The Baltimore Ravens' opening chapter to their 2026 free agency period was full of highs and lows. It’s been insane.
As expected, the team has lost a ton of talent. With a new era taking flight under head coach Jesse Minter, Baltimore was due to lose many key contributors. The worst of it came from Tyler Linderbaum signing a three-year, $81 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, but they have rebounded nicely.
Through the early storm, the Ravens have added some nice depth and will lean on trusted players to make a bigger impact in 2026. Here are four winners and three losers from the first wave of free agency.
Winners and losers for Baltimore Ravens after strong start to free agency
Winner: Mark Andrews
After earning an extension back in December, it was pretty much confirmed that tight end Mark Andrews would continue to lead the tight end room in 2026. After the first week of free agency, though, not only does Andrews still hold the starting spot, but he has little to no competition for his snaps.
The Ravens lost both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar as a result of the Andrews extension. Fans were holding out hope that Kolar would return for a bigger role next year, but that was not the case. Since their departures, Baltimore has added tight end Durham Smythe, but he will primarily serve as a blocker. Right now, it remains Andrews’ time to shine.
Winner: Mike Green
2025 second-round pick Mike Green didn’t have the outstanding rookie year many were hoping for. He only posted 3.5 sacks, but showed plenty of flashes along the way. It was also a very lackluster pass rush group in 2025. However, that’s set to change.
Baltimore added an elite pass rusher in the form of edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. He has 39 sacks over the last three years and will obviously demand more attention from opposing offensive fronts. With a player like that in the building, Green might have a red carpet rolled out for a second-year breakout.
At 31 years old, Hendrickson can also be a great mentor for Green moving forward. All the talent is there; Green just has to put it together.
Winner: Jesse Minter
Jesse Minter is also a huge winner from the Hendrickson addition. Following a disappointing defensive season for Baltimore in 2025, Minter was hired not only to lead the team into a new era, but also to revitalize the defense. Minter’s defenses thrive on the pass rush, and there should be no shortage of that with Hendrickson on his side.
There’s also been a couple of great signings made in the secondary. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie will return after an exceptional 2025 campaign, and after losing safeties Ar’Darius Washington and Alohi Gilman, the front office has added possibly an even more talented player in Jaylinn Hawkins.
The pieces are coming together for a defensive rebuild, and Minter should be super excited.
Winner: Backup Running Backs
It will not be running back Keaton Mitchell backing up Derrick Henry in 2026. Mitchell was not tendered by the Ravens and became an unrestricted free agent. He ended up signing with the Los Angeles Chargers, freeing up snaps for other backups, Justice Hill and Rasheen Ali.
Hill and Ali were always the preferred options on passing downs. They had substantial roles in the offense last year, and that will not change. With Mitchell out of Charm City, though, both will have a chance to become the main backup to sub in and give Henry a rest.
For Hill, he can also breathe a sigh of relief, as he was mentioned as a cap casualty before free agency began. He won’t have to worry about that anymore.
Loser: Lamar Jackson
It’s been a tough offseason thus far for quarterback Lamar Jackson. Most of the talent surrounding him has been picked apart. Linderbaum, Likely, Kolar, Mitchell, and Patrick Ricard are all gone, and the only offensive weapon added due for a role next year has been Smythe.
Jackson has also yet to sign an extension, which is certainly a loss for both the 29-year-old and the front office. While Baltimore was able to free up nearly $40 million for 2026 with a restructure, that decision is set to hurt them a ton in 2027 with a cap hit of $84.49 million. It’s also pushed more money down the line in void years.
There’s plenty of time to figure this all out, but it’s not the start fans were hoping for.
Loser: Andrew Vorhees (and Emery Jones Jr.?)
Left guard Andrew Vorhees was already in trouble this offseason. After a troublesome 2025, it sure seemed like Emery Jones Jr. was on his way to taking his starting spot. Now, after signing John Simpson to a three-year, $30 million contract, the pressure is only rising for Vorhees.
While Simpson can play both guard spots, he’s mainly been a left guard. That spells trouble for Vorhees, and maybe even Jones. After backing out of the Maxx Crosby trade, Baltimore is also once again sitting with the 14th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. They’ve been linked to Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane at that spot, so maybe neither Vorhees nor Jones is starting next season.
Loser: Special Teams
The Ravens’ special teams unit was going to take a hit after firing John Harbaugh. A week in, though, and they’ve already lost two major players in that room: punter Jordan Stout and linebacker Jake Hummel. Stout was one of the few players who followed Harbaugh to the New York Giants, and Hummel joined the Houston Texans.
Stout was the best punter in the NFL last season, earning Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro. As for Hummel, he’s considered a special teams ace; whatever you need him to do in coverage, he can do. Those are two players that Baltimore could have a tough time replacing.
Ultimately, the front office is going to retool that group, but it’ll be tough, since they were one of the few bright spots last year. For Stout, his ability to flip the field will certainly be missed. However, the Ravens have a very good track record with punters and special teams in general. There’s plenty of reason to believe they’ll stay on track in 2026.