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The Baltimore Ravens should not go after Gerald McCoy

By Chris Schisler

TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 16: Gerald McCoy #93 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reacts after they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 27-21 at Raymond James Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 16: Gerald McCoy #93 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reacts after they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 27-21 at Raymond James Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Gerald McCoy was recently released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Ravens should stay away:

Gerald McCoy is a good player who the Baltimore Ravens should stay away from in free agency. While it could be argued that McCoy isn’t a scheme fit, the Ravens defense would certainly find use of his skill set. The real reason that McCoy doesn’t make sense for the Ravens is that it would buck the overarching plan of this offseason.

With a couple exceptions the Ravens have focused on getting younger across the roster. The Ravens aren’t opposed to signing older players as the Earl Thomas and Mark Ingram signings show. It just seems that Eric DeCosta isn’t keen on signing older players to be short-term production solutions.

There will be a bidding war for McCoy, who is a 31 year old defensive tackle coming off a six sack season. The argument against the Ravens signing McCoy isn’t about McCoy’s capabilities. The argument is that it is an unnecessary move, a signing just to make a signing.

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McCoy would take snaps away from players who are potentially up and coming studs for the defensive line. Chris Wormley, Zach Sieler, Willie Henry, Daylon Mack and Gerald Willis are all players competing for roster spots in Baltimore.

The Ravens know what they have in Michael Pierce and Brandon Williams. They need to find out which defensive linemen will be the impact players around them. While the defensive tackles the Ravens have around the proven players are relatively unproven, they all are promising. The defensive line is not a weakness. The Ravens defensive front won’t be a liability, so signing McCoy wouldn’t solve any problems.

Signing Gerald McCoy wouldn’t move the needle. The Ravens defensive line would probably get similar results with or without McCoy. The Buccaneers replaced McCoy with a 32 year old Ndamuknong Suh. The Buccaneers got a savings by bringing in a comparable player. McCoy is a good player, but he isn’t a game changer at this point in his career.

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The Ravens do have a habit of making moves on players that other teams have cut. This also seems like a move Ozzie Newsome would be tempted to make. DeCosta is playing a different long game. McCoy is the right fit for several teams, the Ravens aren’t one of them. The Ravens may not be done. One way or another, if the Ravens signed McCoy it would be surprising.

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