The Baltimore Ravens provided a big boost to their pass rush on Thursday when they officially re-signed veteran outside linebacker Justin Houston.
It had been widely speculated that the Ravens would eventually bring back Houston with the team even placing the rarely used unrestricted free agent tender on him back in May.
The two sides eventually agreed to terms and Houston is once again expected to play an important role in 2022. Prior to his re-signing, however, the Ravens were reportedly showing interest in another free-agent edge rusher.
Jason Pierre-Paul reportedly met with the Ravens last month and there appeared to be mutual interest in a possible union. Even after re-signing Houston, he’s someone the team could still look to target.
Jason Pierre-Paul makes sense for the Ravens even after re-signing Justin Houston
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec suggested this could be a possibility when discussing the situation last week prior to Houston’s re-signing. He insisted that it was completely within the realm of possibility that the Ravens could both re-sign Houston and sign Pierre-Paul.
Zrebiec highlighted the Ravens’ lack of depth at the outside linebacker position as a principal reason why it makes sense.
Odafe Oweh and Tyus Bowser are both recovering from offseason surgeries, and it seems very optimistic to assume that the latter will be 100 percent before Week 1. The same is true for second-round pick David Ojabo who will likely begin the year on the PUP list.
The remaining depth features a mix of unproven youngsters and bottom-of-the-roster veterans such as Daelin Hayes, Steven Means, and Vince Biegel.
The Ravens could use another experienced veteran who can still play a rotational role at a bare minimum, and Pierre-Paul fits the bill.
The former All-Pro is coming off arguably the worst season of his NFL career — an injury-riddled campaign that saw him finish with just 2.5 sacks in 12 games.
If Pierre-Paul is healthy, he could absolutely still be a solid contributor on the Ravens’ defense, provided he’s willing to sign for cheap.
The Ravens need healthy, experienced bodies and Pierre-Paul would provide them with just that. Don’t rule out a Jason Pierre-Paul signing, even after the Justin Houston deal.