Here are some players the Ravens should at least consider as remaining free agents after missing out on Justin Houston:
1. Shane Ray (Outside linebacker)
Shane Ray makes a lot of sense for the Ravens. For starters, he’s 26 years old and when he’s healthy he can be a productive pass rusher. He was a 2015 first round pick and he had 12 sacks in his first two years with the Denver Broncos. Ray looked like he was on the way to rewarding the Broncos for their first round investment when the injury bug took over his career. Ray has missed 13 games in the last two seasons.
At the time of this writing, reports say that Ray is set to visit with the Indianapolis Colts. If Ray does not get snatched up, he is the best option on the free agent market. While there is competition for him, he isn’t going to break the bank. Ray is a player that needs to have a career renaissance, until he proves himself his market value won’t be all that high. This doesn’t appear to be the direction Baltimore will go, but it would make sense. The Ravens may have decided to get their pass rush help in the NFL Draft but they should consider Ray as an option.
If Ray can get back to the level of play he had in 2016, he would be on par with the production of Za’Darius Smith. Smith just got a large contract from the Green Bay Packers. Ray is a chance to have that production at a small fraction of the cost. Ray is a player that always had talent, and if he’s healthy this is the time to get him on board.