When the Baltimore Ravens signed former Pro Bowl pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul last month, it was unclear how much should be expected from the 13-year NFL veteran.
After all, Pierre-Paul was coming off an injury-riddled 2021 season as well as offseason shoulder surgery. He hadn’t been part of an NFL training camp and hadn’t practiced all summer.
Despite this, Pierre-Paul has hit the ground running in his Ravens career and is already making his contract look like a steal for the organization.
The Ravens officially signed Pierre-Paul to a one-year contract with a base salary of just $1.35 million. With incentives, Pierre-Paul could earn over $5 million this season, but his cap hit won’t climb above $1.15 million.
That’s quite the bargain for a player who might already be the team’s most efficient edge rusher.
Jason Pierre-Paul has made a strong first impression with the Ravens
The Ravens haven’t exactly eased Pierre-Paul into action. The 33-year-old has come in and played a whopping 79 percent of defensive snaps in his two games with the team including 86 percent in his debut appearance.
He’s rewarded the Ravens for their trust too. Pierre-Paul has already racked up a sack, four pressures, three hurries, and two run stops in a pair of appearances for the organization.
In Week 5, Pierre-Paul’s 80.3 Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade was the highest of any Ravens player in a game this season. Mind you, this is a guy who was signed off the streets just a few weeks ago.
With Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo still sidelined, the Ravens needed instant-impact pass-rusher help and Pierre-Paul has provided them with just that. The fact that they were able to sign him for as cheap as they were, even including the incentives, makes this deal look even better.
Jason Pierre-Paul has wasted little time making his presence felt in Baltimore. The Ravens should be very pleased with the early return on their investment.