Ravens free agency tracker 2023: Special teams standout Del’Shawn Phillips reportedly returns to Ravens

Welcome to the Ravens’ free-agency tracker, which will be updated throughout the offseason.

With the NFL’s new league year beginning Wednesday at 4 p.m., teams can officially announce signings and trades. Here’s a rundown of who the Ravens have agreed to sign, who they’ve lost and who’s still on the open market:

Free agent additions

Del’Shawn Phillips: The 26-year-old linebacker, who was a solid performer on special teams for the Ravens last season, is returning to Baltimore on a one-year deal, according to The Athletic.

A former undrafted free agent out of Illinois who also spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, Phillips was an unrestricted free agent after the Ravens didn’t tender him.

Last season, Phillips, whom the Ravens claimed off waivers from the Jets last August, appeared in 16 games, tallying five tackles, including three solo. He had only one snap on defense last year.

Running back Justice Hill: The 25-year-old running back, whom the Ravens drafted out of Oklahoma State in the fourth round in 2019, is re-signing with Baltimore on a two-year, $4.5 million deal that could be worth as much as $5 million, his agent Andrew Kessler confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.

Hill, who missed all of 2021 with a torn Achilles tendon, had his most productive year last season, with 262 yards on 49 carries to go with 12 catches for 58 yards in a career-best 15 games. He was also a significant part of Baltimore’s special teams, which included kick return duties.

Cornerback Trayvon Mullen: The 25-year-old cornerback — who was claimed off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys in January and is a cousin of quarterback Lamar Jackson’s — has agreed to a one-year deal, his agent Kevin Conner confirmed to The Baltimore Sun. No other terms were disclosed.

Mullen, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound corner who was the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the 2019 College Football Playoff national championship game, had 134 tackles, four interceptions and 28 passes defended in 37 games for the Raiders.

Free agent losses

Guard-center Trystan Colon: The New York Jets signed the 24-year-old former undrafted free agent to a one-year deal, Colon’s agent Andy Ross confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Friday. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The third-year player out of Missouri was a restricted free agent but wasn’t tendered by the Ravens, so he was free to sign with another team.

The 6-foot-6, 313-pound Colon spent the past three seasons in Baltimore, where he played in 20 games, including four starts. After playing in a dozen games in 2021, he was active for just six games last season and played 49 snaps, 47 of which came in his lone start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13.

Colon’s departure marks the second along the offensive line in recent days after guard Ben Powers signed a four-year, $52 million free-agent deal with the Denver Broncos.

Tight end Josh Oliver: The 25-year-old who spent the last two seasons in Baltimore and was one of team’s most improved players last season agreed to a three-year, $21 million deal with the Vikings on Monday, a source confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.

A third-round pick by the Jaguars in 2019 who was traded to the Ravens in March 2021, Oliver played in all 17 games last season, starting nine of them. In addition to being one of the league’s better blockers, he also caught 14 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

In return, the Ravens are in line to get a compensatory sixth-round draft pick in 2024, per a formula that takes into account a player’s average salary per year, playing time and awards. Compensatory picks won’t become official until next March.

With three-time Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews and 2022 fourth-round picks Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar expected to feature more next season, Oliver became expendable for the Ravens given their lack of cap space.

Left guard Ben Powers: After surprisingly winning the starting job last season and grading out as one of the NFL’s best blocking guards, the 2019 fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma cashed in, agreeing to a four-year, $52 million deal with the Broncos, according to multiple reports.

The deal makes Powers one of the league’s highest-paid players at the position for a Broncos team that is looking to rebound from a dismal 5-12 campaign last season.

It also became evident that the Ravens would be unlikely to afford the 26-year-old, with general manager Eric DeCosta admitting as much in January.

Baltimore is set up to get a compensatory fourth-round draft pick in 2024 after losing Powers. It also means their starting left guard job could be up for grabs this summer, with 2021 third-third pick Ben Cleveland having struggled with injuries and conditioning and restricted free agent Trystan Colon more natural at center.

Notable moves

• The Ravens applied the nonexclusive franchise tag to Lamar Jackson last week, keeping their star quarterback off the free agent market but giving him an opportunity to pursue a contract with another team. Baltimore will have five days to match any offer sheet Jackson signs, or they could let him walk and receive two first-round draft picks in exchange. The nonexclusive tag is about $32.4 million, and the move does not preclude the Ravens from signing Jackson, 26, to an extension before a July 17 deadline. It seems to indicate they are confident they could match any offer he receives from another team. Jackson is the eighth player in Ravens history to be franchise-tagged, and several of his predecessors, most recently outside linebacker Matthew Judon in 2020, have played full seasons under the tag. But the Ravens have never been in this position with a quarterback.
• The Ravens cut veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell, creating $7 million in cap savings. Though the 36-year-old defensive lineman announced last month that he would return for a 16th season in the league, the move was not a surprising one. Campbell, who was under contract for one more season, had a $9.4 million cap hit in 2023 and was scheduled to earn a $2 million roster bonus and $4.5 million in salary. He was one of the league’s most consistent defensive linemen last season and has long been a respected voice in the locker room.
• The Ravens placed a right of first refusal tender on restricted free agent Tyler Huntley, meaning another team can sign the quarterback to an offer sheet but the team doesn’t get any compensation if they don’t match it. If Huntley plays on the low RFA tender, he’ll stand to make $2.67 million this year.
• The Ravens did not offer a qualifying offer or minimum tender to five players, making them unrestricted free agents: All-Pro long snapper Nick Moore, safety Geno Stone, inside linebacker Kristian Welch and Del’Shawn Phillips and center Trystan Colon.
• The Ravens announced in February that they re-signed defensive end Brent Urban and cornerback Daryl Worley, both veterans who were headed for free agency.

Unrestricted free agents

Running back: Kenyan Drake

Wide receiver: Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson

Offensive line: Ja’Wuan James

Inside linebacker: Kristian Welch

Outside linebacker: Justin Houston, Jason Pierre-Paul, Steven Means, Vince Biegel

Cornerback: Marcus Peters, Kyle Fuller, Kevon Seymour

Safety: Geno Stone

Long snapper: Nick Moore

Exclusive rights free agents

Safety: Ar’Darius Washington

()

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/OAqbdxk