The Baltimore Ravens, for the most part, have a lengthy history of establishing a core and doing everything they can to keep that core together.
It’s rare that we see this franchise make a ton of high-profile changes in the offseason, which is part of the reason they’ve been so successful for as long as they have.
Just one look at the roster will provide you with a look at players who have been with the franchise for over half a decade, some even longer.
The likes of Jimmy Smith, Anthony Levine, Brandon Williams, Sam Koch, and Justin Tucker have all had lengthy stints with the organization.
Others such as Pernell McPhee and Josh Bynes have departed only to return later as veterans looking to finish out their careers.
The Ravens love stability and continuity. Unfortunately, the NFL is an ever-changing business and sometimes teams have to make moves that are best for their future.
Be it because of the salary cap or on-field abilities, a handful of players on the current roster seem destined to be looking for new homes in 2022.
The Ravens will be forced to make some changes in the offseason. That much is a given. But which players are most likely to be departing for new pastures?
Let’s take a look at five players who probably won’t be on the Ravens roster in 2022.
5. L.J. Fort, LB, Ravens
L.J. Fort proved to be an excellent find for general manager Eric DeCosta when the veteran linebacker was signed off the scrapheap in September of 2019.
Fort went on to start eight games down the stretch in 2019 and was rightfully given a two-year extension less than two months after being signed.
The journeyman linebacker returned in 2020 and put together probably the best year of his career serving as a core special teamer and a veteran presence at linebacker.
Fort finished as Pro Football Focus‘ eighth-highest-graded linebacker last season proving that was just as capable on defense as he was on special teams.
The Ravens declined Fort’s option the following offseason but re-signed him soon after. The plan was for Fort to continue to serve as a veteran leader on defense while doubling as one of the team’s best special teamers.
Unfortunately, a torn ACL suffered in the preseason knocked him out for the year leaving his future with the organization uncertain.
Fort is a good player who has managed to stick around in the NFL for close to a decade for a reason. But it’s hard to see what role he would have with the team in 2022.
Josh Bynes has returned and taken on the same role that Fort had, and he’s playing at a very high level right now. The Ravens still want to see more of Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison and they might look to bolster the position in the offseason.
L.J. Fort is a quality linebacker, but it’s likely the Ravens move on in the offseason.
4. Miles Boykin, WR, Ravens
Miles Boykin is the only player on this list not on an expiring contract. Boykin still has one year remaining on his rookie deal and is technically under contract through the 2022 season.
But that doesn’t mean he’ll make it that far.
A third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Boykin has been handed plenty of opportunities in his NFL career to this point.
The former Notre Dame standout played in all 32 games in his first two seasons, starting 24 of them, but he failed to make the impact that the Ravens were looking for.
Boykin has just 33 catches for 470 yards in 35 career games. More often than not, he’s been rendered an afterthought in the Ravens’ offense.
And following a number of offseason additions at the position, Boykin was even considered to be on the roster bubble heading into the 2021 season.
An injury kept him sidelined for the summer and landed him on the injured reserve to start the year. And even though he’s returned, he’s barely been able to find his way onto the field.
Boykin has just one catch for six yards this season. He’s played a grand total of eight offensive snaps, and although he’s been a regular on special teams, the Ravens have other players who can fill his role.
Fourth-round rookie Tylan Wallace has also been a core special teamer. Devin Duvernay and James Proche offer value both on offense and on specials. There simply isn’t any need for Boykin on the roster.
Whether he’s traded or outright released, it would be a surprise if Boykin was on the team in 2022.
3. Anthony Averett, CB, Ravens
This is probably the trickiest player on this list. Anthony Averett is a good player, and he’s proved this season that he can handle a starting role in the NFL.
The Ravens always like to have a deep and talented secondary and they would certainly love to retain Averett this offseason. Unfortunately, doing so might be a challenge.
Averett is one of a number of Ravens players on expiring contracts this offseason. Mark Andrews already received his extension, but after him, the likes of Bradley Bozeman and DeShon Elliott seem likely to receive new deals.
There’s also the impending extension for Lamar Jackson that will take precedence over all.
The Ravens will likely want Averett back, but it might be tricky to make the financials work. On top of that, there’s no guarantee that Averett will want to re-sign anyway.
The former Alabama star has proved that he’s a starting-caliber cornerback in the absence of Marcus Peters. The cornerback position is at a premium in today’s NFL and there will likely be teams out there willing to pay top dollar for Averett’s services on the open market.
Certainly more than the Ravens can and will be able to afford.
Averett will have his options, and the Ravens won’t be able to offer him the financial reward or the playing time that he deserves.
The Ravens would love to re-sign Anthony Averett. But sometimes, these things just don’t work out.
2. The Ravens running backs
No position on the Ravens roster has been hit harder by injuries this year than running back. And that’s saying quite a lot considering the number of players currently on the team’s injured reserve.
What looked like one of the strengths of the roster going into the season as turned into arguably the team’s greatest weakness.
J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill were all lost for the season within a span of two weeks decimating the Ravens’ running back room and forcing them to turn to the open market for replacements.
Unfortunately, the likes of Latavius Murray, Ty’Son Williams, Devonta Freeman, and Le’Veon Bell have produced less-than-stellar results.
They’ve had their moments, sure. Murray has four rushing scores in six games. Williams was easily the Ravens best running back early in the year before finding himself in the doghouse. And Freeman and Bell have each done some good things in recent weeks.
But as of right now, none of the running backs on the team’s active roster look like long-term fits. Mostly because all but Williams are either 30 or approaching 30-years-old.
It’s unlikely that any of Murray, Freeman, or Bell will be back in 2022 once the Ravens return their top running backs. Williams is the only one who has a chance to stick around.
The former undrafted free agent was a preseason standout and looked primed to take on the RB1 role early in the year before the coaching staff soured on him.
The remainder of the season will be an audition for Williams as he’ll look to convince the Ravens to bring him back in 2022. But as of right now, it isn’t looking particularly promising.
1. Brandon Williams, NT, Ravens
Brandon Williams has been a staple of the Ravens defensive line for close to a decade now. But at 32-years-old, it’s safe to say that his best years are behind him.
Williams was signed to a massive five-year, $54 million extension back in 2017, and for the most part, he’s lived up to that contract.
Even last year, Williams was still a reliable presence in the middle of the Ravens’ defense. But he’s fallen off a proverbial cliff in 2021.
Through seven games, Williams is ranked as Pro Football Focus‘ 113th best interior defensive lineman out of only 120 qualifiers. And the thing that he’s always done best — stop the run — has been his biggest weakness.
Williams’ 30.8 PFF run-defense grade ranks 123rd out of 126 qualifiers at his position making him statistically one of the worst run defenders in football.
He has just four solo tackles, zero sacks, zero QB hits, and just one tackle for loss this season. By all accounts, Williams has been one of the Ravens’ worst overall players.
That certainly doesn’t make his near $13 million cap hit in 2021 seem any better. Fortunately, Williams is playing in the final year of his contract meaning that the Ravens won’t be saddled with his hefty salary in 2022.
The longtime nose tackle stalwart has had an excellent career in Baltimore, but it seems like a near-lock that he won’t be back next season.
It’s probably in the best interest of both parties to move on in the offseason.