The Baltimore Ravens are taking care of business, days before NFL free agency begins. Former first-round pick Justin Madubuike is coming off the best season of his young career, where he recorded a personal-best 13 sacks while being named to the Pro Bowl.
But after four seasons in Baltimore, Madubuike was set for free agency, where he was set to be one of the best players available at his position, just behind Kansas City’s Chris Jones. But the Ravens weren’t just going to let their second-team All-Pro DT enter the open market, so they placed the franchise tag on the 26-year-old.
If Madubuike had signed the franchise tag offer, he would have received $22.1 million in 2024, but that wouldn’t provide any long-term financial security aside from his massive salary. But neither Madubuike nor the Ravens wanted the uncertainty that comes with the franchise tag to cloud over their future.
So on Friday, the Ravens agreed to a four-year, $98 million contract extension with Madubuike, which includes $75.5 million in guaranteed money. In addition to being the second-highest-paid DT in the NFL, Madubuike is also set to receive a $53.5 million signing bonus, soaring past what he was initially set to earn from the Ravens in 2024.
Getting Madubuike back under contract is a big win for Baltimore, but what’s next? Here are three moves the Ravens should make next this offseason.
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Trade for L’Jarius Sneed
The Kansas City Chiefs placed the franchise tag on L’Jarius Sneed, just as the Ravens did with Madubuike. But there’s a sense that the Chiefs are more open for business when it comes to trading their stud cornerback who ranked 30th at his position per Pro Football Focus.
While the Ravens would quickly have to get Sneed to agree to a contract extension too, if the Chiefs are willing to discuss a trade, he’d be a great addition to an aging Ravens secondary that doesn’t have much depth at cornerback. With their first-round pick likely not up for discussion, perhaps the Ravens could entice the Chiefs with a couple of Day 2 selections for the 27-year-old.
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Sign guard Graham Glasgow
With both John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler set for free agency, the Ravens will need new starting offensive guards before they can kick off a new season. It’s possible one or both are retained, but there are upgrades available too, such as Detroit’s Graham Glasgow.
Glasgow is far from the biggest name on the market, which means he should be relatively affordable compared to his peers. But what makes Glasgow an ideal fit in Baltimore is that he’s one of the NFL’s best run-blocking offensive linemen. Per PFF, Glasgow ranked as the fifth-best run blocker among guards who played more than 200 snaps a season ago, making him a perfect fit for Baltimore’s run-heavy scoring attack.
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Baltimore Ravens should add another wide receiver early in 2024 NFL Draft
Drafting Zay Flowers last year wasn’t just about the Ravens addressing a need. His addition was a must for a receiving corps lacking gamebreaking talent. The Ravens plucked a gem with Flowers, but Baltimore can’t rest yet.
Taking more pressure off Lamar Jackson could open up this Ravens offense even more, and the best way to do that might be by adding another downfield threat who can take the top off the defense. The 2024 NFL Draft is deep with receiver talent, meaning the Ravens can likely find an immediate contributor with one of their first three picks, all of which are in the top 95 selections.
Whether they want a receiver with more height than Flowers, such as LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr., or even just to add another speed demon with someone like Xavier Worthy, there are plenty of options available, and the Ravens can’t afford to ignore the receiver position altogether.
