Should Baltimore Ravens re-sign Justin Houston?
The Baltimore Ravens have a big decision with Lamar Jackson, but that is not the only thing that they are weighing. Some big-name free agents are out there, including Justin Houston. After spending the past two seasons with the Ravens is it time to move on, or keep the showing going?
Should Baltimore Ravens re-sign Justin Houston in free agency?
PFF has him projected for a one-year, $4M deal while Spotrac has him slated for two years and $10.7M, so $5.3M per year. He should come into that $4-5M range. Is that worth it for the Ravens?
On the surface it makes sense. He has been a great fit and is coming off of a productive season. The big question is that he is 34 years old. He missed some time a the beginning of this season as well. Will injuries and his age start to slow him down?
The one good thing is that the Ravens do a solid job rotating their defensive line to keep him fresh. With Odafe Oweh, Tyus Bowser, and Jason Pierre-Paul it is easier to limit the snap load of Houston, and also save him for when they need him the most. They can also slide him along the line wherever the best matchup is.
The team is losing JPP but Bowser, and Oweh will be back. David Ojabo should be getting into the mix as a rusher as well, so they should be able to get back into the steady rotation. At the very least this will help Justin Houston extend his career even further, but also help avoid the steep drop-off. Coming off of a nine-sack season in that limited type of role will not lead to an insane drop, even if he cannot match that impressive feat.
There is the case to be made that Bowser and Ojabo were banged up last season, they should take on more snaps, and they should use the extra bit of money on Houston for something else. That is fair, but we have seen the Ravens bet on health before and get burnt. It leaves them scrambling for any sort of depth. This even happened at the edge last season because of Ojabo and Bowser.
Next. 5 teams most likely to sign Lamar Jackson. dark
The team would be smart to come in with more than adequate depth, and if Ojabo does take that step that limits Houston, so be it. For now, it is hard to make the case against the Baltimore Ravens re-signing Justin Houston.