Ravens Free Agency Big Board: Top Targets at Every Position of Need

With both the legal tampering period for unrestricted free agents and the official start of the new league year just days away, it's time to set the table for the open market and which pool of talent the Baltimore Ravens will be shopping in to find ways to improve their roster and fill glaring holes ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Before making the blockbuster trade to acquire All Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby, general manager Eric DeCosta was slated to open the new league year with $18.5 million in cap space and projected just $8.1 million in effective cap space to work with per Over the Cap. Barring another long-term extension with franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson being struck or some other type of salary cap casualty or restructure in the coming days, he will have significantly less.

This year's free agent class isn't loaded with elite talent, which will naturally drive up the asking price for top veterans and borderline upper echelon, so the most the Ravens would likely be able to splurge on is one top free agent, forcing them to go shopping in the bargain bin section at their positions of need.

Here is a list of the players they could target to address each need, including one at or near the top of the market, followed by more affordable options. Since there is a surplus of wide receivers and safeties in both free agency and the draft, there will only be a couple of options listed for each.

Interior offensive line

Connor McGovern: In the event that the Ravens lose three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, they'll be in the market for a new anchor in the middle of their offensive line. Even if they don't lose their top free agent, the six-year veteran could still be a target for them at guard, as that is the position he started and played the bulk of his career at before making the conversion to center with the Buffalo Bills, where he was voted to his first Pro Bowl in 2024.

McGovern has experience playing all three interior spots in his career and is expected to command a three-year deal worth $16.3 million annually, according to Spotrac.

Lloyd Cushenberry: This six-year veteran would provide the Ravens with another and probably more attractive pivot option if they lose Linderbaum. Not only would he be much cheaper and a great schematic fit for what is expected to be an outside zone heavy system under their new offensive staff, but because he was released by the Tennessee Titans as a salary cap casualty, he won't impact the compensatory pick formula.

Cushenberry has played center his entire career, starting all 80 games he has appeared in, and is expected to garner a three-year deal worth just $7.1 million annually, per Spotrac, making him an excellent bargain bin target.

Wyatt Teller: The Ravens have a glaring need at guard and could be looking to find a new starter for both spots, and the three-time Pro Bowler would be an ideal fit. Not only is he familiar with the AFC North, having spent seven of his eight seasons in the league with the Cleveland Browns, but he's a great schematic fit as well, given that the most recent offense he played under Kevin Stefanski was outside zone-heavy as well, but Teller can still thrive in a power gap scheme as well. His projected contract per Spotrac is for three years and an annual average of $10.2 million.

Isaac Seumalo: Another familiar foe from a division rival with not only a Pro Bowl pedigree but has played in multiple Super Bowls, including winning one, and is expected to be even cheaper is this 10-year veteran. He most recently played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is only a season removed from his first career Pro Bowl bid, and is expected to receive a three-year deal that averages $9.6 million annually, per Spotrac.

John Simpson: Of the two former Ravens starting guards from the 2023 season that are slated to be free agents, this six-year veteran younger at 28 years old, would be cheaper to acquire and is more durable than Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler, who will be 36 by the time the new league year begins and hasn't played a full season since 2021 when he first arrived in Baltimore. Simpson plays with a nasty edge on the unit that Baltimore has been missing since he departed for the New York Jets two years ago, and he's only slated to command a one-year deal worth $6.3 million per Spotrac, but the Ravens could sweeten that with another year to bring his 2026 cap hit down

Outside linebacker

Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive end Leonard Floyd (56) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Leonard Floyd: Even after adding Crosby, the Ravens could still be looking to add more pass rush juice off the edge and this10-year veteran could be the Ravens' next seasoned edge defender who comes to Baltimore and has a resurgent season. Floyd recorded the second-fewest sacks of his career in 2025 after finishing with eight-plus in each of the previous five, and has reached 10.5 twice in his career. The 33-year-old comes with Super Bowl-winning experience, and according to Spotrac, could be had for a one-year deal worth just $8.9 million.

K'Lavon Chaisson: After failing to live up to his billing as a former first-round pick through his first four seasons, the 26-year-old has begun to realize more of his true potential over the past couple of years, setting new career-highs in sacks in each. Chaisson matched his career sack total with the Jacksonville Jaguars in his lone season with the Las Vegas Raiders, with five in 2024. He then topped that mark by finishing second on the AFC champion New England Patriots with 7.5 last year on the team's run to the Super Bowl.

Despite still being an ascending talent, he is only projected to receive a three-year deal worth $9 million annually per Spotrac.

Arden Key: As far as potent situational pass rushers go, this eight-year veteran is one of the better ones in the league, as his recorded four-plus sacks in each of his last five seasons. He most recently spent the past three seasons amassing 16.5 sacks for the Tennessee Titans, the last two of which were spent playing under former Ravens defensive assistant Dennard Wilson.

Set to 30 in May, the eight-year veteran is projected to garner a two-year deal that averages a modest $6.7 million, per Spotrac.

Interior defensive line

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence throws a pass as Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell rushes. — Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws a pass as Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell (93) defends during the first quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Calais Campbell: The Ravens have been trying to make this reunion with the future Hall of Famer happen for the past couple of seasons, as even into his late 30s, he has shown that he can still be a highly disruptive and productive interior presence. If he wants to saddle up for one last ride, returning to Baltimore makes the most sense for both parties, as the team has a glaring need and he has a desire to play for a contender.

Campbell has recorded at least five sacks in each of his last four seasons and reached 6.5 for the second time over that span in his return to the Arizona Cardinals last year. The 18-year veteran is expected to command a one-year deal worth $10.9 million, per Spotrac, which the Ravens could tack on void years to in order to lessen his 2026 cap hit.

John Franklin-Meyers: With the uncertainty surrounding the future of two-time Pro Bowler Nnamdi Madubuike and his neck injury, the Ravens need another penetrating three-technique to boost their interior pass rush, and the unheralded member of what has been an elite Denver Broncos defense the past two seasons could be just the man for the job. He has recorded seven-plus sacks in back-to-back years, is stout against the run, and while he's only projected to command an average annual salary of $7.9 million by Spotrac, the scarcity of high-end talent at the position, barring some reported cuts, his asking price could move North of $10 million.

Sheldon Rankins: The 31-year-old veteran has played on several elite defenses during his decade in the league, including with the Houston Texans in two of the last three seasons. Last year, he was able to put some of his recent injury woes behind him, playing in all 17 games and recording three sacks in the regular season and another 1.5 in the playoffs. He is slated to earn a one-year contract worth $7.5 million, per Spotrac, which would be a good value signing.

Da'shawn Hand: Over the past two seasons, this eight-year veteran has played under Weaver in 2024 and new Ravens head coach Jessie Minter most recently in 2025. He enjoyed the most success of his career since his rookie year with the Los Angeles Chargers last year, making a career-high 13 starts and recording 1.5 sacks and a career-best five quarterback hits. Hand is a quality depth piece who, according to Spotrac, can be had for a one-year deal worth just 3.9 million.

Tim Settle: The 28-year-old veteran has been an impactful rotational interior presence and part-time starter through his first eight seasons in the league, displaying an underrated upside as a pass rusher with 15 career sacks, two-thirds of which came in a pair of five-sack seasons with the most recent of which came in 2024. Settle was a key depth piece on the Texans' elite defense the past two seasons, and the Ravens could ink him to a two-year deal worth $3.7 million annually, per Spotrac.

Wide receiver

Jauan Jennings: After spending the past two seasons as one of the most underrated wideouts in the game despite being one of the most complete, the five-year veteran is slated to be one of the top free agents at his position in this year's class. However, he still isn't projected to command anywhere near a top of the market deal with a projected annual average salary of $22.6 million on a three-year deal, per Spotrac.

Jennings is everything the Ravens are looking for in a receiver for their new-look offense under Declan Doyle, with how he makes plays with the ball in his hands, can be deployed on trick plays as a former quarterback his superb run-blocking. He came up just shy of his first 1,000 receiving yard season two years ago with a career-high 975 yards and posted a career-best nine touchdowns in 2025 for the San Fransisco 49ers.

Mike Evans: This would be the quintessential Ravens offseason signing of a notable veteran wide receiver coming off a down or injury-shortened season. It would follow a pattern that dates back to the days of Derrick Mason and continued with the likes of Steve Smith Sr., Miles Wallace, Sammy Watkins, Odell Beckham Jr., and DeAndre Hopkins, most recently this past season.

Evans was hampered by a hamstring injury and a concussion last year, limiting him to a career-low eight games and breaking his streak of consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards by finishing with just 368 yards. The 32-year-old future first-ballot Hall of Famer is slated to command a two-year deal that averages $13.3 million per Spotrac.

Safety

Alohi Gilman: Re-signing the sixth-year veteran makes too much sense not to happen after seeing the immediate impact he had on the Ravens' defense after being acquired via trade last season.

Given his background and in-depth knowledge of Minter's version of the scheme from his time with the Chargers and the fact that a deal with him is only slated to cost $4.1 million annually per Spotrac, this move would allow Kyle Hamilton to continue being optimized by keeping him paired up with his former college teammate and mentor in Gilman.

Geno Stone: If the Ravens opt to go in a different direction to fill the vital role in their defense, this reunion would also make a lot of sense because the sixth-year didn't just previously hold it but had the best season of his career in it.

Before he defected to go play for Baltimore's division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, two years ago, Stone led the AFC with a career-high seven interceptions. Even though he didn't have the same level of success during his short-lived stint with the Bengals, he still recorded six interceptions, 10 pass breakups and a pair of pick-sixes over that span.

Stone is slated to garner a one-year deal worth $7.6 million, per Spotrac, and is one of Minter's proudest success stories from his time assisting the scouting department during his first stint with the team as a defensive backs coach.

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