2024 offseason primer: Ravens must reload while Super Bowl window still open

Despite finishing with the best record in the NFL (13-4) and locking up the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens' 2023 season is regarded by many as a disappointment after the team fell one win shy of reaching the Super Bowl.

Fortunately for the Ravens, they still have the reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson, stud wide receiver Zay Flowers and top-five tight end Mark Andrews returning to lead the charge offensively.

Baltimore’s biggest blow came early in the offseason when defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald left to become the new head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and cornerbacks coach Dennard Wilson left to become the defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans.

Now, the Ravens must try to create some cap flexibility, re-sign a few key free agents and draft wisely to fill several areas of need on the cheap all while keeping their Super Bowl window open.

Here’s what you need to know about Baltimore’s offseason:

PROJECTED 2024 CAP SPACE:  -$9.56M (seventh-worst in NFL)

FREE AGENTS | Offense: QBs Tyler Huntley and Josh Johnson; RBs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins; WRs Odell Beckham Jr., Laquon Treadwell and Devin Duvernay; OGs Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson

Defense: DEs Jadeveon Clowney and Brent Urban; LBs Patrick Queen, Malik Harrison and Del'Shawn Phillips; CBs Rock Ya-Sin, Ronald Darby, Daryl Worley, Arthur Maulet and Trayvon Mullen; safeties Geno Stone and Ar'Darius Washington

Outlook: Baltimore’s first priority should be to create some cap space through contract restructures for Jackson, Andrews, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, cornerback Marlon Humphrey and linebacker Roquan Smith. That could free up close to $35M. Once they have some money to work with, the Ravens should focus their efforts on retaining as many pieces of the defense as possible, namely Clowney, Queen and Stone. 

Clowney led the team with 78 pressures and 57 hurries, and he added 9.5 sacks and was a key piece of the team’s pass rush. Queen finished second on the team with 133 tackles, and he added nine tackles for loss and played an integral role in coverage. Stone’s seven interceptions were second most in the NFL, and he was one of the most important pieces of the team’s secondary.

2024 DRAFT PICKS: Round 1 (No. 30 overall) | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 | Round 7 (via New York Jets) | Round 7

TOP DRAFT NEEDS (in order): OT, WR, Edge-rusher, LB, RB — The Ravens ran through five different tackles in 2023, and with injuries being a big concern, drafting a potential bookend tackle might not be a bad way to go. Georgia’s Amarius Mims, if available, or Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton would be excellent insurance policies for Stanley or Morgan Moses who could step in and start right away if needed.

With Beckham Jr. not really making much of an impact as a free-agent addition, it would behoove the Ravens to add a premier pass-catcher opposite Flowers. Florida State’s Keon Coleman could be a bona-fide star in Baltimore’s offense with Jackson throwing to him, and Georgia’s Ladd McConkey or South Carolina’s Xavier Legette would be solid options if the team needs a possession or physical receiver, respectively.

DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia; Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma; Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona; Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State; Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia; Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina; Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State; Darius Robinson, Edge, Missouri; Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama; Payton Wilson, LB, N.C. State; Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M; Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson; Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas; Trey Benson, RB, Florida State; Blake Corum, RB, Michigan

THREE 2024 STORYLINES TO WATCH:

• How will Baltimore work around its salary-cap issues?
• How much will Macdonald's and Wilson's absences be felt on defense?
• How many more weapons will the team give Jackson to work with?