FA continues... this was a VERY consequential stage for the Ravens. Keep you eye on the ball - in this case, the bonus money. That's the real story here.
 | Baltimore Ravens | QuikSand | RCB Collin Calmus | 4 years, $94,000,000 (Bonus: $74.0M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.0M.) | 53 | 53 |
| | Baltimore Ravens | QuikSand | LT Nate Clements | 3 years, $30,000,000 (Bonus: $15.0M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.0M.) | 52 | 52 |
| | Baltimore Ravens | QuikSand | SLB Douglas Harris | 2 years, $72,000,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $36.0M, $36.0M.) | 66 | 66 |
| | Baltimore Ravens | QuikSand | SS Josue Maas | 4 years, $148,000,000 (Bonus: $120.0M. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.) | 63 | 63 |
| | Baltimore Ravens | QuikSand | QB Dean Sutter | 3 years, $198,000,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $66.0M, $66.0M, $66.0M.) | 49 | 49 |
| | Baltimore Ravens | QuikSand | LDE Alfredo Tully | 1 year, $35,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $35.0M.) | 73 | 73 |
Okay, in descending order of importance:
DB Maas - we'll try to train him down under 200lb, but he's going to see the field as a CB first and foremost. Potentially our CB1 of the next several years. I mis-read the market a bit, paid $37m over second best at $28m, but after getting stung last round, I guess I played it safe a bit. Important signing, to the extent personnel at DB is important at all. I'll lean toward GOOD MOVE.
DB Calmus - he, on the other hand, we'll probably try to bulk up and play at free safety? I love the 100 rating anywhere, at interceptions is super intriguing, though he hasn't shown much on the field there. I will console myself with solid all-around coverage ratings - he's not a tackler (and could remain at CB, maybe nickel) but looks like another good addition. I wayyyy outpaced the market here, so it goes.
We'll get to a deeper look at our secondary later, but these two guys probably are enough for me to more or less declare this chemistry switch a grand success.
T Clements - this is just a fill-a-need pickup, because we have cap space. Paying 2x minsal for a pretty solid guy gives us future latitude with other super-expensive players. Modest price to pay, even though he doesn't crush it with chemistry (nominally he's taking up oxygen from a 95-personality gimp here, that's the real opportunity costs there)
So, anyone here still remember LB Mr. Wonderful? He's back. Maybe. Non-affinity guy, was always a problem on that front (he'd make a solid leader for a different team) but since we are pretty thin in that group for now, this no-bonus deal for his twilight years could actually make sense. If we think this is a team that is in position to do some real damage this year, keeping him around might make sense. Consider this a "team option." (Not enough people are doing this stuff, I only got him because nobody else bothered)
DE Tully can do it all, for a short percentage of our snaps. So, he's a no-risk, one-year potential fill-in. Basically the same deal as Mr. Wonderful, no affinity with our hoped-for group leader, but if we are in go-for-it mode it seems like he could help a bit this season. 15.5 sacks last season - just in case "real football" considerations matter at all here.
And most obviously of all, QB Dean Sutter. Here's the deal - 10th year guy, he's about as talented as my typical well-developed veterans get. Career numbers are not inspiring, but he's been in Jersey purgatory. If the AvInt rating is 40-ish, that may make it the best of my weak lot. Is he our starter? Are we ready to make a run? Those questions are tied together right now. But if we decide he's not important, we just cast him off with a rounding error cap penalty.