Restricted Baltimore could lose some key players in defence this week.
Marcus Peters, Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul should in principle be able to agree to move to new teams at the end of the day.
The legal forgery starts today in the NFL, which means that some of those who started defending for Baltimore will be allowed to talk to other teams and pursue a deal.
After tagging the non-exclusive franchise to QB Lamar Jackson, the team was not only limited to the type of players they could bring in, but also the starters they could bring in.
Baltimore's defense played a key role in their post-season push in 2022. Ravens won the third fewest points in the league in 2022 according to Pro Football Reference. When Jackson was absent for the final stages of the season, Raven's defense kept all opponents under 20 points.
Team Raven had a limited number of casualties, including safety Chuck Clark, who was traded to the Jets, and defensive back Calais Campbell, who was released.
Baltimore will be restricted from signing players from outside the organization because of Jackson's impending contract extension. If Jackson is renewed, Raven will have to clear more space than they have in order to land his franchise title.
The team will also need to take into account that there are only five picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. With limited picks in the free agent and draft, Baltimore has to pick starters on the cheap.
Peters is the name most likely to leave according to The Athletic. The former two-time All-Pro champion is coming to the end of a season plagued by a knee injury.
Peters leads the league in interceptions at the age of 32 since joining the league in 2015. However, he is 30 years old with a history of injuries. Baltimore will have to decide if it's worth bringing back Peters if he's in their price range.
Houston and Pierre-Paul are in the twilight of their careers but have delivered good veteran value to Baltimore in 2022. Both players can be re-signed for a discounted price and should help fill the hole. of Raven until they can draft a suitable player. starter at pass speed.
By re-signing players like Houston and Pierre-Paul, Raven can limit the slots they need to fill in drafts and free agency. They may be old and prone to setbacks, but that might be better in the short term than bringing in new-faced rookies or freelancers.
Baltimore's best bet would be to re-contract many of their veterans with cheap deals to stay competitive right now. With only five picks in the upcoming draft, building a team with veterans seems like the best option.
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