Baltimore Ravens cut Eric Weddle: 3 big things to think about

The Baltimore Ravens have released Eric Weddle. This is big news. Here are three things to think about:

1. This move had to happen

The Baltimore Ravens cutting Eric Weddle wasn’t avoidable. Take the emotion out of it and it is a pretty simple decision. According to reports, the Ravens created $7.5 million in cap space by releasing Weddle. Weddle is 34 years old, coming off the least productive season of his career. While he made the Pro Bowl, he didn’t have a great season. Weddle is a fan favorite, a coaches favorite and a player’s favorite. Weddle is objectively an awesome human being. This move still had to happen. The Ravens weren’t getting enough production from the free safety position and Weddle cost too much.

Eric DeCosta has a worrisome to do list and cap space had to be cleared. Weddle was a coach on the field and a great leader and that had value. He was set to get paid to be more than that. Part of DeCosta’s job is looking into the future and avoiding a bad situation. Weddle, who will be 35 this time next year, has a limited amount of football left in the tank. He ended his run with the Ravens as a Pro Bowl free safety, not as a liability to the team in a fight with father time.

The Ravens came into the offseason knowing that their veteran defensive talents were all players they had to make decisions about. It was unlikely that the Ravens would have been able to keep Weddle, Jimmy Smith and Terrell Suggs. Weddle is the first of the older statesmen of the defense to be let go. Of these leaders, Weddle is the player that offers the least direct production. This move had to happen, even though nobody is happy about it.