There probably aren't too many fanbases happier that the Super Bowl is finally over than Baltimore's. For 18 regular season weeks, it looked like the Ravens were destined to be representing the AFC in Vegas this week. And yet, Pat Mahomes did Pat Mahomes things in the Championship round, and what felt like one of the more promising seasons in recent Ravens history fell flat. So now that the Super Bowl's over, and the offseason can really get going, here are three moves the Ravens need to make in order to get over the hump.
1. Re-sign Justin Madubuike
Madubike picked a hell of a year to finally break through. After having 5.5 sacks in 2023, he almost tripled that number in 2024, finishing the year with 13 sacks; only eight guys had more this season. The Ravens have more than a few contracts to take a look at this offseason, but perhaps none are more important than Madubuike, who's only 26. If they want to keep the spine of their elite defense in place, keeping Madubuike – and then, eventually, Kyle Hamilton – has to be a priority.
2. Go get Derrick Henry
Henry's going to be looking for a title contender to end his career with, and what place better fits the bill than a team that wants to run the ball like the Ravens do? He's not the world-beater he once was, but Henry's still got plenty of juice and would bring a level of physicality and size to a Ravens backfield that didn't really have that dynamic this season. It's just one of those free agent fits that seems overwhelmingly obvious, and it's not like the contract he'd ask for would break the bank, either. Henry, Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, and Zay Flowers would be a tough offense to plan for, and even tougher to actually stop.
3. Move on from Tyus Bowser
It's been a tough go for Bowser, who had a strong start to his career in Baltimore that's since been derailed by injuries. The Ravens could save almost $6 million if they move on from Bowser this year, which is not nothing when you consider how much money they're going dish out this offseason. He didn't appear in a single game this season, and only played in nine the year before that. The writing's on the wall for Bowser, who only has one year left on the extension he signed before the 2021 season. Hopefully Bowser can find his way back on the field in 2024, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen in Baltimore.