Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen, Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright: None of these backs figures to go in the first round but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad running back class, according to ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller. The connection to Corum is obvious, given he played for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and played his high school ball at St. Frances, and he has good all-around skills that could thrive in Todd Monken’s offense. Allen, meanwhile, is a physical back who is less dynamic, while Wright is a speedster. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — After the Ravens had their coaching staff raided following an NFL-best 13-4 record and reaching the AFC championship game, coach John Harbaugh has begun to fill some of those voids. On Monday, Baltimore announced four hirings: Mark DeLeone as inside linebackers coach; Dennis Johnson as defensive line coach; Doug Mallory as defensive backs coach; and Travelle Wharton as assistant offensive line coach. All but Wharton had been previously reported. DeLeone replaces Zach Orr, who earlier this month was promoted to defensive coordinator following the departure of Mike Macdonald to become the Seattle Seahawks’ head coach. The 36-year-old most recently served as a defensive analyst for the University of Kansas but brings a wealth of NFL experience. After spending 2012 as a defensive assistant for the New York Jets, DeLeone served as the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive quality control coach for three years under coach Andy Reid, whom Harbaugh previously worked under with the Philadelphia Eagles, before being promoted to assistant linebackers coach in 2016 and then inside linebackers coach in 2018. He then spent two years in the same role with the Chicago Bears under defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, a former Harbaugh assistant. DeLeone also coached former Bears and current Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith from 2019 to 2020. Johnson, meanwhile, takes over for the departed Anthony Weaver, who left to become the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator after being passed over by the Ravens for a second time. Unlike DeLeone, Johnson has no NFL experience. The 35-year-old spent the last dozen years at the college level, most recently as the defensive line coach of Baylor from 2020 to 2023. Before that, he spent six seasons at LSU, his alma mater, in a variety of defensive roles, including as an analyst during the Tigers’ 2019 national championship season. A former walk-on and member of the Tigers’ 2011 SEC championship team that played for a national title, Johnson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2012 at Northwestern State, where he also worked with the linebackers and secondary for two years. As for Mallory, he has ties to the Harbaugh family as well. The 59-year-old spent the past three seasons as a defensive analyst at Michigan under Harbaugh’s brother Jim. His career also briefly overlapped with Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken at LSU, where he was the defensive backs coach from 2005 to 2007 and then co-defensive coordinator in 2008. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 2024 NFL scouting combine: Everything Ravens fans need to know Baltimore Ravens | As Ravens head to NFL scouting combine, draft looks deep at positions they need to fill Baltimore Ravens | NFL’s salary cap skyrockets to $255.4 million, up a record $30.6 million Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Without Gus Edwards, Ravens running game is full of questions | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Police investigation connected to Zay Flowers ‘suspended’ without charges, report shows Mallory, who coached defensive backs at Maryland from 1997 to 2000, also spent six years in various roles with the Atlanta Falcons, whom he helped reach the Super Bowl in 2016 as a defensive assistant and then served as the team’s defensive backs coach for four years. Wharton, meanwhile, takes over for Mike Devlin, who left to become the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive line coach. The 42-year-old spent last season as the Washington Commanders’ offensive line coach under Ron Rivera, another coach with ties to John Harbaugh from their days in Philadelphia. Wharton, who played offensive line in the NFL for nearly a decade, mostly with the Carolina Panthers, was not retained by Washington’s new coach Dan Quinn. View the full article

The offensive line that helped pave the way for the NFL’s leading rushing attack and another league Most Valuable Player season for Lamar Jackson suddenly has a lot of holes — and not the kind Baltimore’s $260 million quarterback and his teammates usually run through. With the Ravens choosing to not extend the contract of right guard Kevin Zeitler, who battled significant knee and quad injuries in 2023, left guard John Simpson also set to become a free agent and starting tackles Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses slowed by injuries and age, it’s clear what the biggest needs are for Baltimore. The only sure thing up front is Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum. Other than the 23-year-old 2022 first-round draft pick out of Iowa, there are questions all across the group, including whether to cut Moses and/or Stanley, both of whom struggled to stay on the field because of injuries and performance. They’ll turn 33 and 30, respectively, next month and releasing both would open up $15 million in salary cap space for a team that could use some — even with a $30 million jump to $255.4 million per club for 2024. Baltimore has some options in-house, but not enough, so general manager Eric DeCosta and company will look to free agency and more importantly the draft to fill out the offensive line. This week in Indianapolis, they’ll get an up-close look at the next generation of prospects at the NFL scouting combine, with defensive linemen and linebackers working out Thursday; defensive backs and tight ends Friday; quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs Saturday; and offensive linemen Sunday. The Ravens don’t pick until No. 30 overall in the first round and a standout offensive linemen is rarely available that late, but it’s not impossible they’ll find one. “It’s a loaded tackle class,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “There’s 10, 11 guys that are really interesting. I think we’ll see a bunch of starters, a bunch of Day 1 starters out of that tackle group.” Among them: Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Arizona’s Jordan Morgan and Notre Dame’s Blake Fisher. In that group, only Morgan, who suffered a torn ACL in 2022, played left tackle, with the others playing on the right side. As for what they bring, Jeremiah noted that Guyton (6-foot-7, 327 pounds) and Mims (6-7, 340) are physical “freaks” but “a little bit raw.” He also said that Morgan has the versatility to start inside at guard before kicking back out, similar to Fisher. Having to wait until the 30th pick also means potentially opting for the best player available, a strategy DeCosta and the Ravens have often employed in the past. But with needs at several positions, that pick could be one in the same. Outside linebackers Jadevon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy are free agents, Tyus Bowser is a possible salary cap cut, Odafe Oweh has yet to prove his consistency and David Ojabo is coming off knee surgery. The Ravens also have a handful of cornerbacks who are scheduled to become free agents, including Ronald Darby and Arthur Maulet, while incumbent starter Marlon Humphrey struggled on the outside at times and appeared in just 10 games because of injuries. Baltimore’s backfield will likely look vastly different as well. J.K. Dobbins (who suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 1), Gus Edwards and Dalvin Cook are all free agents, leaving Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell (who is just two months removed from ACL surgery) as the lone returning backs. The wide receiver group, meanwhile, gets thin quickly beyond Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and recently re-signed veteran Nelson Agholor. And then there’s the impending free agency of inside linebacker Patrick Queen and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike. If the Ravens use the franchise tag on Madubuike, who led all interior defensive linemen with a career-high 13 sacks last season, it would cost about $22 million. It would also mean they likely wouldn’t be able to afford to keep Queen, creating a void alongside inside linebacker Roquan Smith. Last year’s third-round pick, Trenton Simpson, might not be ready to fill it just yet. With all that in mind, another possibility with the 30th pick is Missouri defensive end Darius Robinson, a popular choice among draftniks. Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson is a popular choice for the Ravens among draftniks. (AP Photo/Michael Woods) The 6-foot-5, 286-pound Robinson played end and tackle during Senior Bowl practices, and his frame fits the kind of outside rushers the Ravens have historically gravitated toward. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller likened Robinson to New Orleans Saints veteran star Cameron Jordan. Baltimore would gladly take that considering Jordan has 117 1/2 sacks over 13 seasons, including at least 10 in a season on six occasions. Still, given their myriad needs, there are a lot of directions the Ravens could go in the first round. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL’s salary cap skyrockets to $255.4 million, up a record $30.6 million Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Without Gus Edwards, Ravens running game is full of questions | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Police investigation connected to Zay Flowers ‘suspended’ without charges, report shows Baltimore Ravens | Ravens do not extend Gus Edwards, Kevin Zeitler, Geno Stone, who are set to become free agents Baltimore Ravens | Six big questions the Ravens need to answer this offseason “In a perfect world there would be a pass rusher there because the front office has always valued the trenches in Round 1,” Miller told The Baltimore Sun. “But you could make an argument for cornerback or wide receiver in very deep classes, too. I fully expect a Power Five conference player at a core position (receiver, defensive end, cornerback) to be the pick in Round 1.” Among some of the possibilities at cornerback: Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter, who had 37 tackles and eight passes defended, and Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who had 35 tackles and four passes defended last season. As for running back, the free agent market is filled with options, including Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs. The draft is also a deep one at the position, especially in the third and fourth rounds, which is why Baltimore could go the route of adding a veteran back — Tony Pollard could be another option if the Ravens prefer a more versatile back to a pure power runner — in addition to drafting one. The Ravens have eight total draft picks (Nos. 30, 62, 93, 130, 163, 225 and 247), including a projected compensatory pick in the fourth round that will be finalized in early March after losing guard Ben Powers in free agency last offseason. “It’s going to get talked about as a bad running back class because there’s not a first-round pick,” Miller said. “I actually think it’s a really good running back class. A lot of those players are going to get drafted, [No.] 75 to 250 is probably where they’re going to come off the board. There’s such great value.” Among the possibilities in that group that Miller mentioned: Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen, Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright, Southern California’s MarShawn Lloyd, Oregon’s Bucky Irving and Clemson’s Will Shipley. Put another way, the Ravens have options in the first round and beyond. The last time they had at least this many picks was just two years ago. That draft proved to be fruitful, with safety Kyle Hamilton, Linderbaum, Ojabo, offensive lineman Daniel Faalele and tight ends Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely all contributors. While it’s unlikely Baltimore will match that haul, this year’s draft class is projected to be deep at positions the Ravens need to fill, including defensive end, defensive tackle, linebacker and running back. “The Ravens truly will use best available,” Jeremiah said. “They’ll take the best guy that’s there. If it happens to be a tackle, they’ll do it. If it’s another position, they won’t pass up talent.” NFL scouting combine Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis Monday through next Monday TV: NFL Network View the full article

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL’s salary cap for 2024 will be $255.4 million, up a record $30.6 million from last year. The cap number has gone from $198.2 million in 2020 to $182.5 million in 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic. It increased to $208.2 million in 2022 and $224.8 million last year. “The unprecedented $30 million increase per club in this year’s salary cap is the result of the full repayment of all amounts advanced by the clubs and deferred by the players during the Covid pandemic as well as an extraordinary increase in media revenue for the 2024 season,” the league said in a statement. Teams are heading into next week’s NFL combine and preparing for the free agency period to open March 13 with an opportunity to spend more freely. The increased cap total could impact how teams use the franchise tag. The 15-day window to apply the tag to impending free agents began on Feb. 20. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl View the full article

“The Bus” might be departing from Baltimore soon. The Ravens declined to extend the current contracts of running back Gus Edwards, right guard Kevin Zeitler, safety Geno Stone and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin by 4 p.m. Monday, allowing all to become free agents. The move is not surprising. The signing of quarterback Lamar Jackson to a five-year, $260 million contract in May and the five-year, $100 million extension for middle linebacker Roquan Smith in January were always going to have significant consequences in shaping future rosters. But without Edwards, who led all Ravens running backs in rushing last season with 810 yards and 13 touchdowns on 198 carries, Baltimore doesn’t have a featured halfback. Maybe the ground game will be running back by committee, with Jackson being the focus. Things, though, are a little concerning. No one can question Jackson’s ability as a runner. He has rushed for 5,258 yards in six seasons and has that Houdini effect — “now you see me, now you don’t” — especially in the open field with those vintage jump cuts. The offense is and will always be built around him, especially with the run-pass option passing plays. But two things were noticeable about Jackson last season on his way to a second Most Valuable Player Award. He has lost some acceleration and speed through the years, which is understandable for a running quarterback, and he prefers to throw than run, especially in coordinator Todd Monken’s balanced offense. You can’t blame Jackson. He wants to secure another lucrative long-term contract after his current one and extend his playing career into his 30s. Running the football off the edge can be hazardous to one’s health. But it also can present big problems. If Jackson isn’t controlling the game with his feet, he is only a slightly better-than-average thrower. He made progress this season under Monken, but let’s not get too carried away. Let’s roll the tape from the AFC championship game, a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs in Baltimore. Kansas City stacked the line of scrimmage and took away the run, and the Ravens obliged because they panicked after falling behind early. The Ravens’ running game has always evolved around quarterback Lamar Jackson, but he still needs a lead running back to rely on. (Jerry Jackson/Staff) The Chiefs were also more disciplined rushing Jackson. They didn’t allow him to roll outside the pocket often, and he completed 20 of 37 passes for 272 yards. Edwards and fellow running back Justice Hill had only a combined six carries for 23 yards. More importantly, Jackson had only eight for 56 yards. He had receivers open in the middle of the field several times but failed to find them. The point here is that when Jackson isn’t involved as a runner, the offense drags because he is still trying to evolve as a thrower. His running ability is the missing ingredient, and now the Ravens likely won’t have Edwards. They don’t have a go-to running back, not even a fake go-to runner. Hill, primarily used as a backup, rushed for 387 yards with three touchdowns on 84 carries last season, but he isn’t a No. 1 running back. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Police investigation connected to Zay Flowers ‘suspended’ without charges, report shows Baltimore Ravens | Ravens do not extend Gus Edwards, Kevin Zeitler, Geno Stone, who are set to become free agents Baltimore Ravens | Six big questions the Ravens need to answer this offseason Baltimore Ravens | Ravens sign WR Nelson Agholor to 1-year contract extension Baltimore Ravens | The Miami Dolphins introduce Anthony Weaver as defensive coordinator Keaton Mitchell is a better option. He had 396 yards on 47 attempts as a rookie in 2023 and his speed gave the Ravens big-play potential off the perimeter, but he tore his ACL in Week 15, so he might not be a reliable option for a while. Who else is there? J.K. Dobbins? The former second-round draft pick will be a free agent but suffered a torn ACL in 2021, missed a chunk of the 2022 season recovering from that and another cleanup procedure, and then tore his Achilles tendon in the 2023 season opener against the Texans and missed the season. The Ravens could sign him at the right price, but it would be hard to project him as the starter. Dalvin Cook? He showed some flashes in mop-up duty versus Houston in the postseason but is an average runner at best at this point in his career. The Ravens could draft a running back in April, especially after they hit with Mitchell, an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina. But they don’t have a proven, legitimate starter. Edwards wasn’t sensational, but he was safe. He was a closer, the type of runner who could wear down and finish off teams in the second half, especially inside the red zone. The Ravens might re-sign him, but that wouldn’t make a lot of sense because he will already count $1.8 million against the salary cap. In addition to Edwards, the Ravens might not get Zeitler back on an offensive line that could also be without starting left guard John Simpson, who is also a free agent. So, the running game is back to ground zero. Oh well. At least the Ravens still have Jackson. He is the top threat in the running game, but as he evolves, the Ravens don’t have anyone to complement him. Not yet anyway. View the full article

The Baltimore County Police investigation connected to Baltimore Ravens player Zay Flowers has been “suspended” without criminal charges, according to documents the department released Tuesday. The suspended investigation could be reopened if there is any additional information, according to a note dated Feb. 16. Identifying information in the report has been redacted, but it indicates Flowers declined to be interviewed by police through an attorney. The documents confirm The Baltimore Sun’s past reporting about an alleged victim’s report to police in Acton, Massachusetts. She told officers there was a “violent domestic incident” in Owings Mills on Jan. 16, in which the “suspect’s brother also drew a firearm.” But she declined to name the suspect, other than to say that he is an “NFL player” and that they are “all over social media.” She told police in Massachusetts she had been “physically assaulted” and left with “multiple bruises,” according to the Baltimore County report. In that interview, the alleged victim said the incident became “physical and violent” and that he had “trashed all her stuff and her belongings.” She also repeatedly asked about the outcome of filing a police report and whether criminal charges would “automatically” be filed. Acton Police wrote who they believed the suspect was. That name is redacted in the report. According to the case report, Baltimore County police reached the alleged victim Jan. 30 by phone about the report she’d made in Massachusetts. She reportedly said there were “no further issues” and did not “disclose any further details relating to the original report.” The report also confirms the investigation’s link to a 911 call made Jan. 16. Radio footage from that day, previously reviewed by The Sun, included a dispatcher advising police about the call and remarking that she seemed “in distress.” Notes in the county’s system, quoted in the police report, said the female caller “was crying” and seemed distressed when she hung up. In a transcript provided in the police report, the female caller is asked if she has an emergency and responds “no, that’s OK, thank you.” An officer dispatched to the scene a short time later spoke with a woman via a doorbell camera. That woman said she had not called the police; it’s not clear whether this woman is the alleged victim or someone else. The alleged victim told Acton Police that after her 911 call, officers showed up outside the Owings Mills residence for about two hours, but didn’t come in. She described, according to a summary of the Acton Police body camera footage of the interview, that as a result of the police presence, “the brother got scared, put the gun away, and that is what really made it stop.” At one point during the Acton Police interview, the alleged victim received a phone call and told police that it was “his agent,” the report said. She asked if she could take it and the police officer suggested she should “think about her overall well-being and safety.” She didn’t answer the call. Flowers is represented by the agency Loyalty Above All. His representatives, Zac Hiller and Eric Dounn, did not respond immediately to messages seeking comment. The Ravens declined to comment Tuesday, instead referring to their statement from earlier this month: “We take these matters seriously and will have no further comment at this time.” An NFL spokesperson said last week that the league was in the “early stages” of reviewing the incident. “It is routine for the league to look into a matter such as this,” the spokesperson said. It remains to be seen if he’ll face discipline from the league. NFL players who do not face criminal charges still can be suspended without pay. “It is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime in a court of law,” the NFL’s personal conduct policy states. “We are all held to a higher standard and must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL, and is lawful.” Flowers does appears to have had several endorsement deals disrupted by the allegations, including with Pizza Boli’s, the Pikesville-based pizzeria, and Bath & Body Works. Flowers, the Ravens first-round pick out of Boston College, became a fan favorite this season as the speedy wide receiver racked up a team-best 77 receptions and 858 receiving yards, both of which are rookie records for the team. He caught touchdowns in the Ravens’ key December wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins and had a season-high 115 receiving yards, plus a touchdown, in the Ravens’ loss in the AFC title game to the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite his productivity in that game, he also was flagged for taunting an opponent and later fumbled at the goal line. That cost the Ravens a chance to score in the fourth quarter and prompted Flowers to slam his hand on a bench, causing his finger to bleed. Reporter Brian Wacker contributed to this article. This story will be updated. View the full article

The first indication that the Ravens’ roster could look substantively different in 2024 than it did in 2023 took place when 4 p.m. Monday came and went quietly in Owings Mills. That was the deadline for Baltimore to extend the current contracts of running back Gus Edwards, right guard Kevin Zeitler, safety Geno Stone and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin before their deals were voided and they became free agents. That the team did not sign any of them to an extension, as it did with wide receiver Nelson Agholor on Sunday, means — potentially — some or all of that group might not be back. It is both mildly surprising and not altogether unexpected. First, to maintain salary cap flexibility last year after signing quarterback Lamar Jackson to a five-year, $260 million extension, the Ravens added void years to various contracts. That allowed them to push cap charges to future seasons to lessen the impact in 2023, which in turn also gave them room to sign a handful of veteran free agents who were meaningful contributors to a team that came within one win of reaching the organization’s first Super Bowl in more than a decade. It also meant it would affect next season’s roster — by not extending any of them, the Ravens will have about $8.5 million in dead money counting against the 2024 salary cap, not to mention a few more holes to plug. By not reaching an extension with any of them, it was perhaps telling, too, of general manager Eric DeCosta’s plan moving forward. Edwards, who will turn 29 in April and carry a $1.8 million cap hit next season, had 810 yards rushing last season, and his 13 touchdowns were the third-most among running backs. But his 4.1 yards per carry were the fewest of his career by nearly a full yard, a lot of his scores came from close to the goal line and his touches dwindled late in the year, including in the postseason when he had just 13 carries in two playoff games. Zeitler, meanwhile, was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his 12-year career and was a dependable performer on an offensive line that has another free agent in left guard John Simpson and two aging, injury-prone tackles in Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses. But he also dealt with knee and quad injuries last season, will turn 34 next month, and with his contract accounting for $4 million in dead money next season, bringing him back later wouldn’t add up. There are different reasons why Stone and Ya-Sin might not be back. Stone, 24, was second in the NFL with seven interceptions and put together the best season of his career. But Baltimore already has two starting safeties in Marcus Williams and All-Pro Kyle Hamilton, and Stone’s performance is likely to land him a much bigger payday, along with a starting role, elsewhere. Ravens safety Geno Stone, cleaning out his locker last month, is set to become a free agent. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ya-Sin, meanwhile, signed with the Ravens in May to replace the departed Marcus Peters. But the 27-year-old suffered a knee injury in training camp and was outplayed by others, specifically Ronald Darby and Arthur Maulet. They, too, are free agents and would almost certainly be prioritized ahead of Ya-Sin should the Ravens re-sign any of them. It’s still possible the Ravens could re-sign any of the aforementioned players later if their value doesn’t reach expected levels in free agency, but it seems most unlikely for Zeitler given the cap ramifications. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Six big questions the Ravens need to answer this offseason Baltimore Ravens | Ravens sign WR Nelson Agholor to 1-year contract extension Baltimore Ravens | The Miami Dolphins introduce Anthony Weaver as defensive coordinator Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s observations on Chiefs’ three-peat quest, Mahomes vs. Jackson, absurd coach criticism and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Will Odell Beckham Jr. be back with the Ravens next season? It’s a complicated question. In keeping Agholor, the Ravens at least maintained most of their top four receivers for Jackson, with the veteran joining Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman for another season (while the possibility of Odell Beckham Jr.’s return remains more complex). But Monday marked just the first of many deadlines DeCosta will be faced with in the coming weeks. The next notable one will be March 5, the deadline for teams to use the franchise tag. Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, their top impending unrestricted free agent, is a likely candidate for it. The 26-year-old led all NFL interior defensive linemen with 13 sacks and it’s unlikely Baltimore would just let him walk. Using the tag, which seems the most likely scenario, will cost the cap-strapped Ravens about $20 million next season. After that, the next key date will be March 11, which is when free agents are allowed to start talking to teams, and Baltimore has nearly 20 more players set to hit the open market. There is also the scouting combine later this month and the draft in April. Said DeCosta: “We’ll be busy.” View the full article

NFL free agency is a month away, and the draft doesn’t begin until late April. There is still plenty of time for Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, coach John Harbaugh, general manager Eric DeCosta and the staff to sift through a 2023 season that fell one victory short of the Super Bowl before turning the page to 2024. But with close to two dozen unrestricted free agents and several questions surrounding some of the key players under contract for next season, the Ravens will have to be strategic about their spending in the hopes of building another championship-caliber roster around two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson. Here are six questions the Ravens need to answer entering another pivotal offseason: Will they continue using void years? The Ravens’ 2024 roster will begin taking shape as soon as 4 p.m. Monday, when the contracts of five pending free agents — right guard Kevin Zeitler, running back Gus Edwards, wide receiver Nelson Agholor, safety Geno Stone and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin — will void. What does that mean, exactly? Void years are a way for teams to manipulate the salary cap by placing fake years on the end of a contract to defer cap charges to the future. As the Ravens prepared to eventually sign Jackson to a five-year, $260 million extension last April, they restructured the contracts of Zeitler and Edwards and added void years, freeing up cap space to help absorb Jackson’s deal. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-year, $15 million contract was recently reworked to remove void years. As noted by Russell Street Report, that allows the Ravens to designate Beckham as a post-June 1 release if an extension is not reached by March 16. While effective, void years come with a cost. For example, the Ravens would carry nearly $10 million in dead money on their 2024 salary cap if none of those five players were re-signed. It’s a strategy DeCosta and previous general manager Ozzie Newsome hadn’t deployed in the past, but with Jackson signed to one of the richest deals in the NFL, void years are a lever the Ravens might need to pull more often. Will Justin Madubuike and Patrick Queen return? After breakout seasons as part of the league’s best defense, pending free agents Madubuike and Queen are both expected to command lucrative contracts. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens sign WR Nelson Agholor to 1-year contract extension Baltimore Ravens | The Miami Dolphins introduce Anthony Weaver as defensive coordinator Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s observations on Chiefs’ three-peat quest, Mahomes vs. Jackson, absurd coach criticism and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Will Odell Beckham Jr. be back with the Ravens next season? It’s a complicated question. Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Pay Justin Madubuike? Draft a tackle? What Ravens need to do to keep Super Bowl window open. | COMMENTARY Madubuike, who led the team and all interior defensive linemen with 13 sacks — including at least half a sack in 13 of 17 games — is projected to receive $23 million annually, according to Pro Football Focus. Queen, who recorded a career-high 133 tackles and earned his first Pro Bowl selection along with Madubuike, is projected to command $18.1 million per year. Even with the salary cap expected to rise to about $245 million in 2024, the Ravens won’t have enough money to re-sign both players. That’s where the franchise tag might come into play. By placing the exclusive franchise tag on Madubuike before the March 5 deadline, the Ravens would keep him under contract for a projected $20 million while maintaining the ability to hammer out a long-term deal. It’s what they did last year with Jackson, who received the nonexclusive tag a month before signing an extension. Given how impactful Madubuike was as a pass rusher for a team that led the league in sacks last season, it seems all but certain the Ravens will find a way to bring him back. But since they already have All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith signed through 2027 and a promising prospect in 2023 third-round draft pick Trenton Simpson, it appears unlikely Queen will return. What happens with Ronnie Stanley? Just days after Stanley signed a five-year, $98.75 million extension in October 2020, he suffered an ankle injury that required multiple surgeries and cost him the better part of two seasons. He hasn’t been the same player since. The 2019 All-Pro has played in 25 games since that injury, including 13 this past season. Even when healthy, Stanley has not been as effective as he once was, ranking 37th in PFF grade in each of the past two seasons after climbing to second in 2019. Toward the end of the season, the Ravens rotated Stanley and right tackle Morgan Moses with Patrick Mekari and Daniel Faalele to keep the veteran bookends fresh. While there’s hope that Stanley returns to form next season, he’ll turn 30 on March 18, and moving on from the 2016 first-round draft pick would create significant cap space. Let’s say the Ravens and Stanley both desire a fresh start, and he is either traded or designated as a post-June 1 release. That would create $15 million in cap space, but would also push $6.67 million in dead money onto the 2025 cap, according to Russell Street Report. The Ravens could also shed $5.5 million from their 2024 cap by releasing Moses after June 1, but that would create holes at both starting tackle spots for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. A more likely scenario is bringing back Stanley on a restructured deal that asks him to take a pay cut, since he’s unlikely to fetch $15 million annually on the open market. Ravens Titans FootballSteve Luciano/APRavens outside linebacker Tyus Bowser is the most obvious candidate to be cut for salary cap space. (Steve Luciano/AP) Will there be any salary cap cuts? In addition to Stanley, Moses and Beckham, the Ravens have one obvious cut candidate: Outside linebacker Tyus Bowser. After signing a $22 million extension with Baltimore ahead of the 2021 season, Bowser was considered a key piece of an ascending defense. He posted seven sacks that year and was widely praised for his versatility to both defend the run and make plays in pass coverage. But he appeared in just nine games in 2022 before undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, the start of an awkward saga with the team. He didn’t participate in the Ravens’ offseason program or training camp last year as he dealt with a knee injury, but coach John Harbaugh said in August that he expected Bowser to return for the start of the season. Two weeks later, Bowser was placed on the non-football injury list. He didn’t play a snap all year. With the Ravens set to receive $5.5 million in cap space for releasing Bowser, it seems all but certain he will not be part of the team’s future. Will there be any contract extensions? The Ravens have often rewarded young players with contract extensions before they enter free agency. Stanley, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, tight end Mark Andrews and Smith, now part of the team’s nucleus, are just a few of the recent examples. Cornerback Brandon Stephens might be the next in line. A 2021 third-round draft pick, Stephens moved from safety to corner this season and thrived, recording 74 tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions while playing nearly every defensive snap in 16 games. The 27-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie deal. While signing Stephens to an extension would not create immediate cap space, it would help solidify a cornerback room that has struggled to find a reliable partner for Humphrey. If the Ravens are looking to clear cap space, perhaps an extension for fullback Patrick Ricard makes sense. The four-time All-Pro turns 30 in May and played just 39% of the snaps in a more spread-out offense this past season under new coordinator Todd Monken, but he’s been a standout blocker for the league’s best rushing attack. The Ravens could also choose to cut Ricard, who carries a $4 million base salary in the final year of his deal, but that seems unlikely given his role. The Ravens also have until March 2 to decide whether to exercise the fifth-year option for outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and wide receiver Rashod Bateman, their 2021 first-round picks. Given how much of a financial commitment that would be — $12 million for Oweh, $13 million for Bateman — for a pair of players who have yet to deliver consistent production, it seems likely the Ravens will decline. Wade Payne/APTitans running back Derrick Henry carries the ball against the Ravens during an AFC wild-card game Jan. 10, 2021. (Wade Payne/AP) How aggressive will the Ravens be in pursuit of upgrades? The Ravens enter the offseason with holes to fill at offensive line, wide receiver, running back, linebacker and edge defender. Depending on what happens with Madubuike, Queen, Stanley, Moses, Beckham, guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler, Edwards and fellow running back J.K. Dobbins, they could have as many as eight new starters next season. Running backs Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry are among the tantalizing names available in free agency who could be an upgrade over Edwards and Dobbins, the latter of whom is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in the season opener. ESPN reported Saturday that “some personnel people inside the league believe the Ravens will target a running back with pedigree in free agency.” Free agent wide receivers Mike Evans, Marquise Brown, Calvin Ridley, Gabe Davis and Curtis Samuel would offer more upside and dynamic play than Beckham and Agholor, but might be too expensive. The Ravens had high hopes for the duo of Oweh and David Ojabo, but it hasn’t worked out so far, with Ojabo struggling to stay on the field after being drafted in the second round in 2022 and Oweh yet to deliver on his immense promise after being picked No. 31 overall in 2021. That opens the door for the Ravens to make a splash. Maybe that’s a trade for Brian Burns, who is expected to receive the franchise tag from the Carolina Panthers after recording at least 7 1/2 sacks for the fifth straight season to begin his career. Such a deal would require the Ravens to send a package of picks and/or players to Carolina to acquire Burns, who would then be under contract for just one season at a projected cost of $22.79 million. The Ravens have taken big swings before in trading away Orlando Brown Jr. and acquiring Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue and Smith in recent years. Perhaps they’ll add to that list this offseason. View the full article

The Ravens signed wide receiver Nelson Agholor to a one-year extension Sunday, bringing back a durable veteran who gave them solid production in a reserve role last season. Agholor, who will turn 31 in May, played all 17 games, catching 35 passes on 45 targets for 381 yards and four touchdowns. He caught a touchdown pass in the Ravens’ divisional round playoff victory over the Houston Texans. The 2015 first-round draft pick has 375 catches for 4,627 yards and 35 touchdowns over nine NFL seasons. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Miami Dolphins introduce Anthony Weaver as defensive coordinator Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s observations on Chiefs’ three-peat quest, Mahomes vs. Jackson, absurd coach criticism and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Will Odell Beckham Jr. be back with the Ravens next season? It’s a complicated question. Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Pay Justin Madubuike? Draft a tackle? What Ravens need to do to keep Super Bowl window open. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Zay Flowers case: Alleged victim reported ‘violent domestic incident’ to Massachusetts police If the Ravens had not reached a deal with Agholor before 4 p.m. Monday, his contract would have voided, and he would have become a free agent. Instead, he’ll be a known quantity in a wide receiver room that’s projected to be led by 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman and 2023 first-round pick Zay Flowers. The Ravens now have to decide whether to seek an extension with their other veteran receiver from 2023, Odell Beckham Jr., or round out quarterback Lamar Jackson’s targets with a free agent or draft pick. General manager Eric DeCosta did not mention Agholor by name at his season-ending news conference but did allude to possibly bringing back at least one of the team’s pending free agent receivers. “We have a lot of guys that can make plays and, watching Zay this year and just picturing Zay and ‘Bate’ out there next year is very exciting, and we’ll see where that leads,” DeCosta said in assessing the position group. “We’ve also got the draft, and like I said, we’ll have conversations with our free agents, as well, and we’ve already started those conversations in some cases. So, I would expect the receiver room to be very strong next year and very productive.” View the full article

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — In the revolving door of NFL assistant coaching tenures, Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel will have yet another defensive coordinator. The Dolphins introduced Anthony Weaver as their defensive play-caller Thursday. The 43-year-old Weaver joins the Dolphins after serving as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive line coach the past three seasons. “I think of coaching as like service work,” Weaver said. “I subscribe to the thought that if you work in service, you never get nervous. When I got into this coaching profession in 2010 in my mind I was, ‘I’m going to get in this because this game has been so good to me.’ And this is my opportunity to pay it forward.” Weaver becomes the third defensive coordinator since McDaniel took over in 2022. McDaniel retained Josh Boyer from fired coach Brian Flores’ staff to run the defense his first season. Boyer was dismissed after the season and replaced by veteran coordinator Vic Fangio. The Dolphins allowed the seventh fewest rushing yards and 10th fewest total yards league wide but the results didn’t earn Fangio a second season. “The whole process of it was cool for me because it started as the person and who could have the biggest impact as a person,” McDaniel said of hiring Weaver. “And in the process got to get down on some nitty gritty on some schematic football side of it that allows to build on what we’ve been good at and continue forward in 2024.” Now it’s Weaver’s turn to lift the Dolphins’ defense to the elite level that he helped guide while with the Ravens. Baltimore allowed an NFL low 280 points last season, compared to Miami’s 391 — 22nd in the league. The Ravens also had a league-high 60 sacks. “The scheme that we used in Baltimore is extremely multiple and flexible,” Weaver said. “The foundation that we’re going to do here will be from that. But the beauty in that is a lot of things that they’ve already done here, that they’ve had success in, were very similar there. So there will be a lot of crossover teaching.” With a 12-year NFL coaching resume, mainly overseeing the defensive line, Weaver spent four seasons on the Houston Texans’ staff before joining Baltimore. His last season with the Texans in 2020 featured a promotion to coordinator. Weaver also had stops at the New York Jets, Cleveland and Buffalo since he transitioned into coaching following a seven-year NFL playing career. Under Fangio, who quickly was hired as the Philadelphia Eagles’ coordinator, the Dolphins finished fourth in the league in sacks with 54. By year’s end, however, the defense was a depleted unit because of season-ending injuries to pass rushing specialists Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. “There are multiple guys on every level of defense that you get excited about,” Weaver said. “The opportunity to come here, obviously, with a team and the success they’ve had. How do you pass on that? Mike and that offense — they’re going to put up points. That’s definitely going to happen. It’s our job to make sure that we give up less points than the other team. We plan on doing that every time we get out there.” Free agency and salary cap restructuring also could noticeably change the Dolphins’ defense next season. Defensive lineman Christian Wilkins and Van Ginkel have expiring contracts and might end up elsewhere. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl View the full article

As soon as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers, 25-22, in overtime Sunday to win their second consecutive Super Bowl title, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked the obvious question about capturing a third. Of course, Mahomes said he wanted to three-peat, but it’s hard to win three titles in a row, especially since the introduction of the salary cap in 1994. The Chiefs have their reasons to believe they can pull it off. Mahomes, 28, is a great competitor and one of five quarterbacks to win three or more Super Bowl titles. They also have running back Isiah Pacheco and All-World tight end Travis Kelce under contract for 2024, as well as coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. But since Green Bay won the first two Super Bowl titles in 1967 and 1968, eight teams have tried to three-peat and none have succeeded. Before 1994, teams were able to keep their nucleus of players, but that’s no longer the case. Kansas City could lose as many as six starters on a defense that carried the team for most of the season, including defensive linemen Chris Jones, Mike Danna and Derrick Nnadi, linebackers Willie Gay Jr. and Drue Tranquill and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. There are other factors to consider, such as complacency and injuries. Also, unlike MLB and the NBA, there are no best-of-five or best-of-seven series. If a team doesn’t bring its “A” game in the postseason, then it’s one-and-done. The Ravens suffered that painful reminder in their 17-10 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC championship game despite having the best regular-season record at 13-4. Breaking down Mahomes vs. Jackson There are major differences between Mahomes and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, including arm strength, but the biggest is Mahomes’ ability to read the field and stay focused. Mahomes doesn’t get rattled. Jackson, meanwhile, seemed in a daze during the conference championship game on Jan. 28. The 49ers controlled Mahomes for most of the first half Sunday, but in the second he was able to find open receivers as he finished 34 of 46 for 333 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Jackson had receivers open in the game against Kansas City but couldn’t locate them. He held onto the ball too long and chose not to run. Even when both quarterbacks scramble, Mahomes is in control, while Jackson zig-zags and darts in and out. It’s about structure as well, and sometimes the Ravens’ passing game is unorganized chaos. I thought Jackson had reached the point in his career where he could handle pressure, but there were still some growing pains. If the Ravens make it back to the AFC title game next year, the experience will not be new to him. With Jackson, it’s a step-by-step process. That’s not the case with Mahomes. Bills safety Damar Hamlin poses on the red carpet at the NFL Honors award show Feb. 8 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Hamlin is the true Comeback Player of the Year Former Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco deserved to be in contention for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, but there is no way he should have been selected over Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Flacco carried Cleveland in the final five games of the regular season, helping the Browns earn a playoff spot. He completed 123 of 204 passes for 1,616 yards and six touchdowns before the Browns were bounced from the postseason by the Houston Texans. You can’t argue with his success. But during a “Monday Night Football” game against the Cincinnati Bengals in January 2023, Hamlin collapsed on the field after tackling wide receiver Tee Higgins. Shortly after the play, Hamlin stood up momentarily before passing out and falling backward. First responders initiated CPR and an automated external defibrillator was used to resuscitate Hamlin. Later, it was reported that Hamlin had suffered cardiac arrest and his heartbeat was restored on the field. His condition was later described as commotio cordis, an extremely rare condition that is 97% fatal if not treated within three minutes. Hamlin played in only five games this past season and in two playoff games. He had a total of four tackles, but for a player to come back from something like that is amazing. This isn’t high school or college football. This is the NFL, the best professional football league on the planet. Even Flacco agreed that Hamlin deserved the award, which tells you about the character of Flacco. He could have taken it a step further and just given the award to Hamlin. Criticism of Shanahan, Harbaugh goes too far 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has taken a lot of criticism for electing to receive the ball instead of kicking off to the Chiefs in overtime Sunday, which critics say led to San Francisco’s loss. The choice by Shanahan was strange, but the harsh criticism of him reminds me of the way fans here demand that John Harbaugh be fired after big losses. Football is an emotional game and fans get too carried away. It’s not as if Shanahan or Harbaugh became “dumb” overnight. It’s all about perspective. Shanahan, 44, has led the 49ers to three division titles, four conference championship games and two Super Bowls. He has never won a ring, but to get into the Super Bowl twice at his age is remarkable. Some criticisms of Shanahan were echoed about Reid when he was the coach in Philadelphia. He compiled a 130-93-1 record in 14 years with the Eagles, but he also lost four NFC championship games and fell to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX following the 2004 season. As for Harbaugh, he is 160-99 in the regular season and 12-10 in the playoffs since taking over in 2008. Like every coach in the NFL, he has his strengths and weaknesses, but the status of the organization with him as the leader is strong, stable and well-respected throughout the league. The Ravens have been in contention almost every year he has been in Baltimore. Some argue that Harbaugh, 61, should have been replaced by Mike Macdonald, 36, the team’s second-year defensive coordinator who was named coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Replacing a quality, effective coach with an unproven assistant makes no sense. The notion of firing either Shanahan or Harbaugh is absurd. Jim Harbaugh, left, celebrates with his brother, Ravens coach John Harbaugh, after winning the national championship with Michigan. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) ‘Harbowl’ is back on It will be interesting to see the Harbaugh brothers going against each other again now that Jim Harbaugh is the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Will Odell Beckham Jr. be back with the Ravens next season? It’s a complicated question. Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Pay Justin Madubuike? Draft a tackle? What Ravens need to do to keep Super Bowl window open. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Zay Flowers case: Alleged victim reported ‘violent domestic incident’ to Massachusetts police Baltimore Ravens | Ravens free agent rankings: Which key players might return in 2024? Baltimore Ravens | Way-too-early NFL power rankings: Ravens enter 2024 back in Super Bowl contention In the brothers, you can see the influence of their father Jack, 84, a former college football coach. The Harbaughs believe in a strong running game and physical defenses, and both have strong, competitive spirits that become contagious in the locker room. The only on-the-surface difference between the two is that John is more subtle and stylish. He could become a politician because he knows how to work a room. Jim, on the other hand, is more abrupt and straightforward. In other words, Jim just doesn’t give a damn. Martindale at Michigan Don “Wink” Martindale has become the new defensive coordinator at Michigan. It will work out well, at least for a couple of years. Martindale, 60, is his own man and wants to do things his way. That’s great if a team is winning, but not so good if it isn’t, which might be why he’s no longer working with the Ravens and the New York Giants. Martindale, though, has a strong relationship with his players and they will play hard for him at Michigan. He certainly influenced Macdonald, especially with the blitzes and pressures off the edge. Martindale is a disciple of the late Buddy Ryan, who created the “46” defense with the 1985 Chicago Bears. He is also good friends with Rob and Rex Ryan, two former coaches with the Ravens. View the full article

Lamar Jackson understandably had no interest in watching the Super Bowl, telling NFL Network’s Taylor Bisciotti in the Las Vegas afterglow of his second career NFL Most Valuable Player Award last week that the Ravens’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game was still “too raw.” Odell Beckham Jr., naturally, was another story. The Ravens wide receiver (along with Kim Kardashian) was spotted at Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin’s Super Bowl party at The Cosmopolitan on Saturday, according to multiple reports, and around the strip through the weekend. Whether Beckham, 31, and Kardashian, 43, will be (are?) an item will continue to fuel tabloids for the foreseeable future. Whether the most transcendent sports figure in the team’s history will be reunited with Jackson, however, seems easier to answer, though it has its complexities as well. Beckham is technically not one of the team’s more than 20 impending unrestricted free agents after his one-year, $15 million contract was reworked, with substantial void years being removed from the deal. That revision, as noted by Russell Street Report, allows Baltimore to use a post-June 1 release if an extension is not reached by March 14. Doing so would spread out the dead money in the deal over this year and next, rather than have it all hit in 2024, meaning $2.767 million would count for this year and $8.301 million for 2025. But given that the Ravens are already tight on cap space with just over $7.3 million in room, per Over The Cap — a number that should climb to around $8.8 million with the league’s salary cap projected to be around $245 million for the 2024 season — the only feasible way for Beckham to return with such a large guarantee for 2025 would be to adjust his contract. Should the Ravens bring him back, and does he want to come back? Those are not necessarily mutually exclusive questions. Let’s start with the latter. “I don’t know the political answer to that question, but I’ve enjoyed every single moment,” Beckham said after Baltimore’s 17-10 loss to the Chiefs. “I always talk about [when] I went to the [Los Angeles] Rams, it made me fall in love with football again, and being here … Coach Harbs, [John Harbaugh], [owner] Steve [Bisciotti], EDC [general manager Eric DeCosta] … This felt like a home. It felt amazing for me.” His performance, broadly and statistically speaking, was not, though it had plenty of moments, on the field and beyond. In his first season since suffering the second torn ACL of his career in Super Bowl 56 in February 2022, Beckham had a pedestrian 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns. That was the lowest output of any mostly healthy season in his career, though he missed two games early in the year because of an ankle injury and one late to rest for the postseason. Ravens vs. BengalsKarl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunRavens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. greets fans as he enters the field before a game against the Bengals on Nov. 16. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Beckham averaged just 4.4 targets and 2.5 catches per game, numbers that are at best complementary, though he did manage a career-high 16.1 yards per catch. He also flashed — albeit sparingly — with a 40-yard touchdown catch against the Cleveland Browns in November, 116 yards on four catches the following week against the Cincinnati Bengals, four catches for 97 yards and a touchdown against the Rams and one spectacular 33-yard grab against the Miami Dolphins. His impact stretched well beyond Sundays, too. Beckham arrived in Baltimore in April with the organization unsure of whether he could even run and in large part as an inducement for Jackson to sign a long-term deal. When Beckham hit the field for training camp, he was greeted with daily chants of “OBJ! OBJ!” by a fanbase that, save for Jackson, had long thirsted for a star of such magnitude. In the locker room, Beckham was parked next to Zay Flowers, imparting his 10 years of wisdom on the rookie receiver, and was a popular sage among teammates young, old and in between. And with only Flowers and Rashod Bateman among the Ravens’ top four wide receivers signed for next season, Beckham, or perhaps veteran impending free agent Nelson Agholor, would be a welcome addition to return — at the right price. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s observations on Chiefs’ three-peat quest, Mahomes vs. Jackson, absurd coach criticism and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Pay Justin Madubuike? Draft a tackle? What Ravens need to do to keep Super Bowl window open. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Zay Flowers case: Alleged victim reported ‘violent domestic incident’ to Massachusetts police Baltimore Ravens | Ravens free agent rankings: Which key players might return in 2024? Baltimore Ravens | Way-too-early NFL power rankings: Ravens enter 2024 back in Super Bowl contention “I don’t know,” DeCosta said at the team’s season-ending news conference when asked if the wide receiver group would undergo a major overhaul as it did this past season. “I love the guys we have coming back. “We’ll talk to guys and look at potentially bringing guys back, but I feel really good about where we are.” As for what it would cost to bring Beckham back, it’s unlikely any team would fork over another $15 million, which ranked 19th among receivers this past season. Still, it might be possible for the Ravens and Beckham to re-do his deal and keep the salary cap implications manageable, which will be particularly important given other, more costly free agents on their roster such as defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, other needs and a full draft class to sign. His return could also depend on what the open market dictates. And it will depend on Beckham, who said he’ll “take a step back, evaluate the future and just go from there.” He does not, however, sound like a man who is done playing football, even though he already got a Super Bowl ring with the Rams two years ago. Said Beckham: “I know that I can still play football, and I know that I still have [expletive] in the tank.” View the full article

NFL free agency doesn’t officially begin until March 11, but the backroom channels from ownership to agents are always open. It’s a league that never sleeps, and there are always private negotiations regarding future deals. On Feb. 2, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said he didn’t subscribe to the idea of windows opening and closing in regard to the development of players and creating championship teams. To an extent, he is correct, and few would disagree that the Ravens had the best team during the 2023 season. But they were outplayed, outcoached and lacked discipline in a 17-10 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. “I’d like to believe that with careful roster building and good drafting and development of players, the window is going to always be open,” DeCosta said. For the Ravens to remain in contention and finally reach the Super Bowl, here are some suggestions for the 2024 season. The NFL draft is April 25-27 in Detroit, and the Ravens need to select a quality offensive tackle and a good outside wide receiver. Does it make a difference in what order? No, because the Ravens should be able to find a receiver even with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round, and teams can usually select a solid offensive lineman in the second or middle rounds. The Ravens already have two good tight ends in Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews and a versatile slot receiver in Zay Flowers. Rashod Bateman can provide depth inside or outside, but the Ravens need a big, fast receiver on the outside. That weakness showed up against Kansas City when the Chiefs stacked the line of scrimmage to shut down the run and dared the Ravens to beat them on the outside. They couldn’t. “I love the guys we have coming back,” DeCosta said of the receivers. “I think ‘Bate’ is going to have a great season, and we have Zay. We’ll talk to guys and look at potentially bringing guys back, but I feel really good about where we are. We also saw the emergence of Isaiah this year, and we know, of course, what Mark can do. “We’ve also got the draft, and like I said, we’ll have conversations with our free agents, as well, and we’ve already started those conversations in some cases. So, I would expect the receiver room to be very strong next year and very productive.” Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie breaks up a pass intended for Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the fourth quarter of the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff) The Ravens don’t need to re-sign wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. He’s a nice guy and worked well with young players, but he didn’t deliver enough big plays (35 catches, 565 yards, three touchdowns during the regular season) to warrant the $15 million he made in 2023. The same can be said for veteran Nelson Agholor (35 catches, 381 yards, 4 TDs), who was a good leader and a solid performer as well. An emphasis should be on rebuilding the offensive line. The unit performed well running the ball (No. 1 in the NFL), but the Ravens allowed 41 sacks, and that’s with a quarterback as elusive as Lamar Jackson. Their starting guards, John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler, are both free agents. Zeitler is a tough guy who can run and pass block and should be offered a new deal, but Simpson is expendable, and the Ravens might consider waiving right tackle Morgan Moses for a cheaper, younger player. The other problem is left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who’s projected to have a salary cap hit of $26 million in 2024. Because of a series of injuries over the past few seasons, the Ravens should renegotiate Stanley’s deal and point out that a starter making that much money shouldn’t be sharing the position with reserve Patrick Mekari like he did at the end of the season. On the other side of the ball, the Ravens just need to ante up and pay defensive lineman Justin Madubuike, who could command $20 million per year. He was sixth on the team in tackles (56) and led the Ravens in sacks (13) and quarterback hits (33). He has done everything asked of him since being drafted four years ago, and yes, he is worth that kind of money. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Zay Flowers case: Alleged victim reported ‘violent domestic incident’ to Massachusetts police Baltimore Ravens | Ravens free agent rankings: Which key players might return in 2024? Baltimore Ravens | Way-too-early NFL power rankings: Ravens enter 2024 back in Super Bowl contention Baltimore Ravens | New Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh still agonizes over Super Bowl loss to Ravens Baltimore Ravens | Michigan to hire Don ‘Wink’ Martindale as defensive coordinator, bringing NFL experience Both inside linebacker Patrick Queen and outside linebacker-defensive end Jadeveon Clowney might be out of the Ravens’ price range, especially since the team signed Jackson and middle linebacker Roquan Smith to lucrative contract extensions last offseason. Queen’s development was slowed by the team asking him to play in the middle instead of the weak side, but the 2020 first-round pick has played well since Smith joined the Ravens last November. Clowney, 30, had 9 1/2 sacks this past season. Both should command big contracts on the free agent market, putting pressure on young outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo. The situations might be the same with both running back Gus Edwards and safety Geno Stone. With Edwards, the concern is whether the Ravens are truly committed to the run after he and Justice Hill received a combined six carries against Kansas City. Stone, though, is a smart player and other teams will be interested in him because of his production and strong work ethic. He finished fifth on the team in tackles with 66 and had an AFC-leading seven interceptions. “We’ll know what’s best for us to do. It’s something that we haven’t just started thinking about, obviously,” DeCosta said. “Justin had a great year, as did Patrick Queen. Those two guys obviously are Pro Bowlers who had great seasons, and we’ll have a good plan in place for those guys.” Is there any panic about potentially losing so many key players? Hardly. “We’ve started talking to agents [and] looking at the crop of free agents that are out there, but mostly [looking] at our guys, and who can we bring back, and what’s that contract going to look like, and what will those long-term ramifications be, as well. At some point, you get to the point where you have to play with who you have, and you have to draft well, and you have to hit on players, and we’ve done that the last couple of years. We’ve seen the emergence of a lot of younger players, and that’s going to continue. We’ve got a great process.” View the full article

Police in Massachusetts contacted Baltimore County officers last month about a report they’d received of a “violent domestic incident” in Owings Mills on Jan. 16, according to a knowledgeable source. The alleged victim wouldn’t name the other person involved but described him as an NFL player. When Acton Police shared the news with Baltimore County, they added who they believed it was: Xavien “Zay” Flowers. According to what was reported in Massachusetts, the alleged victim was “physically assaulted,” and said they were left with multiple bruises, according to the source, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The alleged victim also reported a third individual present, the source said. That person allegedly drew a firearm during the incident. Flowers, a Ravens wide receiver, has not been charged with a crime, nor has he been named a suspect, Baltimore County Police said. In a statement Tuesday, county police spokesperson Joy Stewart said the department’s investigation “into whether a crime has occurred” is still ongoing. It could not be determined whether Flowers has an attorney representing him. Flowers has not commented publicly since news of a police investigation involving him broke last week. Officials have provided little additional information. Baltimore County Police spokesperson Trae Corbin said last week they are investigating an “alleged assault,” but declined to answer many other questions. The source said the alleged victim’s report to Acton Police was made Jan. 21, five days after the alleged Jan. 16 incident. Baltimore County Police dispatch audio from the morning of Jan. 16 stated that a woman called 911 crying and “seemed in distress” when she hung up, according to archived radio traffic accessed through the Broadcastify website. According to the dispatch, the call came from an address in the same building where Flowers has owned a townhouse since last summer, records show, in a new development in Owings Mills, a couple of miles from the Ravens training facility. Neighbors confirmed that Flowers lives in the unit. That 911 call has not been released by Baltimore County’s 911 call center. Officials wrote in response to a public records request by The Baltimore Sun that the records “are part and parcel to an open and ongoing law enforcement investigation.” The Sun also sought to obtain relevant records from Acton Police, the department in Massachusetts. While the department confirmed it had one report involving Flowers, it said it could not release it or say whether the agency was investigating, citing the state’s Domestic Violence Act of 2014. Since the alleged assault was initially reported, there has been little comment from those involved. The Ravens said they “take these matters seriously,” but have not commented further. And neither the NFL nor Flowers’ agent has commented. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the NFLPA, the players’ union, declined to comment because it is an “ongoing investigation.” Flowers, the Ravens top receiver this past season, remains on the team’s roster, listed online. In the days after the alleged incident, he played in both of the Ravens’ playoff games — the win over the Houston Texans on Jan. 20 and the loss in the AFC Championship Game to the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 27. Flowers fumbled the ball near the Chiefs’ goal line in the fourth quarter and slammed his hand against a bench moments later, causing it to bleed. One consequence he appears to face, however, lies with his sponsorship deals. Flowers has appeared in ads for Pizza Boli’s, the mid-Atlantic pizzeria chain; MyProtein, a dietary supplement; Bath & Body Works and Dunkin’ Donuts. He also reportedly signed an endorsement deal with Under Armour last year. Flowers has appeared in televised commercials for Pizza Boli’s, as has Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard. However, on Pizza Boli’s Instagram page, there are no posts of Flowers, although there are of Ricard. When asked Tuesday morning about the pizzeria’s partnership with Flowers, the person who picked up the phone at Pizza Boli’s headquarters said that while they take such matters “seriously,” they could not comment. Asked if Flowers continues to represent Pizza Boli’s, the person again said, “We can’t comment about it,” before hanging up. In a November news release, Bath & Body Works announced that Flowers, as well as San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Ohio State University wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. would be promoting their men’s grooming products. While ads featuring McCaffrey and Harrison remain on Bath & Body Works’ social media pages, ones with Flowers appear to have been removed. Bath & Body Works did not reply to requests for comment. Flowers remains in ads posted to MyProtein’s social media. MyProtein did not reply to a request for comment. The wide receiver also appeared in a Dunkin’ Donuts ad with Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta in November. Dunkin’ Donuts did not reply to a request for comment, nor did Under Armour. Baltimore Sun reporter Brian Wacker contributed to this article. View the full article