ExtremeRavens Posted 8 hours ago Posted 8 hours ago On Saturday night, Maxx Crosby hosted a Drake-themed party with a live performance from hip-hop and country artist, Shaboozey. He lit a cigar to celebrate six years of sobriety, a day after news broke of the blockbuster trade that will bring him from Las Vegas to Baltimore. Plenty of reason to celebrate. But in the days that followed the most significant trade in Ravens history, as smoke faded and music mellowed, it’s clear Baltimore decision-makers have more work to do. Acquiring Crosby by giving up a first-round pick in this year’s and next year’s draft changes some of the calculus. Here’s a look at what comes next: Address Lamar Jackson’s contract Before general manager Eric DeCosta can spend any more significant money, he’ll need to restructure Lamar Jackson’s contract, extend him, or at least add void years to kick the can down the road and free up cap space, rather than tap out from a chokehold of the quarterback’s $74.5 million salary-cap hit. The Crosby deal, according to Over The Cap, puts Baltimore roughly $12 million over the projected $301 million salary cap in 2026. The Ravens need to get under that number by Wednesday, and the easiest way to do it is by striking a deal with the two-time Most Valuable Player. It’s possible the team already has at least a framework in place, which made it possible for DeCosta to pull the trigger on Crosby. Jackson doesn’t have a traditional agent, so that news might take longer to reach the public eye. If they’re still deliberating, the Ravens will have to figure something out soon in order to, as DeCosta said he plans, be active participants in the free agent market. That frenzy begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday but really starts with the legal tampering period at noon on Monday. Keep Tyler Linderbaum or pivot and find his replacement The sharks are circling Baltimore’s All-Pro center. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday evening that it’s a sure thing Linderbaum becomes the league’s highest-paid center, meaning he’ll pass Creed Humphrey’s $18 million salary and more likely eclipse $20 million. DeCosta said at the NFL scouting combine that they offered Linderbaum a “market-setting” offer, but, according to Rapoport, the Raiders and Commanders could leave the Ravens with a gaping hole in the middle of the offensive line. If Linderbaum seeks compensation elsewhere, the Ravens will need to find a replacement in free agency or the draft. Perhaps they deal away a few more draft picks to bring in an immediate fix. Bottom line: The Ravens would love to keep Linderbaum — the player and organization have both said as much — but they need a contingency plan because he seems destined to at least explore his value on the open market. Positions of need in free agency or the draft It’s not just center. Baltimore had one of the worst guard duos in the NFL last season between Andrew Vorhees and impending free agent Daniel Faalele. Because of the Crosby deal, the Ravens lost their shot at drafting an immediate starter on the offensive line in the first round. There’s a chance they hit on a second-rounder, which is no guarantee. They could also chase Pittsburgh guard Isaac Seumalo, 35-year-old former Raven Kevin Zeitler or Cleveland’s Joel Bitonio in free agency, to name a few. Bitonio has the highest projected market value ($12.9 million) of the three, according to Spotrac. The Ravens can’t afford to push their chips in on a deal like Crosby that reenergizes their Super Bowl odds, then ignore their other issues from 2025. Beyond that, expect the Ravens to show interest in a difference-making wide receiver. They also need to beef up the secondary — a position DeCosta likes to compare to sports cars for how often they break down. Baltimore’s depth chart thins out past the nascent Nate Wiggins and aging Marlon Humphrey. The Ravens have 18 free agents left after re-signing backup quarterback Tyler Huntley to a two-year extension. How those 18 proceed will help determine the next steps. For example, tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar could be swept up by a team willing to shell out more money than they’d make in Baltimore, leaving DeCosta searching for a backup tight end as well. Punter Jordan Stout, who earned his first All-Pro nod in 2025, is another valuable player in line for a pay raise. The Crosby deal showed how serious Ravens’ decision-makers are about keeping open their championship window amidst a coaching turnover. However, the job’s not finished. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. Sam appears as a host on The Sun’s “Early Birds” podcast. View the full article Quote
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