AFC North Free Agency Grades: Baltimore Ravens

The AFC North hasn’t been the most active division in terms of bringing players in in this free agent period, but there has been quite a bit of activity as far as the Baltimore Ravens are concerned. Here are some of the moves they have made:

• Franchised RB Ray Rice
• Re-signed LB/ST Brandon Ayanbadejo
• Re-signed C Matt Birk
• Re-signed LB Jameel McClain
• Signed CB Corey Graham (Bears)
• RFA CB Lardarius Webb
• RFA LB Dannell Ellerbe
• RFA CB Cary Williams

Free agents LOST to other teams

• OG Ben Grubbs (Saints)
• LB Jarret Johnson (Chargers)
• S/ST Haruki Nakamura (Panthers)
• DL Cory Redding (Colts)
• S Tom Zbikowski (Colts)

As of right now, I’m not overly impressed with the way the Ravens have approached free agency. I think they got a really good special teams replacement in Corey Graham, but they have lost Ben Grubbs and Jarret Johnson, two very key players to their offense and defensive rotation. The Ravens have been getting a little old defensively, and their offensive line was patchwork prior to losing Grubbs anyway. This is not a team that usually builds through free agency, rather they supplement the team.

The best move they made was keeping around RB Ray Rice, though the grade will be even better if they are able to lock him up long term. I also like keeping Jameel McClain around as he is a good, young linebacker who has been a starter for this team.

Overall grade: C