With the first wave of high-profile free agents being signed, we now enter the next phase of free agency. This is where the second and third tier of players end up getting short-term contracts as a way to finish out their careers or hopefully rejuvenate them. This is also when the Baltimore Ravens typically are a little more aggressive in signing free agents.
While many of the big names are off the market, it’s these smaller deals that help round out a roster and can actually make a bigger overall impact for a team. For Baltimore, this is where they’ve added guys like Robert Griffin III, Mike Wallace, John Brown and Brandon Carr over the last three years.
So who is still available and who makes sense for the Ravens to sign? I picked out 11 free agents still on the market that could be on Baltimore’s radar still.
OLB Jadeveon Clowney
Clowney was the top free-agent outside linebacker this offseason, largely thanks to so many others getting tagged instead. With such a shallow market, Clowney doesn’t seem to be getting the type of attention he was hoping for, which might have lowered his value considerably.
While the Ravens are a little cash strapped at the moment, teams have a way of finding the money to get deals done when they need to. If Clowney is looking at a bunch of one-year deals, Baltimore being so close to a Super Bowl and having a major need at outside linebacker might be able to boost his value for next offseason.
WR Emmanuel Sanders
Much like pass rushers, the market for wide receivers has been pretty slow so far. That’s likely thanks to a draft class that is expected to be historically great and deep. With teams maybe looking to the draft to fill their wide receiver needs on the cheap, guys like Sanders could be seeing their values plummet accordingly.
Enter the Ravens, who need more help at wide receiver for quarterback Lamar Jackson. Sanders might not have the speed he once did but he’s developed into a pretty polished option with sure hands. That just so happens to be exactly what Baltimore needs opposite Marquise Brown.
DE Everson Griffen
The Ravens have already done a good job addressing their defensive line, so it’s a little unclear exactly how Griffen would fit into the lineup. But guys that can bring down quarterbacks are always going to draw interest and that’s exactly what Griffen brings to the table.
Griffen is towards the end of his career at 32 years old but was still highly productive for the Minnesota Vikings last year. Griffen accounted for eight sacks and 35 quarterback pressures in 2019 and would be an interesting addition for Baltimore considering how defensive coordinator Don Martindale loves to mix things up and sends pressure from unique spots.
OLB Clay Matthews
Matthews was targeted last season by the Ravens and they haven’t exactly remedied their need at outside linebacker yet. That means Matthews should still make a ton of sense this offseason, especially since he was cut and doesn’t count against the compensatory pick formula.
As I noted in a previous article, Matthews was incredibly productive for the Los Angeles Rams last season. In fact, Matthews was actually more productive on a per-game basis than Judon. Though he’ll be 34 years old when the 2020 season starts, he’s a perfect stop-gap solution Baltimore needs while their young players develop.
CB Bradley Roby
With the Ravens declining Brandon Carr’s option and Jimmy Smith currently a free agent, Baltimore has a need at cornerback behind starters Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey. Though Roby can be used in the slot, he’s far better on the outside which is exactly where the Ravens need him since they have Tavon Young inside.
The question now is just how much money Roby is going to want. But with a cornerback market that is seemingly stalled, a one-year deal might be in Roby’s best interest to prove his worth and re-enter the market at 29 years old.
OLB Michael Bennett
Bennett has been all over the place since 2018, playing for three different teams over that timespan. But he’s still been highly productive as he enters his mid-30s. In nine games for the Dallas Cowboys after being traded by the Patriots, Bennett accounted for four sacks and 18 pressures. While that isn’t necessarily starter-level production any longer, it fits what Baltimore needs from a potential free-agent addition.
Bennett would likely be a situational pass rusher with the Ravens, limiting his snaps somewhat to help keep him fresh. Since Bennett will be 35 years old this season, that’s not necessarily a bad thing for either him or Baltimore. With one more shot at another Super Bowl ring and a chance to play with former teammate Earl Thomas again, the Ravens might be able to lure Bennett to town on an affordable one-year deal.
WR Robby Anderson
Anderson was expected to earn quite a lot of attention in free agency. But as noted with Sanders, the market for wide receivers has been far more relaxed thanks to this draft class. While so many other teams might be willing to wait, the Ravens could move in on a guy like Anderson on a far more affordable contract than originally thought.
Anderson fits what Baltimore is looking for in a wide receiver as well. From what the Kansas City Chiefs did last year, more speed isn’t a bad thing and Anderson has plenty of it. His 4.34-second 40-yard dash at Temple’s pro day puts a number to just how fast Anderson is but watching him smoke Saints running back Alvin Kamara in a sprint puts that number into reality.
Now imagine a defense trying to contain both Anderson and Marquise Brown . . .
TE Eric Ebron
With the trade of Hayden Hurst to the Atlanta Falcons, the Ravens have a little bit of a need for a tight end to fill that void. While Ebron hasn’t ever really lived up to his first-round draft status, he can be a weapon in the receiving game. Ebron caught 66 passes for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2018.
However, health is one of the big knocks on Ebron. He finished last season on injured reserve with the Indianapolis Colts and has missed 13 games over six seasons, only finishing a full 16-game season twice. Ebron is also a little inconsistent as his stat sheet will prove.
Hurst’s reserve role might be perfect for Ebron. He’ll be able to see the field in situations that make sense for him without having to play a ton of snaps overall. That should lead to Ebron having a solid and healthy season while providing valuable experience and insurance in case of injury to Mark Andrews.
CB Jimmy Smith
The Ravens chose not to exercise the option they had on cornerback Brandon Carr, making him a free agent. This leaves them slightly short at cornerback behind studs Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey. One option open to the team could be to bring back another familiar face, namely Jimmy Smith.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has already said he’d like to bring Smith back but expected him to test the market. Yet while the free-agent market was big for guys like James Bradberry and Byron Jones, lesser cornerbacks haven’t fared nearly as well and Smith could find offers elsewhere less tempting. A reunion between Baltimore and Smith might be the best for both parties. Smith has spent his entire career with the Ravens after being selected in the first round of the 2011 draft.
He only played in nine games last season but was a fairly productive member of an excellent Ravens secondary. Smith allowed only 28-of-50 targets (56%) to be completed for 329 yards and no touchdowns, proving he’s still a capable outside cover guy when healthy. He allowed only 6.6 yards per target, which was an improvement on 2018, when he gave up 6.8.
It won’t be a super long contract, but maybe 2020 will give Smith and the Ravens one last spin around the block together.
LB Josh Bynes
Bynes returned to the Ravens in 2019 after spending five years away — three with Detroit and two with Arizona. He started seven of his 12 games, although he played only 40% of the Ravens’ snaps. He was fairly productive despite his part-time role, racking up 46 combined tackles including a career-high six tackles for loss. Bynes also set a new career mark with two interceptions along with four passes defended.
Approaching his 31st birthday, Bynes might not court much interest in free agency and could be open to a low-cost deal bringing him back to Baltimore. There’s not a whole lot left on the market in terms of linebackers and someone with familiarity with the Ravens and their defensive scheme would be of benefit.
While Baltimore likely tries to find some help at linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft, they need depth at the position regardless. Bynes is a potential starter with valuable experience but can just as easily make way for a younger and more talented player to start.
WR Tajae Sharpe
Despite not putting up mega numbers, Sharpe enjoyed the most efficient season of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans in 2019. He started six of his 15 games and only saw 35 targets but he caught 71.4% of these (25) for 329 yards and four touchdowns. Sharpe was No. 7 among qualifying wide receivers in terms of catch rate and Titans quarterbacks boasted a QB rating of 138.8 when looking his way. Sharpe also demonstrated a knack for coming down with the ball in contested situations with six receptions on 10 contested targets.
He’s not a superstar, and as such won’t require a superstar salary. But he’s a reliable and young option for quarterback Lamar Jackson that will also likely be affordable.
