Ravens Defense Could See Mass Exodus in 2020
It’s hard to believe that last years number one defense, the Baltimore Ravens, is hard to find on anyone’s top ten defenses list. As a result of the loss of some key defensive players, the Baltimore Ravens defense is not expected to dominate on defense as they have done for many years. Though led by “Wink Martindale”, the consensus best defensive coordinator in the league, with one of the most complex defenses, none of the pundits believe they are anywhere near as good as last year or as good as many other defenses in the league.
If you think last year’s loss of Suggs, Weddle, Mosley and Smith were big losses, how about if we lost Jimmy Smith, Maurice Canady, Anthony Levine, Michael Pierce, Patrick Onwuasor, Pernell McPhee, Willie Henry and Matt Judon. Those are only some of the players scheduled to hit free agency next year and we have not extended a single one. After last year’s inability to get any of our free agents to re-sign with the team and with the depth of the losses we stand to lose in free agency next year, here is a place where the new General Manager Eric DeCosta has not shined.
Though there is still plenty of time to extend players, as we learned last year, waiting to the last minute may not be the best decision. In addition, some players refuse to do any contract transactions after the season starts, which is coming soon.
After the loss of such critical players on defense, you would think that the team would circle the troops and secure what talent we have as we address the losses we sustained last year. Bandage the wounds, stop the bleeding, and start regenerating new blood before jumping back into the fray. DeCosta even mentioned in early press conferences the goal would be to secure their young talent so we are not put in that position again. Instead, we are chasing big name defensive players, like Gerald McCoy, and had we signed him with the numbers that were made available, based on his salary, we wouldn’t have enough cap space left to buy a cup of coffee much less extend players.
I will admit on that list there are players we don’t intend to keep. With the developing young cornerbacks we have and with the cornerback talent that will still be here, I don’t see the team re-signing Jimmy Smith. Now that is conditional based on injuries, how well he plays, and if there is a hometown discount. I don’t see us keeping both Michael Pierce and Willie Henry but it would be nice to have one. Though Daylon Mack is a good young player to put in beside Brandon Williams, we still need either Pierce or Henry to rotate inside to keep them fresh. And this is even if Daylon Mack makes the roster. McPhee is another player who is a guy we want to wait and see with. But, if he ends up with double digit sacks, he’s not a guy we want to lose.
Needless to say there are some critical pieces on this defense we have got to keep. Matt Judon is the first player who comes to mind. We have heard nothing but pass rush, pass rush, pass rush since we lost Suggs and Smith and with the inability to generate pass rush this preseason, Judon is key to putting pressure on the quarterback. We stand to keep some good cornerbacks but we have already seen that without a pass rush, not even the best defensive backs can cover a wide receiver for 10 seconds while the quarterback runs around. Instead of trying to get a pass rusher when teams do their final cuts, maybe we should secure the pass rush we have first.
After the loss of the players who were critical to communication both among coaches and players, Patrick “Peanut” Onwuasor stepped up and became the “mouthpiece”, so to speak. However, “Peanut” is on the free agency list and with his talent, could easily sign with another team. “Peanut” is on the verge of a breakout season. After spending last year in the shadow of C.J. Mosley and sharing time with Kenny Young, he is on the way to being a star in the league. If his preseason play is any indication, he will be one of the top tacklers on the team. He has become a more vocal leader and with his ability to get everyone in line with a play call, this is not a guy you want to lose, and not a position you want to try to refill, again.
Maurice Canady and Anthony Levine are very good players and each in his own right provides talent at their position and an ability to step in and play in a moments notice. That doesn’t even include the special teams contributions that most of the guys provide to the team including the leadership that’s critical with rookies and young players on special teams. Big name, star players are nice to have on a team, but players like these are a necessity if you want to secure winning special teams play, something the Ravens have built their name on. Canady and Levine both will be critical filling in for Tavon Young as the slot corner back putting even more emphasis on why we need these players.
It’s not realistic to try and keep every player that comes through the door. We grow attached to these guys and they literally become part of the Raven’s family. But sometimes we have to let players go that we could really use on the roster but the salary cap, which is there to create parity, does just that. However, as I see other teams extending players that they want in their future, I don’t see that happening with the Ravens to the level that I believe is consistent with maintaining a competitive defense and living up to Eric DeCosta’s proposed future for the team. It would be nice to sign a big name player as teams trim their rosters, but maybe we would be better served securing some of the guys we have and try to keep the Ravens defense as we have always known it, dominant.
