Danny Woodhead could prove to be a free agent steal for the Ravens
By Joe Schiller
I believe the Ravens found one of the most underrated free agents this offseason in Danny Woodhead.
The Baltimore Ravens have been uncharacteristically busy in free agency the past two seasons. They have brought in some big names like Eric Weddle and Tony Jefferson. There is no doubt that there’s been a concerted effort to sure up the defense for the upcoming season.
The Ravens also made a surprising move to help out the offense. With focus on the big free agents, they snuck in and signed veteran running back Danny Woodhead. It was a surprising move by Ozzie Newsome, especially considering the emergence of Terrance West and Kenneth Dixon. We soon found out that Dixon would miss the first four games of the season due to PEDs. While that is not great news, I believe the Ravens have made one of the best moves in free agency by signing Danny Woodhead.
A multidimensional back
Having Woodhead in the backfield is going to make a bigger difference than people realize. Not only can he slot in at running back, but he brings in a receiving aspect as well. He will definitely be put in the slot and get the chance to catch some passes. As Pro Football Focus points out, Woodhead is a very dangerous receiver when he’s on the field. Sometimes he acts more of a receiver than a back. For the Ravens, this is good news. They can use all the help they can get with catching the ball.
I think he complements Terrance West very well. West is more of a North/South runner who loves to bruise guys. Woodhead is quick out of the backfield and relies on his agility and low pad level to gain yards. With Dixon out the first four games, I am really excited to see how this pairing will work. There was concern about Woodhead because he is coming off of ACL surgery, but we were told yesterday that he is practicing without any restrictions. This is fantastic news.
The Ravens also got Woodhead for a bargain on a 3-year, $8.8 million contract. According to Spotrac.com, he has a potential opt out after this season if things do not work out. That could bode well for both teams, especially if the Ravens are tight in cap space. I don’t see this being the case, but you never know.
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The bottom line
This signing is by far one of the most underrated moves of the offseason. Ozzie Newsome and the front office knew exactly what they were doing with this one. It may be a stretch with this comparison, but I look at Woodhead as a Ray Rice kind of back for the Ravens. Not necessarily with the yards on the ground, but with the production elsewhere. Joe Flacco is going to have a field day throwing the ball to Woodhead this upcoming season.