Fansided

NFL free agency 2019: Grades for every team

By Kevin Parvizi

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 25: Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants yells prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on November 25, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 25: Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants yells prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on November 25, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Ravens
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 23: Free safety Earl Thomas /

Baltimore Ravens

Key Additions: FS Earl Thomas, RB Mark Ingram, CB Justin Bethel

Key Departures: QB Joe Flacco (trade), EDGE Terrell Suggs, EDGE Za’Darius Smith, ILB CJ Mosley, FS Eric Weddle, WR John Brown

Grade: D+

While Earl Thomas is technically and upgrade over Eric Weddle, who remains one of the NFL’s most effective safeties, it’s hard to come away complimentary of the Baltimore Ravens offseason. Parting ways with Joe Flacco was necessary, but the hits the Ravens took to their front seven are hard to overlook.

Despite being 36, Terrell Suggs is still one of the league’s better all-around edge defenders, and Za’Darius Smith is a breakout superstar just waiting to happen in Green Bay. Between them, the Ravens must replace 40 QB hits of production, and while their draft record when targeting edge rushers after the first round speaks for itself, this isn’t an easy position to replace a massive amount of production. Furthermore, Suggs and CJ Mosley were key leaders on defense, and Mosley’s departure leaves a gaping hole at inside linebacker.

Offensively, the Ravens will continue to be run-heavy, and the Mark Ingram signing deserves plenty of praise. Ingram is an excellent pure rusher who simply got overshadowed by a Hall of Fame-type talent in Alvin Kamara, and he should fit in perfectly with the rising Gus Edwards and the intriguing Kenneth Dixon. That said, Baltimore needs to make a concerted effort to upgrade its wide receivers, especially after losing its lone true playmaker at the position in Brown.

Though the Thomas, Ingram, and Bethel signings are commendable, the Ravens lost too much talent in the front seven and got worse at a position where they needed to make upgrades (wide receiver).

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