Ravens On Verge of Losing Two Biggest Stars
PITTSBURGH -- The Baltimore Ravens could make the AFC North much easier for teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, and at the early stages of the offseason, it feels like this team is slipping.
The Ravens are the hottest topic of conversation when it comes to the quarterback market, as they have no idea what to do with Lamar Jackson. Some believe the team will franchise tag him, which could open the door for another team to make a trade. What it doesn't feel like, is that a long-term deal is going to secure the former MVP to Baltimore for the long haul.
If Jackson is gone, the Ravens don't have a backup plan. At least not right now. And without a true wide receiver star, it's hard to imagine one of the star veterans on the market is going to look at Baltimore as their top choice this season.
You lose Jackson and your offense takes a major blow. Yes, Tyler Huntley did what was needed to keep a game with the Cincinnati Bengals close, but anyone who truly believes he's a fulltime starter hasn't watched enough Jackson-less Ravens games.
Then, there's the defensive side of the ball. Everything seemed great, and really, the Ravens wouldn't lose much. Marcus Peters, Germaine Pratt, Kyle Fuller, Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Houston highlight the defensive players heading to the open market, all reasonably replaceable or re-signable.
However, there's now a bigger name - much bigger name - who wants out.
Inside linebacker Patrick Queen was the team's first round draft pick in 2020, but it appears he's looking for a way out of Baltimore. He recently deleted all of his Ravens activity and pictures from his social media accounts and is giving hints he might want out this offseason.
Queen was named the Ravens' most-improved player in 2022, at Pro Football Focus, after recording 117 tackles, five sacks, nine tackles for loss and two interceptions.
The Ravens would still have Roquon Smith, but it's a tough argument to make for anyone to justify it "being okay" to lose Queen.
Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals kept an unprecedented amount of their coaching staff and the Cleveland Browns are looking for better days with Deshaun Watson.
For the Steelers, they're filling their voids and looking to turn Kenny Pickett's second year into a successful one. That gets a lot easier with Baltimore losing two of their biggest stars.
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