As the Baltimore Ravens are just a few weeks away from training camp, the team still has 89 roster spots. This means that they will be signing someone in the coming weeks. While the team has Odafe Oweh, Tyus Bowser, and David Ojabo, they all have their questions, and a fourth edge rusher would be a great addition to push Tavius Robinson down.
So, who are some players that are still available, why would they fit the Baltimore Ravens?
5. Should the Baltimore Ravens bring back Justin Houston?
Baltimore Ravens fans know Justin Houston quite well. He was with the team for the past two seasons, and he recorded 14 sacks over that span. If the Ravens want a familiar name that they know can get production, why not sign Houston?
One big reason why Houston is not signed is that he is going to be 34 years old this season. He did not fall off last year in terms of production, but he went down from 577 snaps to 397 snaps. There is a chance that Houston hit his peak, and the Ravens know it.
At the same time, Houston is old enough and has played in enough schemes that he knows he does not need to sign with a team before training camp. Also, we know we he wants to hold out and find a team that gives him a chance to win. The best fit for Houston is probably just coming back to the Baltimore Ravens.
He will be in a rotation, he will be in competition for a Super Bowl, and he knows the scheme better here than anywhere else. The question may be when, and not if this happens.
4. Would Kyle Van Noy fit with the Baltimore Ravens?
Kyle Van Noy would be an attractive fit with the Baltimore Ravens. He has been in the NFL since 2014, and he is 33 years old, so he is nearing the end of his prime. Van Noy started his journey with the Detroit Lions, then moved to the New England Patriots, where his career took off.
He spent a year with the Miami Dolphins before going back to New England and then playing for the Chargers last year.
Still, he is also in the same spot as Houston where he can catch on with a team quickly, but can wait and choose the best spot for his play. The Ravens can entice him with a strong roster, and also a role that fits his skill set.
The Baltimore Ravens need a SAM and often have Tyus Bowser in the role. Still, Bowser was banged up last year, and it ended with Malik Harrison rushing off the edge a lot. Kyle Van Noy has played that role as a SAM linebacker, who also can be considered an edge his entire career.
The reason he stayed with New England, and then followed Brian Flores to Miami is because only so many teams know how to use him correctly. However, the Ravens are a team that has this role in their defense. With both Bowser and Harrison healthy, the Ravens may wait this out, but it does make sense as a nice mix of both skillsets.
3. The Baltimore Ravens could get creative with Jadeveon Clowney
After spending the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, it appears that his tenure with that team ended on a sour note. A great way to stick it to them would be to sign with their rivals and takedown Deshaun Watson twice a year.
Clowney may be an even better fit for the Ravens than Kyle Van Noy. That is because he would be much more similar to Tyus Bowser in the role, but he could also complement or play across from Bowser.
Clowney is a train downhill, and some of his best work is standing up right over the center or guard and rushing at the quarterback in a straight run. It is reminiscent of the Baltimore Ravens' usage with Za'Darius Smith for years. Clowney will be 31 years old this year, and he went from 677 snaps in 2021 to 494 last year, so the signing will not have that type of impact, but he would fit perfectly. He also brings immediate run defense as well.
This is the right splash to put the unit over the top, and could hit at the right time.
2. Melvin Ingram could fit with the Baltimore Ravens
Melvin Ingram is another player in the same light as Jadeveon Clowney. He is 34 years old, and he has been in the NFL since 2012. So, he has the experience and does not need to sign immediately. However, he also has a role that would fit the Baltimore Ravens pretty well.
Just like Clowney, so much of his value comes from the role that the Ravens once used Za'Darius Smith in. It allows the team to be more creative and essentially gives them two tiers of rushers between Ingram and Bowser, who can move off the ball, and then Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, who are more of the hand-in-the-dirt speed rushers.
The rest of the rushers have seen a drop in snaps played, but Ingram had 590 snaps in 2021 and then went to 509 last year. So, he did drop a bit, but not nearly like the others. Of all players out there, he may be able to provide the best impact.
His recent production, skill set, and role combination makes a lot of sense. Oh, and his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended poorly, and he would love to take it out on them. That makes it even better.
1. Should the Baltimore Ravens consider signing Carlos Dunlap?
Carlos Dunlap is 34 years old and in a similar spot to most of these rushers. He spent a lot of his time with the Cincinnati Bengals, and then when he got traded to the Seattle Seahawks, things fell apart. So, Dunlap signed with the Kansas City Chiefs to ensure a run at postseason success.
Dunlap helped bring a Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs last year, and we know that he will be ring-hunting once again in 2023. That makes the Ravens a team on the shortlist. Dunlap also went from 482 snaps with the Seahawks to 571 with the Chiefs, so he played some of the most snaps out of all of these options available.
Dunlap also played a role similar to Clowney and Ingram, where he is an edge rusher and spends most of his time with his hand in the dirt, but he also can stand over the center or guard and rush straight at them.
Lastly, we have a former Bengals player to join Clowney, the former Brown, and Ingram, the former Steelers player. All three of them left the AFC North division rival with a bad taste in their mouth, and all of them are great fits for the revenge angle beyond everything listed above.
Dunlap is old and did not need to sign until now. Still, do not be surprised if the Baltimore Ravens do sign Carlos Dunlap soon.