3 reasons Baltimore Ravens extending Broderick Washington was an easy decisions

2. Baltimore Ravens need to take care of their own in-house

This has more to do with the locker room dynamics than anything. Football is a team sport more than most because 11 players are on the field at the same time, and 53 players make up the team. The dynamics can change quickly, and everyone has to have that common goal to win.

Baltimore is a team that understands this and stays relevant every year because they develop players, take care of their own, and keep the culture strong. They draft players who show up ready to work and improve every year. When those players do what is expected, the Ravens reward them. It sets an example for every fifth-round pick or every backup player that if they do their job, the Ravens will reward them.

If the locker room saw Broderick Washington do everything right, show up every day, and improve every year, and they treated him like an asset that they do not value, the rest of the locker room would take notice. Why put in the extra work if they do not trust you? This shows everyone that they will pay their own.

Drafting and developing is how you have to win in the NFL. The teams in free agency wind up paying far more than they would have liked, and they add a player who may not be fit or understand the culture. Washington will carry on the culture and will now become a locker-room leader for younger players.