The first wave of free agency is over, but the Ravens are still making key additions to their roster. Here are some of my thoughts as I also keep a close eye on my March Madness bracket, all in 50 words or less:
Josh Jones is the kind of versatile offensive lineman the Ravens covet. Though primarily a left tackle, Jones has played every offensive line position in the NFL except center. He'll be a valuable piece to the puzzle as the Ravens rebuild their offensive line.
The Ravens signed Jones this week. They already have Josh Ross and Josh Johnson. Now the Ravens reportedly have interest in free agent wide receiver Josh Reynolds, so the Josh trend may continue.
Very cool that the Ravens hosted Air Force safety Trey Taylor, who is Ed Reed's cousin, on a an official 30 visit on Tuesday. Taylor had six career interceptions and won the Jim Thorpe Award last season. Is anyone surprised that Reed's cousin is a playmaker?
We all know the importance of special teams to the Ravens, and they should be strong in that department again. The return of Chris Board adds to the special teams mix. He joins two other special teams standouts who re-signed - Malik Harrison and Arthur Maulet.
Speaking of Maulet, he's thrilled to bring his toughness at nickel cornerback back to Baltimore. He overcame plenty of adversity to reach the NFL and remains determined to win a Super Bowl. Maulet spoke about his passion for football during a superb interview on "The Lounge" podcast.
593: Arthur Maulet Joins The Lounge, Talks Incredible Life Journey
Our insiders, Garrett Downing and Clifton Brown talk with Arthur Maulet after his new two-year contract, and he discusses why he's confident this defense will build off their great success in 2023.
The offensive line competition this summer should be fun to watch. Ben Cleveland, Andrew Vorhees, Daniel Faalele and Sala Aumavae-Laulu should all be looking to win a starting job. John Simpson did that last summer, and it earned him a nice payday in free agency.
Derrick Henry finished second in the NFL in rushing last year (1,167 yards) and averaged 4.2 yards per carry. If that's what you call declining, sign me up. If the Ravens solidify their offensive line, I think it's conceivable Henry could win another rushing title.
With Russell Wilson and Patrick Queen joining the Steelers, Jerry Jeudy joining the Browns, and Henry joining the Ravens, the AFC North looks even better on paper than last year, [comma] when every team finished above .500. Every divisional game should be a dogfight.
There's been plenty of talk about the offensive line. But the defensive line rotation returns intact with Justin Madubuike and Brent Urban re-signing to join Michael Pierce, Travis Jones, and Broderick Washington. That continuity upfront is going to help Baltimore's defense.
Staying with the defense, I loved Maulet's comment on "The Lounge" about Baltimore's defense "speaking the same language." With a core group that led by Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton and Madubuike, Maulet said the defensive standard in Baltimore will remain very high.
