Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was very busy this offseason. He has set the franchise up for plenty of success heading into the future, locking down long-term contracts for two pillars of the franchise; quarterback Lamar Jackson and linebacker Roquan Smith.
Both signed record-setting deals, as Jackson is the highest-paid player in the NFL. Smith landed the largest contract for an off-ball linebacker in league history, giving the Ravens leaders to follow on both sides of the ball.
That was far from the only move that DeCosta made, as he also upgraded the weapons around Jackson offensively. Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor were signed in free agency and the team used their first-round pick on wide receiver Zay Flowers out of Boston College.
The pieces are certainly in place for the Ravens to contend in 2023, health permitting. They have a deep, talented roster on both sides of the ball, but even the best teams can use a little help. ESPN’s NFL insider Field Yates believes the one move that Baltimore has left to make this offseason is to re-sign veteran pass rusher, Justin Houston.
“The Ravens need depth at the edge position and there isn’t a more obvious solution than re-signing Houston, who just keeps making life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. Houston’s pass-rush acumen is his most dominant trait, and while the Ravens will always be able to scheme up pressure, Houston, 34, would add some juice on obvious passing situations. He had 9.5 sacks and 32 pressures last season. The team is also hoping for an improved year for Odafe Oweh after he was just OK in 2022.”
Fields is certainly correct in his assessment. As things currently stand, the Ravens would be uncomfortably thin when it came to pass-rushing options.
Not only is Houston still a free agent, but the team also moved on from Calais Campbell, who was tied for second on the team with 5.5 sacks last season. There is still a chance that Patrick Queen, who had 5.0 sacks last season, is on the move as well given his contract status.
It would be a big risk relying solely on Oweh to take a major leap and for Tyus Bowser to do the same after returning from injury last season. Adding an established player such as Houston to the mix would make things easier for everyone, as he still has something left in the tank to offer.
