Mink: The Ravens have done a good job of filling some of the gaps that stood out after losing 11 players in the first week of free agency.
Baltimore made a big upgrade at defensive end by landing Trey Hendrickson. The Ravens secured the third safety spot with Jaylinn Hawkins. The Ravens signed Durham Smythe to help offset the tight end blocking losses. They retained their cornerback depth by bringing back Chidobe Awuzie. The Ravens boosted the guard spot with John Simpson and added competition at center.
While General Manager Eric DeCosta indicated that the Ravens are focused on nailing this year's draft with 11 picks to make, there is still more work to do in free agency to put Baltimore in the best position possible with the fewest obvious needs.
The Ravens could still add to their defensive front after the Maxx Crosby trade fell through. Remember that Baltimore had visions of Crosby and Hendrickson pairing up.
There are still a bunch of big-name free agents available at edge rusher and defensive end, such as Joey Bosa, Von Miller, Cameron Jordan, Leonard Floyd, Dante Fowler Jr., Jadeveon Clowney, Haason Reddick, and more. Many are in their 30s, but the Ravens have a track record of taking shots with guys at that stage of their career.
Defensive tackle is another spot the Ravens could fortify ahead of the draft. With Nnamdi Madubuike's status unclear, Baltimore needs to supplement Travis Jones, John Jenkins, and Broderick Washington Jr. Again, there are many interesting, well-known defensive tackles on the market, including former Raven Calais Campbell, D.J. Reader, Larry Ogunjobi, and more.
On the offensive side, I would point to wide receiver and tight end. Marquise Brown revealed that he was considering returning to Baltimore in free agency but chose the Philadelphia Eagles instead. At tight end, the Ravens reportedly hosted David Njoku on a visit Tuesday, and could look to make another addition after losing Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar.
Robertson: This depends, in part, on whether the Ravens sign Njoku, as mentioned above.
General Manager Eric DeCosta said in an interview with 105.7 The Fan last week that the Ravens were still looking for one or two tight ends to complement Andrews and Smythe.
"We're probably looking for multifaceted guys," DeCosta said. "You've got to be able to run routes and also be a good blocker."
As for which avenue DeCosta and the Ravens' brain trust will pursue those tight ends, they won't leave any stone unturned.
The Ravens have a history of double-dipping in the tight end prospect pool, and they could do so again next month. By all indications, this year's tight end class is deep, headlined by Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq, who is widely regarded as a first-round talent. I'm not so sure the Ravens will use pick No. 14 on Sadiq if he's still on the board but they could easily use two of their 11 draft picks on tight ends.
Mink: Yes, the Ravens do believe that Rashod Bateman will have brighter days ahead in a new offense.
He dealt with an ankle injury last year that limited him to 13 games. Beyond that, the Ravens offense struggled to click as a whole. Bateman's production dropped sharply to 19 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns, but he wasn't alone.
We all know Bateman is super talented. He showed that in 2024 with 45 catches for 756 yards and nine touchdowns. He's capable of putting up big numbers if given the opportunity.
The Bears had three receivers put up strong seasons last year in Doyle's first season as offensive coordinator. DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Luther Burden III all topped 40 catches and 600 receiving yards. Moore and Odunze, the Bears' two starters, had 85 and 90 targets, respectively.
I expect that Bateman will get enough targets this year to do some serious damage.
Robertson: I was surprised to see Jordan Stout leave Baltimore, but it's difficult to turn down the Giants' offer for what is reportedly the highest annual salary ($4.1 million per year) for a punter in league history.
The Ravens selected Stout in the fourth round in 2022, marking the earliest a punter had been drafted in 10 years. With other needs higher on the priority list, I don't foresee the Ravens using that high of a pick on a punter this time around, but with plenty of Day 3 draft capital, they have the assets to draft their Stout replacement.
Georgia's Brett Thorson, Syracuse's Jack Stonehouse, Florida's Tommy Doman, and Michigan State's Ryan Eckley are some of the top punter prospects this year.
The majority of free agent punters have already signed, but if the front office opts to bring in a veteran, Bradley Pinion, Matt Haack, Thomas Morestead, and Jamie Gillan are among the names still available.
