Two Ravens Free Agent Defenders Who Could Return in 2026

Several potentially-departing Baltimore Ravens may end up aiding the squad's offseason effort.

Oct 13, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Spectzatord reflect off Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy (53) mask before the game against the Washington Commanders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens haven't considered themselves as big-game free agent hunters over the course of the Lamar Jackson era, let alone their franchise's relatively-short history. They've built their brand by developing through the draft, but this ongoing offseason of dramatic change has already looked to test which of the Ravens' core values will prevail through the changing of the guard.

Jesse Minter is here to guide Baltimore's sideline of the future, a first-time head coach set on restoring the defensive-minded game plan that once put Jackson and friends in the best-possible position to collect their first championship and the organization's third. Minter is all-in on building an all-new defensive line and secondary in his image, and it'll be up to him and the front office to determine which potentially-walking free agents will factor into Minter's vision.

The Ravens' edge rushing corps was already held together by duct tape and Band-Aids when the coach arrived shortly following their ugly departure from the regular season, and while neither veteran defensive ends Kyle Van Noy nor Dre'Mont Jones profile as long-term building blocks, Baltimore will have to choose whether to go on with the impactful sack threats.

Neither are projected to clean up as available free agents, each ringing in as lower-end options on Bill Barnwell's ranking of the best guys on the market. While Jones, a midseason pickup who made an immediate impact upon joining the Ravens for the back half of 2025, is considered somewhere between a borderline starter and a high-end backup, ESPN's man sees Van Noy as a pure backup by this point in his career who'll still be expected to entertain guaranteed suitors.

Nov 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Dre'Mont Jones (41) greets fans prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

How Should the Ravens Approach Free Agency?

While Jones sustained as a popular Raven over his short stint, and Van Noy continued on as a fan-favorite veteran, they'd each register as understandable walk candidates over the coming weeks. Van Noy, specifically, will be 35 years old by the start of his next season, and as exciting as his surprise 12.5 sack season was in 2024, the mere two quarterback takedowns he posted over his most recent schedule revealed how dependent he is on his teammates at his age.

The Ravens, already saddled with Tyler Linderbaum's free agency and the ongoing desire to make Jackson's job as easy as possible in transitioning between offensive play-callers, will see anything short of retaining the star center as a second-tier concern. They'll likely make bids at the veterans if the money's right, and as much as they mean to Baltimore, won't break the bank to maintain continuity.

The teams of the early-mid 2020s are no more. Minter will be sure to deploy different, more hands-on strategies in healing the hurting defense, and he's made it work at past stops without the need for superstar talent on his preferred side of the ball. Name-brand talent would help, but workers like Van Noy and Jones likely remain far from the top of Baltimore's list of offseason concerns.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!