Two Sneaky Ravens Free-Agent Additions That Could Shape the Season
The Ravens made a big splash in free agency by landing prized pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, but they also made some shrewd signings that shouldn't be overlooked.
"The Athletic Football Show" crew highlighted some sneaky offseason additions that could shape the season, and the Ravens' signings of defensive lineman Calais Campbell and safety Jaylinn Hawkins were among them.
"I do think that [Campbell] is a nice piece for the Ravens at $5 million a year, even as he's about to turn 40 here in a couple months," Robert Mays said.
Campbell has continued to defy Father Time. He had 6.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits with the Arizona Cardinals last season and ranked third among defensive tackles in pass-rush win rate, per ESPN. Moreover, Campbell hasn't missed a game since 2022.
"[In] 2018. I went down to Jacksonville to write a story about how Calais Campbell was coming to the end of his career and how he was an influence for some of the younger players," Mays said. "That was eight years ago. And he was ancient by NFL defensive lineman standards at the time."
Hawkins, who signed a two-year deal reportedly worth $10 million, joins All-Pro Kyle Hamilton and 2025 first-round pick Malaki Starks to form arguably the best safety trio in the league.
"He's the perfect player for this kind of defense. This kind of defense, you've got to be sharp," Derrik Klassen said. "You cannot be misstepping or being in the wrong spot and all that stuff. And you need to be able to play all these certain roles and that not be overwhelming to you mentally. I think Hawkins is great for that in a vacuum."
Starks, Teddye Buchanan Make All-Breakout Team
Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker named his 2026 All-Breakout Team, and Starks and inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan were selected.
Locker expects both second-year players to flourish under new Head Coach Jesse Minter, who will call plays on defense.
Saying that Starks "boasts rare talent," Locker noted that he "had a good 66.4 PFF coverage grade at free safety as well as elite play against the run, featuring a 79.9 PFF run-defense grade" as a rookie.
"Minter's calling card in the NFL has been his ability to develop defensive backs, and not many have the abilities that Starks possesses," Locker wrote. "With the 22-year-old getting another year to work next to Kyle Hamilton and newcomer Jaylinn Hawkins, it feels unwise to bet against his breakout."
Regarding Buchanan, Locker wrote: "Even as a fourth-round rookie, Buchanan garnered significant playing time with 652 snaps across the team's first 14 games. Prior to suffering a torn ACL, Buchanan showed promise with an 8.6% missed tackle rate and a 70.8 PFF run-defense grade.
"The Ravens have hardly adjusted their linebacker room, which means that Buchanan should obtain another year of starting next to All-Pro Roquan Smith. With Minter now calling the shots, Buchanan could experience a similar elevation to what we saw with the Chargers' Daiyan Henley in 2024."
Buchanan gave an encouraging update on his recovery when speaking to fans at M&T Bank Stadium on the first night of the draft last month.
"The rehab process is going great. Right on schedule, if not ahead of schedule," Buchanan said. "I'm feeling healthy, getting back to doing things that I'm used to doing. Just taking it one day at a time, not trying to look too far forward, but I'm definitely feeling good about it."
Jaire Alexander Reveals How Rough Performance in Ravens Debut Affected His Mental Health
Former Ravens cornerback Jaire Alexander opened up about the mental health struggles that led to his decision to walk away from football in a revealing first-person article in The Players’ Tribune.
There was a lot of excitement when the Ravens signed the two-time Pro Bowler last offseason, but he was still recovering from a PCL injury and surgery the previous year, causing him to miss about a month of training camp.
Alexander said he was determined to be ready to play in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills on "Sunday Night Football."
"I even went down to Atlanta three weeks before kickoff to get a stem-cell procedure to try and speed up my recovery," Alexander wrote. "But then I couldn't walk on my own for the next three days, and I'm looking at that calendar, and … time is just flying by. I'm pushing myself hard to be ready to go, but I'm still having knee pain. Then, that week of practice before the game, honestly … it was clear I wasn't ready to be out on the field yet. I was trying to will my way through, and hype myself up. Just constantly telling myself: You're the best corner in the league! You're good! You'll do fine. And then … I didn't."
The entire defense had a rough night, as the Bills overcame a late 15-point deficit to win, 41-40, but Alexander's uncharacteristically subpar performance stood out.
"I was bad out there," he wrote. "It hurts to admit that. It's hard to say. But it's the truth. Physically, I just wasn't where I needed to be on that Sunday night against Buffalo. And that affected my mental. … There's no other way to say it: I went out there and played the worst game I've ever played in my entire life. I embarrassed myself."
Alexander said what hurt the most was commentator and former All-Pro safety Rodney Harrison sharply criticizing him afterward.
"He'd definitely been one of my idols as a young player. Someone I looked up to," Alexander wrote. "And look, I get that I played horrible, obviously. But for him to basically rip me to shreds on TV after the game. … That just really hurt, you know what I mean? He wasn't wrong about how I played. He was right! But like, just hearing him talk about me like that, like I was basically the worst player in the league … it truly messed me up. It had me completely down about everything. That night, no joke, I went home and cried my eyes out.
"Then, that next morning … I remember I was so embarrassed to walk into the Ravens facility. That was the most embarrassed I've ever felt in the game of football. Actually, you know what … it's probably the most embarrassed I've ever been just in life overall."
Alexander only appeared in one other game for the Ravens and was a healthy scratch for three consecutive games before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in November. Ten days later, Alexander announced that he was stepping away from football at age 28 to focus on his physical and mental health.
"I'm not gonna lie, I actually do sometimes miss being on the field and competing," Alexander wrote. "I miss making those big plays I used to make. And the crowd screaming my name. Doing my sword celebration for the fans. All that stuff is a lot of fun. But I'm proud of myself for recognizing that something wasn't right with me, and then doing something about it before it got any worse.
"People still sometimes ask me if I'm ever gonna come back and play. And, you know what … I'll never say never — I still work out, and the knee's fine now, so I'm in good shape. But for me, right now, the most important thing really is just to be in a good place overall. To be happy."
Steelers Named Most Vulnerable Defending Division Champion
The Steelers won the AFC North title last season with a 10-7 record thanks to a missed field goal by the Ravens in the season finale in Pittsburgh, so it's not surprising that they were named the most vulnerable of the eight defending division champions by NFL.com’s Kevin Patra.
Patra believes the Ravens and Bengals pose serious threats to the Steelers' repeat bid.
"The Steelers finally improved their weaponry with the additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and second-round receiver Germie Bernard, but there remain significant questions about what the offense will look like with an aging QB," Patra wrote. "If Aaron Rodgers ultimately decides not to play, those issues are magnified.
"The Ravens and Bengals each improved this offseason. A new coaching staff in Baltimore should bring life to the team, particularly on defense. Cincinnati bolstered a moribund defense significantly. If Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson stay healthy, 10 wins isn't taking the division again."
