Baltimore Ravens have had an interesting offseason that has been quiet at others.
The Ravens have lost some players and signed some players, just like every other team in the NFL. Perhaps their biggest move was signing DT Justin Madubuike to one of the top defensive tackle deals on the mark.
On Tuesday, head coach John Harbaugh spoke on the notion that the team hasn’t had a very good offseason, or that they even took a step back.
“Every year it’s the same questions, and it’s kind of a rolling type of thing,” Harbaugh explained. “Some years you’re going to lose more free agents but you’re going to pick up more compensatory picks. Then, two years from now, you’re going to have more picks in the draft. Then, you’re going to get younger, and you’re going to have younger players who cost less, but you’re going to have to pay the guys that turned out to be great players that you want to keep as many as you can.”
Madubuike was an example of keeping good players around past initial contracts and within the franchise for the long haul. The same thing they’ve done with Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, Marlon Humphrey, etc.
Players the Ravens lost in free agency
LB Patrick Queen (Steelers)
OLB Jadeveon Clowney (Panthers)
S Geno Stone (Bengals)
RB Gus Edwards (Chargers)
RT Morgan Moses (Traded to Jets)
OLB Tyus Bowser (Cut)
WR Odell Beckham Jr. (Released)
Players the Ravens signed or re-signed
RB Derrick Henry
OLB Kyle Van Noy
LB Malik Harrison
LB Chris Board
CB Ka’dar Hollman
DE Brent Urban
QB Josh Johnson
S Ar’Darius Washington
CB Arthur Maulet
Harbaugh explained that the team is going to try to compete for the big picture each and every season. Sometimes it may look different but that remains the goal.
“So, that ongoing process is part of this whole big picture, and the goal is to be in, all in every single year, as best as you can be. You can’t just be, ‘Oh, we’re going to put all our chips on the table this year, and next year we’re going to fold and not play any games.’ No, we’re going to try to win the championship every single year, as many games as we can.
With the offseason the Ravens have had, Harbaugh thinks they’ll be very good once again next year. Baltimore made it to the AFC Championship game a few months ago and that’s something they want to build off of.
“That’s what we’re all about. That’s what football is. It’s not just a math equation. It’s more than that, and that’s what makes it so exciting and so interesting. And we’re going to have a heck of a team next year, you wait and you watch. You wait and see what we do.”
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