ESPN+: NFL offseason: AFC teams' best, worst deals, picks, more
https://www.espn.com...ks-superlatives
Ravens
The superlative: Team most likely to trust in itself
No organization can keep all of its outgoing free agents without spreading itself so financially thin that its roster snaps. The Ravens have been in the midst of competing in the AFC for most of the past, oh, 25 years, and they have a strong handle on what they're good at and where they can develop talent. With reigning MVP Lamar Jackson now in the middle of his new contract extension, GM Eric DeCosta & Co. had to be thoughtful about where they used their money and draft picks this offseason.
As an example, the Ravens have a long record of drafting and developing interior linemen or otherwise acquiring journeymen linemen who become useful starters. Last year, they lost guard Ben Powers and replaced him with John Simpson, who had been anonymous with the Raiders. They also let veteran guard Kevin Zeitler leave this offseason, and we'll see Patrick Mekari, Ben Cleveland, Andrew Vorhees and Josh Jones compete for starting work on the interior around center Tyler Linderbaum.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Ravens probably had to choose between keeping one of their two standout draftees. With Roquan Smith playing at an All-Pro level at middle linebacker, the choice was easy: They let Patrick Queen depart and retained interior disruptor Justin Madubuike, who was one of the league's most dominant defensive linemen a year ago. And while veteran corners Ronald Darby and Rock Ya-Sin left the team, Baltimore used its first-round pick on Nate Wiggins, who should emerge as a starter alongside Marlon Humphrey as early as this season.
Does every draft pick work out? Of course not. Given what they can control, though, the Ravens were thoughtful about whom they prioritized keeping and where they felt confident in rebuilding. Admittedly, they did trade for Smith in 2022 after Queen struggled earlier in his career, and I'd like to see them add at least one veteran offensive lineman to their roster after June 1. Still, they are going to continue to be competitive with this approach for years to come.
