The free agency period has slowed down dramatically. After the frenzy from the first couple of days of free agency, the league has signed most of the best names on the market. With the 2019 NFL draft quickly approaching, that puts teams in a tough spot when it comes to the remaining free agents available.
At the Baltimore Ravens’ pre-draft press conference on Tuesday, general manager Eric DeCosta was pretty transparent about the team’s plan. DeCosta noted the Ravens were comfortable with their current roster ahead of the 2019 draft but didn’t want to rule anything out completely.
It’s rare there’s a big name worthy of chasing get cut at this stage. Baltimore should be pretty well acquainted with the options available in free agency right now. The guys still on the market likely have some red flags for various reasons. Whether it’s inconsistent or little production, injury history, age or off-field issues, there are very few guys worthy of long-term big contracts.
The draft will allow teams to take another stab at remedying any remaining needs. However, following the draft, there is another big wave of free agency due to late cuts that happen. DeCosta noted the Ravens aren’t done building their team, likely referring to this stage of free agency.
The late cuts following the draft are where Baltimore typically likes to be aggressive. More often, teams can find value pickups for major contributors in the second wave of free agency. In addition to the value, those new cuts don’t count against the compensatory pick formula — something the Ravens have treasured as recently as this offseason.
For those Ravens fans hoping to see Baltimore make some more splashes in free agency, you’re likely going to have to wait until May. Until then, the Ravens are pretty well focused on the 2019 NFL draft.
