The Baltimore Ravens looked like they were a shoo-in for a spot in the postseason, opening the season with a record of 8-3. Alas, the injuries that they suffered eventually became too much to overcome, which led to a six-game losing streak to finish out the campaign and the team missing the playoffs.
A lot of the attention was given to the offensive side of the ball, especially after Lamar Jackson suffered his injury. But, backups Tyler Hundley and Josh Johnson played well enough to win more often than not. It was the defense that ultimately let down the Ravens.
Baltimore lacked the vaunted pass rush that we have come accustomed to seeing them have. The Ravens finished the season with 34 sacks, which ranked them 24th in the league. It was part of the reason that the team moved on from defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale this offseason, as he took the same position with the New York Giants.
Without a strong pass rush, the injury-riddled secondary was exposed more and more, which led to some breakdowns defensively. Matt Judon signed with the New England Patriots in free agency, creating a big void at pass rusher that the team was unable to fill.
Tyus Bowser led the team with seven sacks, followed by rookie Odafe Oweh with five. They have the upside to improve on those numbers, but Baltimore could use an established player to get the defense back on track.
CBS Sports believes they will land that established pass rusher in free agency in the form of Von Miller. Miller just helped the Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl 56 following a midseason trade from the Denver Broncos.
Despite turning 33 years old, Miller showed that he has plenty of gas left in the tank. He was one of the highest-rated EDGE defenders in the NFL in 2021, racking up 9.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hits.
In addition to the pass rush he provides, Miller is also a stout run defender. He is a true three-down linebacker even at this stage of his career, making him one of the most valuable free agents on the market this year.
CBS Sports believes that the Ravens will sign him to a one-year balloon contract. While he won’t have the long-term security, he will cash in big time to the tune of $17 million for one season with the Ravens.
That could be too much money to pass up should the Ravens offer it. Long-term security is what most players are looking for in free agency, but if he gets that amount of money with a team as close as Baltimore is to contending, he could have a new home in 2022.
