The Ravens have been busy since winning Super Bowl XLVII a few months ago.
General Manager Ozzie Newsome has remade the roster, finding replacements for departed stars like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. He's also bolstered the defensive front, adding quality veterans to the interior of the line and a top-flight pass rusher in Elvis Dumervil.
And don't forget about re-signing franchise quarterback Joe Flacco.
Below is a closer look at some of the Ravens' key moves. Vote on your favorite in the poll to the right.
Re-Signing Quarterback Joe Flacco
The Ravens inked Flacco to a six-year deal a month after he was named the Super Bowl MVP. The contract made Flacco the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time and also allowed the Ravens to avoid having to use the franchise tag on him, which would have eaten up more than $20 million of the salary cap.
Singing Outside Linebacker Elvis Dumervil
The Ravens have been looking to add an elite pass rusher to pair with Terrell Suggs the last few years, and they jumped on that opportunity when Dumervil became available. Dumervil only hit the open market because of a bizarre fax fiasco that forced the Broncos to release him, and the Ravens quickly took advantage.
Signing Safety Michael Huff
The Oakland Raiders cut the former first-round pick as part of a salary cap purge, and the Ravens saw the veteran safety as someone who could help offset the loss of Reed. Huff can play safety and cornerback, and he most likely projects as the starting free safety this season.
Upgrading Defensive Line
Newsome said at the start of the offseason that improving the middle of the defense was a priority of the offseason. He accomplished that goal by adding veterans Marcus Spears and Chris Canty, who can play multiple positions and both have significant starting experience. They will be part of a rotation on the line that aims to get the Ravens back to a run-stuffing defense.
Re-Signing Left Tackle Bryant McKinnie
The Ravens bought insurance for Flacco by bringing back McKinnie to protect the quarterback's blind side. The veteran left tackle flirted with other teams before ultimately deciding to come back to Baltimore, and he said he's motivated to continue the dominant form he showed in the postseason.
Taking Safety Matt Elam in First Round
The Ravens stayed put with the final pick in the first round, and were still able to get their guy in Elam. The All-American safety is known as a big hitter with impressive ball skills, and he's likely to start at the strong safety spot that opened up when the Ravens cut Bernard Pollard.
Trading Up To Get Linebacker Arthur Brown
In the second round, the Ravens thought they would lose out on Brown if they didn't make a move. They traded up six spots to get the Kansas State linebacker, who could likely start alongside Jameel McClain.
