Ravens are reportedly ‘still active on the free-agent market’

The Baltimore Ravens were pretty active in the free-agent market this offseason, and although they weren’t able to land all of the players they wanted to, it wasn’t due to a lack of trying.

The Ravens were able to sign the likes of Marcus Williams, Morgan Moses, and Michael Pierce while retaining a few of their own in Patrick Ricard, Calais Campbell, and others.

However, they did miss out on high-profile players such as Za’Darius Smith, Bobby Wagner, and Emmanuel Ogbah who they had interest in. At this stage, it’s likely safe to say the high-profile additions are a lost cause.

That said, it does seem as though the Ravens are still searching for some value deals. That was confirmed by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec who recently insisted that the Ravens remained “active on the free-agent market.”

"“Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said recently that the team’s focus is on the draft, which starts in two weeks. However, they are still active on the free-agent market, largely looking for bargains.”"

The Ravens are still looking to sign free agents

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise as general manager Eric DeCosta has directly insisted that the Ravens are still “shopping for value.” He likened the approach to former linebacker Daryl Smith who notably didn’t sign with the team until June.

Smith, of course, went on to play three seasons in Baltimore, playing some of the best football of his career. The Ravens are no strangers to post-free agency value shopping.

Just this past year, the Ravens were able to sign veteran pass rusher Justin Houston to a one-year contract just before the start of August. Houston would start 15 games for the Ravens, holding down the fort as a reliable veteran member of the defense.

In fact, Houston remains unsigned at the time of writing and could be a target for the Ravens after the draft. Edge rusher is one of the positions on the roster most in need of depth, and if they aren’t satisfied with what they do in the draft, the Ravens could explore the free-agent market in May.

Either way, it’s clear that DeCosta and company are still eyeing the open market. While their attention may be on the 2022 NFL Draft, they aren’t going to ignore free agency either.