Ebony Bird
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2021 Baltimore Ravens defensive wish list 2.0

By Ronald Toothe

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 13: Patrick Queen #48 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates with teammates after a play against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 13: Patrick Queen #48 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates with teammates after a play against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Baltimore Ravens, free agency
Dec 13, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end Justin Houston (50) against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

EDGE RUSHERS: Justin Houston, Tyus Bowser, Jaylon Ferguson, Ryan Kerrigan, Pernell McPhee

After losing both Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue in free agency, the pass rush aspect of the Ravens defense remains the most in need of reinforcements. While Justin Houston did leave the castle last week without a deal, as we mentioned before, there’s still a good chance he ends up in Baltimore. Any free agent signings before the April 27th deadline will still count against the team’s compensatory picks, so perhaps in the eleventh hour before the draft we’ll see the Ravens swoop in and scoop him up.

Ryan Kerrigan would be another interesting addition at a more than manageable price. Ian Rapoport tweeted last month that he was visiting Cincinnati, and that the Washington Football Team still had interest in bringing him back, but outside of that it’s been crickets. The all-time sack leader for Washington would provide some much needed depth behind Houston and Tyus Bowser.

Speaking of Bowser, it’s likely that 2021 will be his best opportunity yet to become a cornerstone of the Ravens defense. Coming off his most productive season as a pro, and with a new contract in hand, Bowser will be looking to prove that he’s worth every cent the team invested in him, and then some.

Jaylon Ferguson finds himself in a potential make-or-break year, and like Bowser, should have his best opportunity to do so even if the team opts to bring in the aforementioned veterans. Should he ultimately not produce, having a reliable bookend in the group like Pernell McPhee should help keep the bottom of the depth chart stable.

MIDDLE LINEBACKERS: Patrick Queen, Malik Harrison, L.J. Fort, Chris Board

One unit the Ravens did manage to keep entirely intact was the middle backer core. After not tendering Chris Board, or picking up L.J. Fort‘s team option, it appeared as if both might be moving on to greener pastures. Luckily, they both chose to return on team-friendly deals in exchange for another opportunity at a Super Bowl with Lamar and company. With two budding stars in front of them, you’d be hard-pressed to find better rotational pieces at the position.

For Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison, this season is their chance to begin etching their names alongside some of the greats the Ravens have had at the position. As mentioned in the first wish list, both have plenty of areas they can improve their game in. However, especially in Queen’s case, we saw enough flashes last year to be confident in the fact that the Ravens have some serious superstar potential in the middle of their defense.

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