$108 Million Query: Did Marcus Williams Give the Ravens the Greatest Minor Group within the NFL?

Owings Mills, MD – Everybody exterior the Baltimore Ravens facility expressed the staff’s greatest wants corresponding to offensive line, defensive position and passing sprint.

Nevertheless, nobody must be shocked that Baltimore’s first free agent addition was security Marcus Williams – until you were not listening to Ravens common supervisor Eric DeCosta at his season-ending press convention final month.

“Our lack of ability this yr to make turnovers has in all probability been a problem for us, and I want to see we make the play this yr coming — intercepting extra passes, inflicting extra fuss, being extra turbulent,” DeCosta mentioned in February. “So if the chance arises and we see a dynamic nook or dynamic security, in fact, that will be one thing that’s enticing to us.”

On Tuesday, the Ravens household discovered Dynamic Safety, reaching an settlement with Williams on a five-year, $70 million deal, a supply advised ESPN Jeremy Fowler.

Wins over the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles for Williams might develop into the important thing to a dramatic shift in passing protection. Final season, Baltimore allowed essentially the most yards within the NFL and the 31 worst landing passes.

Now, on Day Two of Free Company, the Ravens could make the argument that they’ve the very best minor within the league. And albeit, this must be the highest defensive pitch in soccer, given the funding. Over the previous three years, Baltimore has spent $108 million in assured cash on Williams ($37 million), Cornbucks Marlon Humphrey ($40.3 million), Marcus Peters ($21 million) and security Chuck Clark ($10 million).

Who can blame crows? Their path to the Tremendous Bowl runs by way of a loaded AFC quarterback that features Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson and Justin Herbert. The Ravens have to lock up protection in the event that they wish to come again from final place and get previous the Divisional Spherical for the primary time since 2012.

Baltimore knew he would enhance with the return of Humphrey and Peters from the Professional Bowl, each of whom missed 22 video games final season. Humphrey is a bodily defender who has compelled 9 to really feel the ball up to now two seasons. Peters is an professional in catching the ball and has had the 31 finest interceptions within the NFL since 2015.

With Clark’s bodily physique in place, the lacking piece was a security sport like Williams, who made 15 interceptions and 38 break assists in his five-year profession. Since 2017, Williams has been harmful to opposition quarterbacks, taking part in on the ball (scoring an interception or breaking a go) in his high 27.6% of his league objectives, in keeping with NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. This can be a important improve for the Ravens who completed with 9 interceptions final season, the second lowest in franchise historical past.

When the Ravens wish to step up the protection, they’re late in shut matches, when one in all them makes a play to win. Over the previous two seasons, Baltimore has misplaced 10 video games by six factors or much less. Throughout that very same interval, Baltimore allowed 20 landing passes and scored three interceptions within the fourth quarter.

It is honest to marvel why Baltimore did not make an offensive sort out or velocity go because the free agent’s finest objective. The Ravens gave up 57 sacks within the franchise, they usually have not had anybody produce double-digit sacks since 2017. Baltimore did certainly log off on attacking Morgan Moses later Tuesday evening.

However this was a deal DeCosta could not miss. The Ravens earn Williams, the best security ranking by Professional Soccer Focus since 2019, at $14 million a season, which ranks seventh amongst all security. Williams is coming into his prime on the age of 25 and has solely missed 5 instances in his five-year profession.

What you’ll be able to’t criticize crows for is the deviation from their free company method. Baltimore would not make many spots right now of yr. When that occurs, crows normally brag about safety. For a protection that Ed Reed has lengthy been cruising deep into the sector, it feels just like the Ravens have been in an infinite seek for one other midfielder, whether or not it is Tony Jefferson, Eric Weddell or Earl Thomas.

There have been blended outcomes, from the Professional Bowl participant (Weddle) to one of many greatest free agent rigging on the staff (Thomas). Every thing was reduce brief earlier than their offers expired.

Williams must be a squad maker, or there will probably be questions on why Baltimore will not use its restricted area elsewhere.