Justin Madubuike Says Baltimore Is ‘Home,’ But ‘Business Is Business’

After Justin Madubuike’s breakout season, conserving the All-Pro defensive sort out in Baltimore is arguably the Ravens’ high offseason precedence.

Madubuike, who is ready to change into an unrestricted free agent and land a profitable contract, spoke with NFL.com on the Pro Bowl over the weekend about his future.

“In phrases of Baltimore, man, that is house,” mentioned Madubuike, a third-round choose of the Ravens in 2020. “But, , enterprise is enterprise, and that facet goes to deal with itself.” Madubuike added that in the case of negotiations, he is “letting my agent fear about that.”

Madubuike, who led all defensive tackles with 13 sacks this season, spoke fondly concerning the 2023 Ravens, who’ve 29 pending free brokers.

“We had a helluva yr,” Madubuike mentioned. “We had been really a particular group. This was a particular group. We had lots of guys that not solely cherished enjoying with one another when it comes to simply soccer, however we cherished simply being round one another. Hopefully, we are able to maintain as a lot guys as we are able to, nevertheless it’s a enterprise, individuals gotta go the place they gotta go. It was a particular workforce. We ought to’ve went all the way in which. We got here up brief, it stings.”

When General Manager Eric DeCosta was requested about negotiations with Madubuike on the Ravens’ finish of season press convention final week, he mentioned “we’ll have a very good plan in place.”

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra mentioned it is crucial that the Ravens deliver again Madubuike.

“With top-paid DTs like Quinnen Williams and Jeffery Simmons not too long ago touchdown contracts price greater than $90 million, the Ravens may use the franchise tag (projected to be roughly $20 million, per Over the Cap) as a placeholder to make sure Madubuike would not depart Baltimore in 2024,” Patra wrote. “Retaining the DT may imply shedding a participant like Patrick Queen, however that is the price of doing enterprise.”

While there figures to be appreciable turnover on the Ravens’ roster, there are a variety of gifted gamers returning.

The Baltimore Banner’s Kyle Goon recognized eight gamers who can step up in 2024 and divided them into tiers. Here’s a have a look at at the least one participant from every tier:

Tier 1: Still-surging stars

“What cannot Kyle Hamilton do? This season, that was tough to reply, as he was top-of-the-line cowl safeties within the NFL, blew up screens and sacked quarterbacks. The space Hamilton must develop essentially the most in, in line with Pro Football Focus, is stopping the run, and he additionally had a pair nagging accidents that had been the one actual factor that might maintain him off the sphere. Another yr in an NFL energy program may assist each areas. It’s unclear what Geno Stone’s future is, and Marcus Williams struggled via a lot of the season with a pectoral harm. Hamilton is the force-multiplier that the Ravens protection wants within the secondary. He’s a special participant than Ed Reed, however he has the identical game-breaking affect when he is at his greatest.”

Tier 2: Upward trajectory

“It’s now fairly apparent that Isaiah Likely has expertise. The largest query stays how the Ravens get essentially the most out of it. Mark Andrews and Likely thrived within the beginning function, however once they had been each on the sphere, it did not appear there have been sufficient passes to go round. On the depth chart, Andrews is a extra established playmaker, a greater blocker and (after all) higher paid. It’s going to be onerous, nonetheless, for Likely to beat him out for reps in one-TE packages. But Likely’s aerial capability and comfortable palms must depend for one thing — he is presumably the third-best receiver returning subsequent season. It’ll be on Todd Monken (and Lamar Jackson, frankly) to determine learn how to maintain Likely sizzling even when Andrews is wholesome.”

“Since he was drafted, inside linebacker Trenton Simpson was shortly penciled in because the presumptive alternative for Patrick Queen, cleats that now appear even bigger to fill than final spring. DeCosta suggesting Queen can have the prospect to check free company felt like an acknowledgement that the Ravens do not even have the cap area to deliver him again. Simpson did not have an enormous function this season, however within the final common season sport in opposition to the Steelers, he performed properly — notably incomes attaboys from even Queen himself. While we now have but to see how [new Defensive Coordinator] Zach Orr will change this protection, you may guess the previous inside linebackers coach will proceed to place a ton of accountability on that place group. If Simpson will get the nod to start out subsequent yr, he’ll must be prepared for an entire lot extra on his plate.”

Tier 3: Waiting within the wings

“On the offensive line, there are just a few candidates, nevertheless it appears apropos to remind of us a couple of seventh-round draft choose who was nearly a footnote final spring: former USC lineman Andrew Vorhees. After struggling an ACL tear within the predraft course of, Vorhees fell from a doable second-day choose to the Ravens, who traded again within the draft to get him. He was a longtime starter for the Trojans and his scouting profile displays a essentially sound blocker. There are massive questions at guard, with Kevin Zeitler up within the air and John Simpson (who had a strong season) not essentially a lock because the long-term reply. We have not heard a lot about Vorhees within the final yr, however it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the 2023 draft choose may be capable of make a splash in camp.”

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox checked out six potential cap casualties and which groups might be a very good match.

Among them was Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack, and the Ravens had been talked about as a possible touchdown spot if he turns into out there.

“Mack continues to be a incredible participant, even within the later levels of his profession,” Knox wrote. “He’ll flip 33 later this month, however he simply posted a career-high 17 sacks this previous season. Mack additionally tallied 74 tackles and 36 quarterback pressures in 2023. Mack can be a logical free-agent goal for nearly any workforce in want of pass-rushing assist. To get him at a discount, although, a workforce would probably have to supply the prospect to seek out postseason success—one thing that has eluded Mack throughout his 10-year enjoying profession. The eight-time Pro Bowler has by no means skilled a playoff victory.

“The Baltimore Ravens, who took a one-year flier on Jadeveon Clowney final offseason, may present Mack with the right pairing. Baltimore superior to the AFC title sport this previous season, and it’ll have a gap on the sting if it would not re-sign Clowney.”

With working backs J.Okay. Dobbins and Gus Edwards pending free brokers, there might be some new faces within the Ravens’ backfield subsequent season.

PFF’s Brad Spielberger named Baltimore as a possible touchdown spot for pending free agent working backs Derrick Henry, D’Andre Swift, and Zack Moss. Here’s what he mentioned about every of them:

“The Baltimore Ravens had been believed to be a high suitor of Henry’s at this yr’s commerce deadline, and he now comes out there with out them needing to surrender any draft capital. Zone learn with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry can be completely diabolical for defenses to cease, and Henry may push for a hoop on the again 9 of his profession, very similar to Odell Beckham Jr. did with Baltimore this previous season.”

Swift, Philadelphia Eagles

“The Ravens most likely did their homework on Swift once they took J.Okay. Dobbins about 20 picks later within the second spherical of the 2020 NFL Draft, and now Dobbins and Gus Edwards are free brokers whereas upshot rookie Keaton Mitchell is recovering from a ugly knee harm sustained late within the season.”

“Moss made essentially the most of his season with the Indianapolis Colts after Jonathan Taylor sat out for the primary month and in addition missed some extra time with harm afterward, forcing 0.2 missed tackles per try — a top-20 mark amongst working backs with at the least 100 carries. The Ravens’ run-heavy assault must make a number of additions if they do not swing for a much bigger goal, and so they have a ton of high contracts on the books along with a number of key free brokers.”

The Ravens are reportedly set to rent Michigan’s Doug Mallory to fill their emptiness at defensive backs coach.

Mallory, 59, labored as a defensive analyst below Jim Harbaugh at Michigan for the previous three seasons. He additionally was a defensive assistant for the 2016 Atlanta Falcons workforce that went to the Super Bowl. Mallory spent the vast majority of his teaching profession within the faculty ranks, together with a stint at Maryland (1997-2000) as defensive backs coach.

Mallory would exchange Dennard Wilson, who left the Ravens to change into the Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator.