Kyle Van Noy Wants to Keep Playing, But 'There's Things That Still Need to be Talked About'
Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy has one year remaining on his contract but said he hasn't made a decision about whether he plans to continue playing.
"We're still talking about it," Van Noy told The Baltimore Sun the week leading up to the Super Bowl in New Orleans. "I would like to, but there's things that still need to be talked about."
Van Noy, who carries a $6.1 million cap hit, could be a candidate for a short-term extension. He said he plans to speak with General Manager Eric DeCosta about his future "at some point."
"My want to is still there, that's for sure," Van Noy said. "I can still play at a high level. But it's something where they have to make a decision, too."
Van Noy, who turns 34 next month, has flourished since signing with the Ravens early in the 2023 season. After recording a career-high nine sacks that year, Van Noy topped it with a team-leading 12.5 sacks in 2024 and went to his first Pro Bowl.
Pundits Reject Mark Andrews Being Cap-Cut Candidate
Mark Andrews' name is popping up on lists of prominent potential cap casualties because he's entering his age 30 season, has the fourth-highest cap hit on the Ravens, and will be in the final year of his contract.
However, ESPN's Dan Graziano and NFL.com’s Matt Okada aren't buying that Andrews, the Ravens' all-time touchdown leader, is truly a cap-cut candidate.
"These things can be tricky, since you can take a cold, impartial look at Andrews' age and his contract and say, 'Yes, of course,'" Graziano wrote. "But that doesn't always account for the relationship between the player and the team.
"Andrews has been one of the greatest and most reliable Ravens of the Lamar Jackson era (his most recent game notwithstanding), and there's a good chance he and the team come up with a way to stay together. He caught 11 touchdown passes in 2024."
Okada wrote: "The chemistry between Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews is too tight, and Andrews scored 11 touchdowns over Baltimore's last 12 regular-season games. … Andrews is a core piece of this offense and locker room, so I don't expect him to go anywhere in 2025."
DeCosta indicated at the season-ending press conference that Andrews will be back next season while acknowledging that difficult decisions will have to be made regarding the Ravens' talented tight ends room beyond 2025. Like Andrews, 2022 draft picks Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar are entering the final year of their contracts.
"A year from now, we'll have some tough choices and decisions to make regarding players," DeCosta said. "We're blessed to have – in my opinion – the best tight ends room in the league, and we'll be blessed this year on the field as well."
Reported Salary-Cap Increase Helps Ravens
Teams tight against the cap such as the Ravens received good news, as the NFL reportedly provided clubs with a projected salary cap range of $277.5 million to $281.5 million per club for the 2025 season.
"The estimated range is more than clubs had been anticipating," NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote. "In December, teams were budgeting for a salary cap of $265 million to $275 million. Regardless of where it lands, every club will have more than projected.
"At a minimum, it's a $22.1 million leap forward from the $255.4 million salary cap in 2024. At its largest, it's a $26.1 million increase."
Zach Orr Named to The Athletic's NFL 50 Under 40 Club
Zach Orr's defense had a slow start in his first season as coordinator, but no unit was playing better than the Ravens' at the end of the season.
For the impact he made this past season and his potential to grow as a coach, the 32-year-old Orr was named to The Athletic's NFL 50 Under 40.
"The departure of Mike Macdonald to Seattle put Orr in the spotlight as the Ravens' new defensive coordinator in 2024," The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue and Mike Jones wrote. "Less discussed? The Ravens also lost multiple position coaches, including Anthony Weaver and Dennard Wilson and Orr's job was to smooth over those significant gaps within a scheme known for its complexity to newcomers.
"Orr, a former Ravens linebacker, kept fiddling with position changes and adjustments while growing with his new assistants — and the defense markedly improved down the backstretch of the season."
Ravens Urged to Pursue All-Pro Safety in Free Agency
The Ravens could be in the market for a veteran safety this offseason, and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox said the San Francisco 49ers' Talanoa Hufanga would be a good fit.
"The list of teams that wouldn't benefit from adding Hufanga is quite short. The Ravens should be near the list of teams interested in adding him," Knox wrote. "Baltimore had typically used a three-safety rotation in its secondary but lost Geno Stone last offseason and benched Marcus Williams late in 2024.
"Partnering Hufanga with standout Kyle Hamilton could create a nightmare for opposing offenses."
Hufanga was an All-Pro selection in 2022 but suffered a torn ACL in 2023 and missed 10 games this past season due to torn ligaments in his wrist.
"Injury questions aside, there's a lot to like about Hufanga," Knox wrote. "He's fast, physical and possesses a knack for being in the right place at the right time. When fully healthy in 2022, he recorded two forced fumbles, four interceptions and five tackles for loss."
