This offseason could be pretty simple for the Ravens, but tougher calls loom in a year

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — As long as Lamar Jackson is healthy and playing at an MVP level, the Baltimore Ravens should have a chance to be good.

And if the players around the star quarterback are going to change significantly — that's more likely to happen in a year than right now.

“Not as many tough decisions this year, looking at it, which I’m thankful for,” general manager Eric DeCosta said Wednesday at the team's end-of-season news conference. “But obviously, as we look out, we’ll have some tough decisions after next season.”

DeCosta was talking about the tight end position, but that comment applies in many ways to the whole roster. The Ravens are expected to be able to put a similar team on the field next season after winning their second straight AFC North title and bowing out of the playoffs in the second round last weekend at Buffalo.

That's in contrast to a year ago, when Baltimore had to replace significant contributors on the offensive line, as well as at running back and linebacker.

Or two offseasons ago, when Jackson's long-term extension didn't fall into place until after the team used the franchise tag on him.

On the offensive line, there's uncertainty about whether Ronnie Stanley and Patrick Mekari will be back, but the Ravens replaced three starters from last season without adding a major free agent at the position, and that was largely a success.

“We made a tough call last year to go younger and have some younger guys play, and we knew we’d have a few growing pains. I think we had a few, but looking back on it, I think it was absolutely the right thing to do,” DeCosta said. “We are aware that we have some guys whose contracts are up, and we’ll look at that and certainly have some discussions with players. We’ll look at potentially bringing back our guys. We’ll look at the draft. We’ll look at free agency.”

DeCosta said the team would like to bring back fullback Patrick Ricard, a player who is probably far more valuable to the Ravens than to a lot of other teams. Receivers Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace and defensive back Brandon Stephens also are pending free agents.

The 2022 draft class is eligible for extensions now. That group includes two first-round picks who have become standouts — safety Kyle Hamilton and center Tyler Linderbaum. Plenty of other contributors — tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, linebacker David Ojabo, defensive tackle Travis Jones, guard Daniel Faalele and punter Jordan Stout — were selected that year and are now entering the final season of their rookie deals.

That's what could make next offseason more of a crunch for the Ravens than this one. After the 2025 season, running back Derrick Henry, tight end Mark Andrews, linebackers Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy and nose tackle Michael Pierce can become free agents.

DeCosta also talked a bit about a couple of moves that didn't pan out — signing safety Eddie Jackson before the season and trading for wide receiver Diontae Johnson in the middle of it. The Ravens ended up suspending Johnson, saying he refused to enter a game, and he's now set to be a free agent. Jackson was waived in November.

“Eddie was a two-time Pro Bowl safety earlier in his career, and it really comes down to probably I failed. This was a guy who didn’t really want to accept his role as a backup safety and a special teamer, and I understand that,” DeCosta said. “If I’m guilty of mistakes, it’s finding value but not always considering how that player is going to handle the situation that he’s being forced into. Eddie just wasn’t happy with his role. He wanted to play football.”

Still, this season included more good than bad, and the sense from DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh is that they believe this group is capable of advancing further in the playoffs than it did this year.

“We’re all disappointed. Our team is disappointed. We had higher aspirations, and we didn’t achieve those aspirations and goals, but I think it was a successful season,” DeCosta said. “I’m very proud of the team, the players, the coaches, support staff, everybody, and I’ve already moved on.”

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Noah Trister, The Associated Press