Other Than Lamar Jackson, Which Ravens Are in Line for Contract Extensions?
Lamar Jackson is obviously at the top of the list when it comes to possible Ravens contract extensions, but there are other players who are candidates to be extended this offseason.
Players are eligible for contract extensions after their third season. The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer looked at who could be next in line, and the first player mentioned was inside linebacker Patrick Queen.
Queen, the 28th-overall selection in the 2020 draft, had a breakout season in his third year.
"Roquan Smith's five-year, $100 million contract extension showed the Ravens aren't afraid of investing in the position, but the deal might also make [General Manager Eric] DeCosta less likely to give Queen a top-of-the-market contract," Shaffer wrote. "The Ravens have until May 1 to decide whether to exercise the fifth-year option on Queen's rookie deal, which currently runs through 2023. Keeping him around in 2024 would cost a projected $11.6 million. The annual value of a long-term deal would be a lot higher.
"A handful of other 2020 picks could be in line for extensions: [Running back J.K.] Dobbins, who's averaged 5.9 yards per carry over three injury-marred years; wide receiver Devin Duvernay, a two-time Pro Bowl returner; and defensive linemen Justin Madubuike, who set a career high in sacks (5.5), and Broderick Washington Jr., another stalwart run defender."
Shaffer noted that "the sooner the Ravens can figure out their financial commitment to Jackson, the sooner DeCosta can move on to taking care of business elsewhere."
Tyler Linderbaum Makes ESPN's List of Top 10 Rookies; Three Ravens Named to NFL.com Analyst's All-Rookie Teams
Accolades continue to roll in for members of the Ravens' 2022 draft class.
First-round center Tyler Linderbaum came in at No. 7 on ESPN’s top 10 rookie rankings.
"Like Creed Humphrey did in 2021 with the Chiefs, Linderbaum immediately anchored and improved an offensive line as a rookie center," ESPN's Matt Miller wrote. "His pass-blocking alone made him an All-Pro candidate, and his 94.7% pass block win rate led all rookie offensive linemen."
First-round safety Kyle Hamilton received votes but didn't make the top 10.
Meanwhile, Linderbaum, Hamilton, and third-round defensive tackle Travis Jones were named to NFL.com analyst David Carr’s All-Rookie Teams. Here's what Carr wrote about each:
Linderbaum
"Linderbaum lived up to his draft standing, holding his own against veterans like Steelers three-time All-Pro Cam Heyward on a weekly basis. Though he was snubbed by the Pro Bowl, Linderbaum played a key role in the Ravens' second-ranked rush offense, garnering a run-blocking grade of 84.2 from PFF, fourth-best among centers this season, while his 74.7 overall grade placed him sixth among centers."
Hamilton
"The Ravens rookie had a tough start to his NFL career, but surged after the club put him in a better position to make plays. Hamilton lined up 45 times at free safety during the first two weeks, when he struggled. He then saw his production elevate as a slot/box safety. Still not great in deep coverage, Hamilton is at his best near the line of scrimmage and in the slot, where he's the best run-defending safety among rookies. Hamilton displayed good timing on the blitz, generating eight pressures (most among rookie safeties, per PFF) and two sacks. As the unique defender gets more seasoning, the talent is there for Hamilton to continue to improve in Baltimore's system in Year 2 and become an even more aggressive difference-maker."
Jones
"For much of the season, the rookie DT displayed an ability to get off blocks and missed just one tackle. His 24 tackles and 19 stops rank second among rookie DTs. Like many first-year players, Jones started slow, but then showed potential in spurts that helped the Ravens field one of the best run Ds in the NFL for the balance of the season."
Ravens Take Cornerback in The Athletic's Latest Mock Draft
The Athletic's Dane Brugler released his second mock draft, and he has the Ravens selecting Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo.
"This pick is reminiscent of when the Ravens drafted Marlon Humphrey in the mid-first round in 2017," Brugler wrote. "Like Humphrey, Kelee Ringo has above-average size, speed and the compete skills to immediately match up with NFL receivers. But his route anticipation and awareness are still immature, which is why not all NFL teams view him as a first-round lock."
Cornerback is widely regarded as one of the Ravens' top positions of need. Veterans Marcus Peters and Kyle Fuller are set to hit free agency.
In Brugler's first mock draft, he had the Ravens taking Texas running back Bijan Robinson.
Quick Hits
● ESPN Analytics' Seth Walder ranked the top 100 most valuable players of the 2022 season. Jackson (No. 67) was the highest-ranked Raven. The other Ravens players on the list were: Mark Andrews (No. 70), Roquan Smith (No. 74), Marlon Humphrey (No. 96), and Ronnie Stanley (No. 98).
