BALTIMORE — With training camp still weeks away, the Ravens are in no rush to fill out their roster.
Between now and the regular-season opener Sept. 10 against the Houston Texans, Baltimore will need to trim its roster from its currently listed 89 players to 53. Adding any more only complicates the calculations coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta must make to build a Super Bowl contender around quarterback Lamar Jackson.
That said, this is the time of year when the free-agent market is ripe with opportunity. Not only are veterans available at a lower cost, but any signing does not count against the compensatory draft pick formula. On July 2 last year, the Ravens re-signed outside linebacker Justin Houston to a one-year deal, and he led the team with 9 1/2 sacks.
While the Ravens rank toward the bottom of the league in salary cap space, they still have roughly $10 million to spend, according to Over The Cap. Here’s a look at six free agents Baltimore could target to fill some last-minute roster holes:
Outside linebacker Justin Houston
A reunion would make sense for both sides. Houston, 34, was the team’s most productive pass rusher last season, and his wisdom and mentorship were applauded by the team’s young players. While much is expected of Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo entering their third and second seasons, respectively, the Ravens don’t have much depth at outside linebacker behind the former high school teammates and veteran Tyus Bowser.
Cornerback Marcus Peters
Whether it’s Peters being patient or a lack of interest in a 30-year-old cornerback two years removed from season-ending knee surgery, there hasn’t been much of a market for the former Ravens starter. That could lead to a return to Baltimore, where Peters has been up and down in two healthy seasons. Given the uncertainty at the position across from three-time Pro Bowl selection Marlon Humphrey, a one-year deal for Peters could provide valuable insurance.
Running back Dalvin Cook
J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards are set to carry most of the workload, but the Ravens know better than any team how quickly those plans can fall apart. Further complicating matters is the fact that neither running back is under contract beyond this season, a potential source of frustration between Dobbins and the team. In recent years, the Ravens have relied on journeymen such as Kenyan Drake, Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman and Le’Veon Bell to carry the ball because of injuries. Cook, a four-time Pro Bowl selection recently released by the Minnesota Vikings, has been a steady contributor throughout his six NFL seasons, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft has been on four teams in the past five seasons, and his time in Cleveland did not end well. Still, the 30-year-old veteran has been productive in spurts, including nine sacks and 32 quarterback pressures in 2021, and has always provided stout run defense. He could be a worthy flier for a team that’s relied on relatively cheap veterans such as Houston, Jason Pierre-Paul and Pernell McPhee for snaps in recent seasons.
Guard Dalton Risner
Another offseason, another battle to determine the starting left guard. While the Ravens have some promising options, most notably rookie sixth-round draft pick Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, there is not a clear choice to replace Ben Powers. In a critical season for the offensive line and new coordinator Todd Monken, would the Ravens feel comfortable handing a starting spot to an unproven player? Risner, 27, started 62 games at guard for the Denver Broncos over the past four seasons and graded at an above-average level.
Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins
It’s unfair to Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers, Nelson Agholor and Devin Duvernay to say the Ravens need help at wide receiver, but it’s not every offseason a player of Hopkins’ caliber becomes available. There are plenty of question marks about the five-time Pro Bowl selection, however, which is part of the reason he was released by the rebuilding Arizona Cardinals. Hopkins, 31, might be closer to an overqualified No. 2 option than the superstar he’s been during his first 10 seasons in Houston and Arizona, and he’s coming off a performance-enhancing drug suspension and a knee injury. Monken said there’s only one ball to go around, but when it comes to making a run at the Super Bowl in a loaded AFC, perhaps the Ravens can take a calculated risk.
