Outside the Baltimore Ravens facility, everyone said the team's biggest needs were the offensive line, defensive line and pass rush. No one should be surprised that the first free-agent addition of the Ravens was safety Marcus Williams. Our inability to create turnovers was probably an issue for us, and I would love to see us make the play this year. A source told Jeremy Fowler that the Ravens reached an agreement with Williams on a five-year deal worth $70 million. The key to a dramatic change in pass defense could be beating out the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. Baltimore gave up the most passing yards in the league and the most touchdown passes. Tracking signings, cuts, trades and more.
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On the second day of free agency, the Ravens can make the argument that they have the best secondary in the league. This should be the top defensive backfield in football. Over the last three years, Baltimore has spent $108 million in guaranteed money on Williams, Humphrey, Peters, and Clark.
Who is to blame for the Ravens? Their path to the Super Bowl goes through a loaded quarterback field that includes Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson and Justin Herbert. If the Ravens want to get past the divisional round for the first time in five years, they need the players to lock down in coverage.
The return of Humphrey and Peters, both of whom missed a lot of games last season, will make Baltimore better. Humphrey has forced nine turnovers in the past two seasons. Since 2015, Peters has picked off the ball 31 times, the most in the league.
With the physical presence of Clark at safety, the missing piece was a ball-hawking safety like Williams, who has totaled 15 interceptions and broken up 38 passes in his five-year career. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Williams has been dangerous to opposing quarterbacks since the beginning of the year, making a play on the ball on a league-best 27.6% of his targets. That is a significant upgrade for the Ravens, who finished with nine turnovers last season, the second-fewest in franchise history.
When someone makes a play to seal the win, the Ravens want the defense to step up. Baltimore has lost 10 games by six points or less in the last two seasons. Baltimore has allowed 20 touchdown passes and recorded three fourth quarter turnovers.
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It's fair to wonder why Baltimore didn't make an offensive tackle or a pass-rusher. The Ravens gave up a franchise-record 57 sacks, and they haven't had anyone produce double-digit sacks in a year. The offensive tackle was signed by Baltimore later Tuesday night.
This was a deal that DeCosta couldn't pass up. The Ravens are getting Williams, the highest-graded safety by Pro Football Focus since the beginning of the year, at 14 million per season, which is seventh among all safeties. Williams has only been out for five times in his five-year career.
The Ravens are deviating from their free agency formula. At this time of year, Baltimore doesn't make a lot of splashes. The Ravens usually spend a lot on safeties when it happens. For a defense that had Ed Reed roaming deep downfield, it feels like the Ravens have been on an endless search for another centerfielder.
One of the team's biggest free-agent busts was Thomas, while a Pro Bowl player was Weddle. All of them were cut before their deals expired.
There will be questions on why Baltimore didn't use its limited cap space elsewhere if Williams is a difference-maker.
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