4 Ravens free agents who could join Wink Martindale with the Giants
By Justin Fried
2. Chris Board, LB, Ravens
If Wink Martindale had a favorite player on the Ravens, that player might just be Chris Board. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018, Board has been a staple of the Ravens’ special teams ever since.
He’s appeared in 63 of a possible 64 games even making two starts in 2020. However, his largest impact has always come on special teams. That hasn’t stopped Martindale from singing his praises though.
The former Ravens defensive coordinator has spoken highly of Board in the past, praising his versatility back in 2020.
"“We like big, tough, smart [and] fast football players here, and he hits every one of them. He checks every one of those boxes. Like last week, he played defensive tackle for us on third down, when we talk about our positionalist football. He might be in the middle of the field playing safety. You just don’t know. That’s a credit to him that he’s able to do all of those different things.”"
Board developed into a key contributor and a vocal local room leader during his time in Baltimore, and it’s probably safe to assume the Ravens would like to keep him around.
If Martindale has his way, however, that may not happen.
At 26-years-old, Board has proven to be a reliable defensive contributor and a special-teams ace. Those players don’t just grow on trees, and he could have a decent market in the offseason.
The Ravens don’t have a ton of financial flexibility and spending money on a core special-teamer likely isn’t high on their to-do list. The Giants might just be able to lure him away with a better deal in free agency.