Don't Sleep on Ravens Free Agency Start

The Baltimore Ravens haven't done much to start free agency, but things are looking smooth.

Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) celebrates with offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the third quarter of a 2024 AFC divisional round game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens haven't done a whole lot in the prelude to the official start of free agency, but they are still viewing the offseason as a positive.

CBS Sports analysts Tyler Sullivan and Jordan Dajani graded the Ravens offseason thus far and gave Baltimore a "B" for its efforts.

"For a minute, it looked like Ronnie Stanley was going to hit the open market, creating an even tougher avenue for the Ravens to retain him," CBS Sports writes.

"However, the club was able to strike a deal with the star left tackle before the negotiating window opened up, which was a major win for the Baltimore front office. The team did lose versatile offensive lineman Patrick Mekari and cornerback Brandon Stephens, but being able to keep Lamar Jackson's blindside protected makes those departures sting a bit less. Hopkins is an interesting addition to the Ravens' receivers room. He's not the same All-Pro player he once was, but he's absolutely reliable."

The Ravens' only outside addition going into the morning of the first day of the league year is wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who played for the Tennessee Titans before a trade to the Kansas City Chiefs in October.

Baltimore also completed its biggest task of free agency by retaining Stanley, and that is the main reason behind the positive grade.

Mekari signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Stephens joining the New York Jets keep the Ravens offseason grade from being an "A."

The Ravens are armed with 11 draft picks, so they won't have a huge free agency agenda. They shouldn't be expected to do a whole lot more than what's happened, but with so much change going around the league, front offices have to be on their toes at all times.

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