Baltimore Ravens announce the signing of eight draft picks

As the Baltimore Ravens kicked off rookie minicamp this weekend, the team officially signed eight of their 12 draft picks.

The Baltimore Ravens tied a franchise record in 2018 with a 12-man draft class. Entering the draft with eight picks, Ozzie Newsome worked his magic to give the current roster an influx of young talent. That doesn’t include the 15 undrafted free agent signings as well.

The next step is officially signing the draft picks to contracts and the Ravens have locked up eight of the 12 players. Anthony Averett, Bradley Bozeman, DeShon Elliott, Jordan Lasley, Jaleel Scott, Greg Senat, Zach Sieler and Kenny Young have officially signed their rookie contracts.

The top four picks: Hayden Hurst, Lamar Jackson, Orlando Brown Jr. and Mark Andrews remain unsigned. This isn’t a time to panic, however. It’s often that the top draft picks are the last ones to sign their contracts because more money is involved.

According to first-round salary projections by Forbes, Hurst is expected to make $11.1 million with a $6.2 million signing bonus. Lamar Jackson will make in the range of $9.5 million with a $5 million signing bonus. As the picks progress in the first round so does the money.

The Ravens were keen on trading back into the first round for Jackson to earn the coveted fifth-year option. That’s extremely crucial for the quarterback position. If Jackson sits behind Joe Flacco the entire year, he’d still have four years on his rookie contract. It’s the difference between an extra year and free agency.

Unless it’s a Joey Bosa type of situation, there should be nothing to lose sleep over. All four remaining draft picks are expected to sign their rookie contracts before the season starts.

Next: Baltimore Ravens rookie preview: Mark Andrews

The Ravens have a break from rookie minicamp and will take the field again on May 21st for the first day of Organized Team Activities (OTAs).