{"id":107137,"date":"2021-03-22T06:34:25","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T10:34:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=107137"},"modified":"2021-03-22T06:34:25","modified_gmt":"2021-03-22T10:34:25","slug":"grading-the-baltimore-ravens-free-agency-signings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/03\/22\/grading-the-baltimore-ravens-free-agency-signings\/","title":{"rendered":"Grading the Baltimore Ravens Free Agency Signings"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first week of NFL free agency has passed and the Baltimore Ravens have taken their typical calculated approach. Since their 1996 inception, general manager Ozzie Newsome<\/a> and the Baltimore Ravens have established a very safe strategy for attacking free agency. The Ravens don’t typically throw around a lot of money when the new league starts but rather let other teams overpay for the bigger names on the market. This year was no different.<\/p>\n

Current Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta<\/a> has followed Newsome’s philosophy. The Ravens did not spend a ton of money compared to the rest of the league but did make a number of key signings. Baltimore was looking for help at each interior offensive line, EDGE, wide receiver, and tight end<\/a>, and while they may not have addressed each position, they made a number of necessary signings. It has been a slow roll of moves so far in free agency but DeCosta has continued to fill holes and likely still has a number of moves to be made.<\/p>\n

There are few teams as well-rounded as the Ravens and they look to be just a few moves away from a Super Bowl. Head coach John Harbaugh<\/a> has gotten a lot out of their current core of players but still seems to be a few bodies away. With the majority of big-time free agent spending finished, Harbaugh is hoping the signings his team made will become some of the biggest difference-makers in the upcoming 2021 season. These are the Baltimore Ravens free agency grades after the first wave of free agency.<\/p>\n

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Baltimore Ravens Free Agency Grades – 2021 Offseason<\/h2>\n

Note<\/strong>: Signings that took place before the beginning of the legal tampering period (such as the re-signing of Pernell McPhee<\/a>) on March 15th, 2021 were excluded from this list.<\/em><\/p>\n

Kevin Zeitler (Guard) – three-year(s)\/$22.5 million<\/h4>\n

The Baltimore Ravens kicked off free agency adding to the group that may have been their biggest weak spot during their final playoff game of 2020. The Buffalo Bills defensive line feasted on Baltimore’s weak interior offensive line and created problems for the Ravens in both the running and passing game. Baltimore’s interior offensive line weakness dates back further than the Bills game. Offensive coordinator, Greg Roman<\/a>‘s offense used three starting right guards at various points throughout 2020. The trio of Ben Powers<\/a>, D.J. Fluker<\/a>, and rookie Tyre Phillips<\/a> was predictably unable to fill the hall-of-fame sized hole Marshal Yanda<\/a> left but the signing of Kevin Zeitler<\/a> is a great step towards finding consistency.<\/p>\n

The Ravens know Zeitler well from his years with both the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. He played parts of seven seasons in the AFC North and was one of the most productive guards in football over his 103 starts. Zeitler had an overall grade per Pro Football Focus of 79.0 over that time span with his lowest grade coming in 2017 at 73.2. The interior lineman is one of the league’s best pass-blocking guards and brings a needed veteran presence to the Ravens offensive line. His cap hit of just $4.05 million in 2021<\/a> is incredibly friendly and he even got the Yanda sign-off after speaking to him personally<\/a> about coming to Baltimore. DeCosta’s first signing was as good as he could’ve found at a great price.<\/p>\n

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Kevin Zeitler (3 yrs, $22.5M) checks lots of boxes for Ravens:<\/p>\n

\u2714\ufe0f Right player, right price
\u2714\ufe0f Slows bleeding from Yanda retirement
\u2714\ufe0f Protects Lamar
\u2714\ufe0f Experience: 9 yrs, 134 starts
\u2714\ufe0f Durable: missed 9 of 144 gms
\u2714\ufe0f Fits scheme: power blocker, puller
\u2714\ufe0f Won\u2019t negate comp pick<\/p>\n

— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) March 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n