Ravens offseason ranked one of NFL's worst after losing so many starters

The Baltimore Ravens are once again projected to be a contender for their third Super Bowl in franchise history, as MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson is now surrounded by Derrick Henry in the backfield while star defensive tackle Justin Madubuike agreed to a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in football.

The issue with this team is how much worse the depth is this year when compared to their dominant 2023 campaign. Multiple starters on both sides of the ball are gone, and the Ravens haven't spent a ton of money in free agency trying to replace them.

Bleacher Report ranked the Ravens' offseason as one of the three worst in the NFL. Baltimore was alongside the Dallas Cowboys, who have been routinely roasted for their inactivity in the last few weeks, and the Arizona Cardinals, who didn't make many offensive signings to help Kyler Murray.

The Ravens lost two defensive starters (Patrick Queen, Jadeveon Clowney) and two role players who ate up a good chunk of snaps in the secondary (Geno Stone, Ronald Darby). Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson both signed elsewhere in free agency, while right tackle Morgan Moses was traded to the Jets.

Baltimore Ravens ranked as one of the worst offseasons in NFL

The Ravens have typically prized compensatory picks they can earn by letting expensive free agents leave, but Baltimore has lost a good chunk of one of the best defenses in the entire league. That can't be replaced instantly, which could make for some tough situations in a championship-or-bust season.

Baltimore hasn't replaced their losses with a ton of new acquisitions. Josh Jones could be a solid depth tackle, and Kyle Van Noy will help mitigate the loss of Clowney, but Baltimore seems to be counting on in-house draft picks like Daniel Faalele, Andrew Vorhees, and Odafe Oweh to fill important starter roles.

The Ravens have spoken at length about how they value their own continuity, but their contenders in the AFC all got much better. Kansas City signed Marquise Brown to aid a poor wide receiving corps, Houston acquired Stefon Diggs via trade, and the Jets made numerous big offensive additions.

Henry and Madubuike were clearly the top priorities for the Ravens this offseason, and they should be heralded for checking both of those boxes. Even with that in their rear-view mirror, the Ravens must be aware of the fact this team is lacking in depth after watching so many great players leave the squad in such a short span.