The 2026 free agency period is going to be a wild ride for the Baltimore Ravens. With a new regime ready to start under their new hire, head coach Jesse Minter, a lot of changes are on the horizon.
Baltimore’s free agency class is loaded. They have some incredibly talented players in need of a new contract, as well as key depth pieces. General Manager Eric DeCosta and the front office have their work cut out for them. It all starts with getting a new deal with quarterback Lamar Jackson sorted out to diminish that $74.5 million cap hit in 2026. After that, chaos will ensue.
The Ravens can’t keep all of their pending free agents. They will, unfortunately, lose a ton of talent. However, letting these four players walk will leave money freed up to address needs for bigger and better things elsewhere.
4 Ravens players Eric DeCosta must let walk this offseason
Kyle Van Noy
Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy’s tenure in Charm City was a fun one. 23.5 sacks in three seasons is nothing to gloss over. However, 2025 was a forgettable one.
Van Noy had just two sacks this past season. It was a horrific year for the entire Ravens’ pass rush, as they had just 30 sacks as a team. Still, at 34 years old, it’s fair to wonder if this is the start of the regression curve for Van Noy.
The BYU product would be a nice veteran to have back, but ultimately, the Ravens need more production off the edge. To do that, they should search outside of Van Noy to add some star power and depth to turn things around. They simply need more energy at outside linebacker.
Daniel Faalele
This might be the easiest decision of the offseason. Baltimore tried tirelessly to make the Daniel Faalele experiment work at guard over the past two seasons. This past year, it backfired in the worst way. It’s time to move on.
Faalele was inconsistent in 2024, but showed flashes. Regrettably, it was enough to give him full control of the starting spot at right guard in 2025. He was possibly the worst offensive lineman in the entire NFL in his 17 starts.
Faalele has started every game for Baltimore over the past two years. The mistakes were consistent and obvious, and led to Lamar Jackson getting banged up over the course of the season. The Ravens need far better protection for Jackson along the interior in 2026, and it starts with letting Faalele walk out the door.
David Ojabo
Outside linebacker David Ojabo is another piece of Baltimore’s pass rush that struggled in 2025. For him, though, he never really found his footing.
When the Ravens selected Ojabo in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, many believed DeCosta drafted another steal. However, that Achilles injury that he suffered at his Pro Day before the draft really took a toll on him. Injuries were a constant throughout his tenure in Charm City, and the production never came along. In four seasons, he only appeared in 32 games and totaled just 4.5 sacks and two tackles for loss.
Again, this team needs depth at outside linebacker, but like Van Noy, Ojabo should not be a part of that. Ojabo was a massive draft mistake, and it’s time for DeCosta to admit to that by letting the former Michigan Wolverine find a new home.
Taven Bryan
Defensive lineman Taven Bryan was a late addition to Baltimore’s 2025 squad. He was signed near the end of September to provide depth on a struggling d-line. Injuries to defensive tackles Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington Jr. quickly made the group shallow, making Bryan somewhat valuable to have on the roster.
While Bryan only appeared in five games, it was a tough time with the Ravens to say the least. He tallied a measly four pressures and barely made any plays in the run game. What made it worse is that he was taking snaps away from an intriguing rookie.
Rookie defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles didn't see a ton of playing time in 2025, playing in six games. Bryan wasn’t the sole reason that Peebles didn’t see many snaps, but the veteran played in every game from Week 8 to Week 12. The rookie wasn’t active on any of those game days. Hopefully, letting Bryan go will open up more opportunities for Peebles to prove himself and develop.