The Baltimore Ravens offseason has been defined by the following three positions. Let’s break it down:
1. Defensive Line:
The Baltimore Ravens addressed the defensive line before they did anything else this offseason. Eric DeCosta sent a fifth round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars and in return Baltimore got Calais Campbell. That’s a great trade for a 6-8 300 pound Pro Bowl talent. The Ravens went from having almost no pass rush from the defensive line to having one of the best pass rushing defensive ends for a 3-4 defense. It was a game changing move yet it was far from the only thing that happened in the defensive trenches for the Ravens.
The Ravens thought they had Michael Brockers ready to come to the Ravens. The deal with Brockers ended up falling through, creating some March drama for the purple and black. Brockers ended back with the Los Angeles Rams and the Ravens had to find a plan B. The Ravens got Derek Wolfe in as a free agent. The Ravens dominant defensive line came back into existence. The Brockers debacle could have really hurt the offseason plans of the Ravens. Wolfe was signed quickly and it gave the Ravens similar bang for their buck.
Then things got weird. The Ravens traded Chris Wormley to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of all the teams to trade a starter from last season, the Ravens chose the Steelers? The Ravens trading with the Steelers is not a very common thing. It shows you how much the Ravens think about Wormley though. They got two new defensive ends and sent him to their arch nemesis.
The Ravens selected two defensive linemen in the 2020 NFL Draft. Justin Madubuike is a player getting a fair amount of hype as a third round pick. Broderick Washington is a potential space-eater for the defensive line.
Michael Pierce, who signed with the Minnesota Vikings opted out of the 2020 season. This could impact the compensatory pick formula for the Ravens. With Pierce out of the picture Brandon Williams moves back to the middle of the defensive line. Williams in between Wolfe and Campbell is a very compelling idea. In the end, the transformation of the defensive line was captivating all offseason long.