Mink: Baltimore feels it has its starting five already with Andrew Vorhees fully capable of stepping in at left guard. They want to give Vorhees a good competition this summer, but he's the leader for the job. I don't think the Ravens feel they need to invest a high draft pick, such as what would be needed to get Tyler Booker, Gray Zabel, or Donovon Jackson, to find a plug-and-play guard because that's how they view Vorhees, who started the first three games last season before suffering an ankle injury.
However, the loss of Patrick Mekari has the biggest ripple effect of any of Baltimore's free agency departures because he played so many positions. The Ravens got Brandon Stephens' replacement by signing Chidobe Awuzie. Replacing Mekari is more layered because he was also a valuable backup left and right tackle and the Ravens also lost offensive tackle Josh Jones (Seattle) in free agency. Thus, Baltimore will need to add more depth at offensive tackle as well.
Perhaps the desire to add more guard competition, plus more depth at tackle, could lead the Ravens to draft a versatile first-round offensive lineman such as Zabel. And if they think any of the guards you mentioned are by far the best player available when they're on the clock, General Manager Eric DeCosta could always pull trigger and beef up the offensive line. That's never a bad investment. I just don't view the Ravens' need at guard/backup tackle as being in-line with needs at safety, outside linebacker, or even cornerback.
Also, the Ravens have a history of drafting mid-round guards and developing them to become eventual starters. The last time they drafted a guard in the first round was in 2007 with Ben Grubbs.
Brown: I think it's understandable if the Ravens stand pat until the draft.
They checked off many boxes re-signing Ronnie Stanley, Patrick Ricard, Tylan Wallace and Ben Cleveland, while acquiring DeAndre Hopkins, Cooper Rush, and Jake Hummel.
The recent signing of Awuzie was a key addition to the secondary after the loss of Stephens. Even if the Ravens still draft a corner, Awuzie brings a proven player at a crucial position.
DeCosta works tirelessly to upgrade every position, so another signing can't be ruled out. However, with 11 draft picks, Baltimore still has ammunition to address things you've mentioned like offensive line depth and special teams. Some of their rookies will surely play special teams and I'd expect them to draft at least one offensive lineman, if not two.
Another wrinkle to this is any signing after May 2 won't count towards the compensatory pick formula. With players like Stephens, Mekari, and Malik Harrison earning lucrative deals, the Ravens could wait to make more free agent moves in hopes of getting 2026 draft assets.
Perhaps they will sign a veteran safety at some point who would give Kyle Hamilton more freedom to take advantage of his All-Pro versatility, but with the Draft less than four weeks away, Baltimore is in a good spot with one of the NFL's strongest rosters.
Mink: It's entirely possible that the Ravens draft a defensive tackle in the first round. Yes, they need to replace Michael Pierce, but I think this is less about finding another block-eating, run-stopping nose tackle and more about finding a disruptive force that can take the defensive line to another level.
That's the kind of impact that Oregon's Derrick Harmon or Ole Miss' Walter Nolen – two defensive line prospects who may be in the Ravens' range with the 27th-overall pick – could have. Harmon had five sacks and 11 tackles for loss last season for the Ducks. Nolen posted 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. Massive Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant is more of a run-stopping monster who is developing his pass rush game.
The Ravens tried to trade for Calais Campbell at last year's deadline and were reportedly among several teams interested in signing him this offseason. He ended up going back to the Arizona Cardinals, the team that originally drafted him. Either way, it shows the Ravens' interest in adding a game-changing piece to their defensive line.
Baltimore had the second-most sacks (54) in the league last season. Of those, 12.5 came from the defensive line. If the Ravens add a dynamic rookie talent, it could help Nnamdi Madubuike get back to his 2023 production and help the pass rush across the board by creating more havoc and push up the middle. The Eagles' defensive tackles proved their value last season en route to the Super Bowl and the Ravens would love a similar attack.
Brown: It's clear there are fans who would welcome a reunion between the Ravens and Matthew Judon, who had 34.5 sacks in five seasons with Baltimore, making the Pro Bowl twice.
With 72 career sacks, he has a proven resume as a pass rusher. He's also been durable, playing at least 16 games in seven of his nine seasons.
However, the New England Patriots couldn't reach contract terms with Judon in 2024 before trading him to the Atlanta Falcons. He had 5.5 sacks with Atlanta in 17 games, his lowest full-season output since he had four sacks as a rookie.
Judon still being available indicates that he hasn't received the kind of offer he's looking for, and some teams may believe he's past his prime. His return to Baltimore would make for an interesting story, but Judon is likely to take the highest offer, and I'm not sure the Ravens have the cap space to make that happen. I think the odds favor him landing elsewhere.
