ExtremeRavens Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 The Ravens’ dominant season ended Sunday in a mistake-filled 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. Instead of Baltimore spending the next two weeks soaking in all the Super Bowl has to offer, attention turns toward the harsh reality of the offseason. There are no questions as important as last year’s unresolved contract situation with quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is expected to win his second NFL Most Valuable Player Award in the first season of his five-year, $260 million deal. But the Ravens have plenty of work to do to reshape one of the best rosters in team history. The list of pending free agents is long and includes several standouts and key contributors from a 2023 team that finished with the NFL’s best record and came one win away from reaching its first Super Bowl in 11 years. The Ravens have long built through the draft, and that won’t change as they move forward with one of the league’s highest-paid players. Baltimore owns the No. 30 overall pick in the first round, which begins April 25 in Detroit. With an expected compensatory selection in the fourth round for the loss of free agent guard Ben Powers last offseason, it has a projected eight picks: No. 30 (first), No. 62 (second), No. 93 (third), No. 130 (fourth), No. 133 (compensatory), No. 163 (fifth), No. 225 (seventh) and No. 247 (seventh). If recent history is any guide, the Ravens should expect another impact player with their top selection. In his past four drafts, general manager Eric DeCosta picked wide receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, inside linebacker Patrick Queen, outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton in the first round. Here are five players at positions of need who could be targets at No. 30. Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan The Ravens’ offensive line could look very different next season. Guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson are pending free agents, and tackles Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses are coming off a season in which they rotated in and out of the lineup down the stretch. While Stanley is likely coming back, the Ravens could move on from Moses, who turns 33 in March and is entering the final year of his contract. Daniel Faalele and Patrick Mekari are capable backups on team-friendly deals, but the Ravens need to invest in a long-term starter at tackle. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Morgan might be the best fit. He played left tackle during his five-year career at Arizona, but he could also shift inside to guard. The 22-year-old put together his best season as a senior, allowing only two sacks in 787 snaps over 12 games for one of the nation’s best passing teams. A first-team All-Pac 12 selection, Morgan led the Wildcats in total blocking grade (84.3), run-blocking grade (77.0) and pass-blocking grade (87.3), per Pro Football Focus. Utah cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn tackles Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin on Oct. 28. Franklin was one of two Football Bowl Subdivision receivers with 1,300-plus receiving yards and 14-plus touchdowns in 2023. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin With Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor entering free agency, the Ravens need another young wide receiver to pair with Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. Franklin would be an intriguing addition. The 6-3, 187-pound Franklin was an explosive playmaker during his junior season at Oregon, joining LSU’s Malik Nabers as the only Football Bowl Subdivision receivers with 1,300-plus receiving yards and 14-plus touchdowns. Playing in the Ducks’ up-tempo spread offense led by star quarterback Bo Nix, Franklin had 15 catches of 30-plus yards and eight receptions of 40-plus yards, which both ranked among the top three in the country. Alabama edge defender Chris Braswell The Ravens relied heavily on veteran outside linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy to finish first in the NFL with 60 sacks, but both are headed for free agency. Odafe Oweh looks ready to hold down a starting spot, but David Ojabo has played just five games in two seasons and Tyus Bowser will likely be released in a cost-cutting move after a knee injury kept him out all year. That leaves a thin group on the edge. Braswell’s name should be familiar to local fans. Before a standout career at Alabama, he was a five-star prospect at St. Frances and the No. 2 ranked player in Maryland. After playing behind standout prospects Will Anderson and Dallas Turner early in his Crimson Tide career, the 6-3, 255-pound Braswell enjoyed a breakout senior season, recording eight sacks, 10 1/2 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and an interception that he returned for a touchdown. He finished with 56 quarterback pressures, the most in the SEC. The Baltimore native might crush the NFL scouting combine, too. Braswell was ranked seventh on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks List” entering the 2023 season after being clocked at 21.9 mph on the GPS and bench-pressing 405 pounds. Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter allowed just 15 receptions for 136 yards as a junior. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter With Ronald Darby, Arthur Maulet and Rock Ya-Sin entering free agency and Marlon Humphrey coming off an injury-hampered season, cornerback is once again an area of focus entering the draft. While most of the top corners are expected to come off the board early, there might be some good options at the end of the first round. The 6-foot, 180-pound Lassiter is perhaps the best of that second tier after a standout career at Georgia. As a junior, he allowed just 15 receptions for 136 yards and a 48.7 passer rating in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus, earning second-team All-SEC honors from the coaches. Although he’s a bit undersized and lacks the strength to consistently beat blocks, the former four-star prospect doesn’t shy away from making tackles in run support. Miami defensive lineman Leonard Taylor III The Ravens might need to use the franchise tag to bring back breakout star Justin Madubuike, who led the team with 13 sacks this past season. Brent Urban is also entering free agency, and Broderick Washington was a disappointment in the first season of his three-year, $15.8 million deal. That leaves some question marks on the defensive front. Adding a former five-star prospect to the mix could be the answer. The 6-3, 305-pound Taylor did not dominate in college the way many had hoped, recording six sacks in three seasons, but he flashed the quickness, strength and technique that could make him a standout interior pass rusher at the next level. He’s far from a finished product, but the Ravens could bring him along slowly before giving him a bigger role in 2025. View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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