Matt Judon should get the next contract extension from Ravens

Tavon Young just got a contract extension from the Baltimore Ravens. If the Ravens are working on extensions, Matt Judon should get the next one:

Matt Judon is going to get paid, it’s just a matter of who and when. The Baltimore Ravens can wait until he becomes a free agent next year, or they can get ahead of it and save some money in the progress. Judon is an outside linebacker and outside linebackers are a position many NFL teams are willing to throw money at. It’s also a position that the Ravens don’t have a lot of answers past 2019.

The Ravens can say that Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams will be the next wave of pass rushing talent, but there is no guarantee either player can produce on the level of Judon, or for that matter Za’Darius Smith.

Smith could get a fat contract this offseason and end up on a different team. The Ravens have to pay one of their young stud players on the edge. In a choice between Smith and Judon, Eric DeCosta has to go with the better deal. An extension for Judon could be the right option.

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Judon is a player who is pretty consistent. He followed an eight sack season with seven sacks in 2018. In three years out of Grand Valley State he has 132 tackles and 19 sacks. The Ravens got a starter out of a fourth round pick. With Judon entering the very promising prime of his career, locking him up is the smart play for DeCosta.

Free agency gets all the attention but prioritizing contracts for indispensable players is important to. Sensible contract extensions prevent the team from overpaying a player later. It’s a chance to get a contract that helps the player but in a way that works for the cap. DeCosta has to have a long-term plan and that begins with contracts that don’t hurt the future of the team.

The next Terrell Suggs could come to the Ravens via the NFL Draft, but the Ravens need to pass the torch to a player who already has the light turned on. Smith has a very high ceiling moving forward, but Judon is the best bet moving forward. Judon has played in all but two games in his rookie season, while Smith has a more checkered injury history. While both players are exciting pass rushers, Judon is probably going to be the better overall player.

In an ideal world the Ravens would keep all three of their stars on the edge. Suggs, Judon and Smith all remaining with the purple and black would be a dream come true for the Ravens Flock. Decisions have to be made. Extending Judon, much like it was for Tavon Young, would be the smartest move.