The Baltimore Ravens have done a great job at building up depth at many of their positions during the 2022 offseason. They’ve signed multiple players, secured a very talented draft class, and made sure that they’re doing what they can to prevent a year like 2021 that was filled with so many injuries that resulted in players playing multiple spots up on the depth chart.
Although the team has multiple quality contributors at all of the positions on their roster, there are a few that lack the depth that others have. One of those is pass rusher, where the team faces a bit of uncertainty due to the recoveries of outside linebackers Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo from torn achilles injuries.
There are still a few good pass rushing options on the free agent market who Baltimore could choose to bring in if they feel like they’re a good fit both on and off of the field. On Thursday, pass rusher Jason-Pierre Paul visited the team, and many were excited about the potential of him bringing his talents to the Ravens.
Across 12 NFL seasons with both the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pierre-Paul has totaled 603 tackles, 91.5 sacks and 21 forced fumbles. He played primarily as a defensive end in New York, but once he arrived in Tampa Bay he began to play outside linebacker, so he does have a bit of the positional versatility that Baltimore values.
The three-time Pro Bowler is a very disruptive player, and if signed by the Ravens would provide a steady veteran presence both on and off of the field as a pass rusher. He would also come with plenty of experience, something that Baltimore doesn’t have a lot of at outside linebacker at the moment with Justin Houston and Pernell McPhee still on the free agent market.
Pierre-Paul is one of the better players still available on the free agent market, but his value might not be as high as some might think, as his 2021 season was marred by an injury, causing him to finish the year with just 2.5 sacks. Adding Pierre-Paul on a cheap one-year deal that could possibly allow the veteran to hit free agency again in 2023 seems like it would benefit both sides, as the Ravens would add a proven player at a position of need while the pass rusher would get the opportunity to rebuild some of his value that was lost during his injury-filled season last year.