The Baltimore Ravens saw Justin Houston sign with the Carolina Panthers. Houston was an impact player for the Ravens last year, compiling 9.5 sacks. He has had an excellent career and will be tough to replace. While the Ravens are hoping to do this in-house, David Ojabo has been missing practices, Tyus Bowser has not practiced, and Tavius Robinson is a rookie. It is starting to feel like the team could use some help here.
So, if the Ravens do look to the edge rush this summer, who are some names that they could still call.
4. The Baltimore Ravens should circle back to Kyle Van Noy
This one is pretty obvious, considering Kyle Van Noy has already been here. The Ravens worked him out a couple of weeks ago. The first thought is that Van Noy did not sign then, so there must have been a disconnect between the two sides. On the other side, we now know that the interest is there, and as time goes on, the two sides may slowly come together on an agreement.
Van Noy would mainly be Tyus Bowser insurance, considering his role with the New England Patriots Miami Dolphins, and LA Chargers in recent years. He is a blitzer, but his work off of the ball is just as valued.
Perhaps Van Noy is waiting to see how the Bowser injury is shaping out. He does not want to sign only to see Bowser return, and he plays the backup role all season. However, if Bowser is going to miss time, or they do not feel good about his status for week one, Van Noy may feel like he can get snaps here and sign. This will be worth following in the coming days.
3. is Jadeveon Clowney an option for the Baltimore Ravens?
With some of the names coming off of the board, you have to imagine that Jadeveon Clowney is going to be one of the next ones to go. One of the big reasons why Clowney is still available is that he went from 9.5 sacks in 2021, with 53 pressures, down to two sacks on 29 pressures the following year.
Still, you know that he had that upside, and plenty of reports came out that he was not happy with how things were going with the Cleveland Browns. So, after a bitter end, what a better way to bounce back than to sign with the Baltimore Ravens?
Clowney can play off of the ball at times, but he is best running downhill. Still, he has 557 career snaps lined up inside and rushing over the interior lineman. That is compared to 4,866 snaps on the edge, so it is not like he consistently does this, but it is a nice added feature, and a team like the Ravens, who likes to move things around pre-and-post snap would take advantage of Clowney and his skill set. Beyond that, he has always brought sound run defense, and the Ravens need that from their edge depth.
The fit makes sense, and the timing is right. We will see if he joins the team soon.
2. Melvin Ingram would be a great fit with the Baltimore Ravens
Jadeveon Clowney had a bitter departure from the Cleveland Browns, while Melvin Ingram angrily requested a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both could be reasons for these guys winding up with the Baltimore Ravens to seek some revenge on their rivals.
Melvin Ingram is 34 right now, so there is an understandable reason why he has not signed yet. Beyond that, he left Pittsburgh and has bounced around the NFL since because he wants playing time. He thought Pittsburgh would play him over Alex Highsmith and did not want to be depth. The Steelers wisely bet on their younger player to breakout and now extended the ascending Highsmith.
If the Ravens sign Ingram, will he be mad when the younger David Ojabo is getting snaps over him? Or will he see that Ojabo has been slow to practice and think that he can get enough work mixing in with the second-year player, coming off a serious injury, and now with a minor injury? If so, he is another good fit. He has over 1,000 snaps lined up along the interior, and Ingram has always fought hard in run defense. The question is whether he can embrace the right role.
1. Carlos Dunlap could help put the Baltimore Ravens over the edge
Carlon Dunlap went to the Kansas City Chiefs and helped them win a Super Bowl with nine pressures over the three playoff games. He also had a strong season as he posted four sacks on 41 pressures. He had 8.5 sacks the year prior, but that came on 35 pressures, and he had six sacks on 44 pressures the year before that. So, he may be due for some positive regression and picking up a couple more sacks on his current production.
Dunlap is not the game changer that he once was in his prime with the Cincinnati Bengals. However, he can still bring in both the run and as a pass rusher. He went from 20 run stops in 2021 to 25 in 2022.
This is the type of addition you would like to see. He would not force his role but would rather be insurance for Ojabo and Tavius Robinson, who are both young and unproven. He has stuck in the NFL for a long time and could help show a young group what it takes to last like that. If the Ravens get the chance to sign Carlos Dunlap on a cheap deal, it makes too much sense not to add him into the mix.