The Baltimore Ravens have already lost a ton of talent in free agency. Teams have been relentless in snatching former Ravens on the open market. From stars like center Tyler Linderbaum agreeing to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders, to depth pieces like tight end Charlie Kolar expected to sign for the Los Angeles Chargers, there’s a lot that Baltimore will have to replace.
Among the areas they’ve taken hits is the safety room. Both Ar’Darius Washington and Alohi Gilman were in need of new contracts this offseason, and neither landed back in Charm City. Washington will be joining John Harbaugh with the New York Giants on a one-year, $3 million deal, and Gilman is expected to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year, $24.75 million deal.
Sources: The #Giants are expected to sign former #Ravens CB Ar'Darius Washington to a 1-year deal.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 9, 2026
Washington has been in Baltimore since 2021 and now follows John Harbaugh to New York. https://t.co/n7c5Bk5SvW pic.twitter.com/Oeoyv0nswL
The Chiefs are signing safety Alohi Gilman to a three-year, $24.75 million deal with $15M fully guaranteed, sources tell The Insiders.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 10, 2026
Deal negotiated by @davidcanter @NessMugrabi @brian_mcintyre of @aurasportsgroup pic.twitter.com/VwE9KNsy9r
Now, the Ravens are forced to confront a big need at safety. They’ll likely need one more piece in that room.
Baltimore Ravens face growing need for a safety after recent free agent moves
Baltimore already has a ton of talent at the safety position. Versatile safety Kyle Hamilton is a superstar, 2025 first-round pick Malaki Starks showed a ton of promise in his rookie year, and even 2025 undrafted rookie Keondre Jackson could be a name to watch in year two.
Still, they need another depth piece who can rotate in on new head coach Jesse Minter’s defense. Hamilton is too talented to be left in the backend of the secondary. He’s a chess piece that flies all around the field. To utilize Hamilton effectively and let him roam free, they need a partner in crime for Starks.
The Ravens have used a ton of three-safety looks, and under Minter, that’ll probably continue. Reports have suggested that Baltimore will go after a third safety, and with Washington and Gilman heading out the door, they’ll have to look elsewhere. Being that there are so many other needs, this isn’t exactly great to see, but it shouldn’t cost them too much.
If they choose to address that newfound need in free agency, a Minter-Tony Jefferson reunion could make some sense. If they ultimately believe it’s a draft focus, there are endless options.
Ultimately, it’s not the end of the world that both Washington and Gilman are departing, but it’s certainly tough to see two key players from the past two seasons find new homes. It’s a new system with Minter and new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, though, and they will look to put a fresh spin on this Ravens defense so it successfully bounces back in 2026.