Though the Baltimore Ravens had agreed to terms with defensive tackle Michael Brockers, they did not end up signing him. After a physical from an independent doctor raised concerns over Brockers’ ankle, Baltimore pulled their offer, letting Brockers re-sign with the Los Angeles Rams.
While Ravens fans are rightfully left scratching their head and are frustrated over this, there are some positives to be had.
For one, Baltimore keeps the $5 million on their salary cap that they would have spent on Brockers. Though $5 million doesn’t seem like a lot considering the height of player contracts, that can be a ton of space depending on how deals are structured. As we saw with Brockers’ original deal, that was enough to lure a high-profile free agent to town. It could be enough to sign a few free agents of lesser status in the coming months.
The other side of not signing Brockers is that it allows the Ravens to keep one of their compensatory picks for the time being. While Baltimore could certainly still sign someone that will impact the formula, Over The Cap has them now earning a fifth-round pick due to the loss of Michael Pierce this offseason. That goes along with an expected sixth-round pick earned from wide receiver Seth Roberts signing with the Carolina Panthers.
By doing their due diligence, Baltimore might have saved themselves a headache down the road. It’s impossible to tell right now how Brockers’ season will go but a medical red flag concerning is something the Ravens clearly don’t take lightly. The only other time Baltimore has had something similar happen, it worked out in their favor.
In 2018, the Ravens had agreed to terms with wide receiver Ryan Grant before his physical showed a medical concern and the Ravens pulled their offer. Grant ended up signing elsewhere but has still yet to replicate his 2017 production. In two seasons — with the Indianapolis Colts and Oakland Raiders — Grant has played in just 16 games, catching 39 passes for 348 yards and one touchdown. That’s a far cry from the 45 receptions for 573 yards and four touchdowns he had with the Washington Redskins in 2017.
While the Ravens now have a massive hole in the middle of their defensive line, not all is lost there. There are still a handful of players available in free agency right now to help fill the void. Of course, there’s the 2020 NFL Draft and the second wave of free agency following that could net Baltimore an even better player at a better price.
Granted, nothing in the NFL is guaranteed and not keeping their deal with Brockers could bite the Ravens in the long run. But it’s not as doom and gloom as many fans might feel right now.
