Ravens Will Try to 'Eliminate Some Holes' Leading Up to Draft

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens were able to solve some challenges on the current rosier roster with the additions of safety Marcus Williams, offensive tackle Morgan Moses and defensive tackle Michael Pierce.

However, there is still plenty of work ahead of GM Eric DeCosta.

The Ravens still need depth in the trenches, help in the secondary, and an effective pass rusher.

DeCosta has not ruled out making more moves in free agency. However, the Ravens plug more holes with 10 picks in the upcoming draft, including the 14th overall pick.

"That’s definitely part of the process," GM Eric DeCosta said. "We think of the offseason as a bunch of different roads that you can take, and I think to get to your destination, the more roads you can eliminate before the Draft, the easier it is to pick the best available player. You never want to be in a position, I think, as a drafter, where you’re specifically drafting every pick need-based. So, the way that we envision it is we have a bunch of different holes; we try to fill some. You can’t fill them all in free agency – the cost is prohibitive.

"But you try to eliminate some holes, and then you really laser focus with the Draft, trying to assess the talent and then find the best possible players at the positions you need who are the best position players available at the time.”

The Ravens made an aggressive offer to free-agent linebacker Bobby Wagner, but he opted to stay on the West Coast and signed with the Los Angeles Rams. Wagner would have been a good fit for the Ravens system.

The free-agent market has already grown thin, so the draft might be the best way to improve the team. However, the team will need several plug-and-play guys to keep the team competitive.

However, Baltimore has already put itself in a position to improve on last year's 8-9 record, especially if the Ravens can stay healthy.