The next step in the 2020 NFL offseason is free agency. While the Baltimore Ravens have done a brilliant job re-signing key contributors before the free-agent market opens, they still have a bevy of players set to become free agents in a few more weeks.
We’ve been previewing Baltimore’s pending free agents, what they did last season, what their potential is, their value and how likely they are to re-sign with the Ravens. We continue that look at Baltimore’s pending free agents ahead of the start of the 2020 NFL league year with a preview of wide receiver Chris Moore.
Chris Moore – 2019 review:
If the 2019 season is anything to go by, Moore is a wide receiver in name only. In his fourth year with the Ravens, Moore played in 15 games and drew five targets. He reeled in three of these looks for 21 scoreless yards. Two of these receptions, as well as 18 of the yards, came in the Week 6 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Unsurprisingly, Moore’s receiving totals were the lowest of his career. Moore was penalized twice during the season for a combined total of 15 yards, essentially giving him a net yardage total of six yards for the season.
In the first seven games of the season, Moore played between 9% and 57% of the Ravens offensive snaps. But from Week 9 onwards he played a combined nine offensive snaps. He did remain a presence on special teams, however. He played 235 special teams snaps, accounting for 54% of the Ravens total plays. But he was not utilized as a kick returner very often, handling just four kickoffs for a total of 81 yards.
Review / Potential / Value / Chances to re-sign
Chris Moore – Potential:
The Baltimore wide receiving corps was among the NFL’s least productive units in 2019. Yet despite this, Moore was not able to carve out a place for himself in the offense. After four years with the team, I think that tells us quite a bit about how the Ravens value him. He’s a solid and valued member of their special teams, but not someone that they are in a hurry to get the ball to.
Coach John Harbaugh, famously a special teams coordinator prior to becoming the head coach in Baltimore, is clearly a man who values what a player can bring to “teams.” But Harbaugh, not to mention the front office, also know that such players can usually be found in the later rounds of the draft. Not to mention among undrafted players.
With regards to Moore becoming an offensive force, there is not exactly a long list of players who’ve gone onto great things after such a quiet start to their NFL careers. Moore’s career totals are like players such as Devin Aromashadu, Bethel Johnson and Dane Sanzenbacher after four seasons. Not exactly illustrious company to be keeping.
It seems like if Moore was going to be a productive wide receiver, he would have managed that already.
Review / Potential / Value / Chances to re-sign
Chris Moore – Value:
Specialist special teamers that don’t return kicks or punts generally do not receive mega deals in free agency. Indeed, most of the really big earners at wide receiver don’t tend to play on those units at all, except in moments when a big play is called for (see Tyreek Hill for details).
However, if the Ravens want to keep Moore around and a part of their special teams, then maybe a deal along the lines of the one Matt Slater signed with the New England Patriots might be in order. In his nine NFL seasons, Slater has one offensive touch of a football. But has been a special-teams ace for the Patriots, and as such has signed a series of extensions all paying him an average of between $1.8 million and $2.5 million a year, per Over The Cap.
But given Baltimore’s ability to find and develop special teams players late in the draft or as undrafted free agents, it would seem tough for Moore to command that type of money given his limited usage. If the Ravens do want to re-sign Moore, a one-year deal at veteran minimum might be more in line with what Baltimore would offer.
If Moore still harbors ambitions of playing wide receiver in the NFL, then these are likely not offers he would find appealing for a host of reasons.
Review / Potential / Value / Chances to re-sign
Chance to re-sign:
The Ravens have spent four seasons developing Moore into a key player on the forgotten third phase of football. I’m sure they’d like to keep him around for his production on special teams. Given their long history of working the compensatory pick formula, they will no doubt be aware that Moore as a free agent is not likely to command a contract that will mess with their figures too much. He may not factor into them at all.
It really depends on how content Moore is with his current role. If he is happy to be a vital cog in the special-teams machine, then he and his representatives will know a fair contract offer when they see it. If he wants to catch passes and rack up receiving yards, then they will probably have to go elsewhere.
I personally think Moore may favor sticking around, and I put his chances of staying at around 75% if Baltimore offers him a deal.
