Grading The Recent Ravens Free-Agent Signings
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Spring is on the way and football season is in the rearview mirror, but as the weather is warming up so too are NFL offseason transactions.
The Baltimore Ravens have been at the forefront of some of the most recent moves, and all under the new leadership of general manager Eric DeCosta.
Fans who bleed black and purple were not happy with some of the early offseason moves made by DeCosta.
DeCosta began the offseason by cutting six-time Pro Bowler Eric Weddle, and losing seven-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion Terrell Suggs to free agency.
To top off the list of defensive talent to depart from Baltimore, linebacker C.J. Mosley signed a five-year $85 million contract with the New York Jets.
But DeCosta eased some of the anxiety that Ravens fans were feeling with two free-agent signings this week.
He replaced one Pro Bowl safety with another by signing free-agent Earl Thomas.
The 29-year-old played nine seasons in Seattle in which he tallied 479 tackles, 28 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles.
GRADE: B
Thomas is certainly a step faster than Weddle, who is getting up there in age. He will also be a physical presence on the field which the Ravens seemed to lack last season. There is no doubting that Thomas will perform at a high-level every snap next year, but will he be a leader on and off the field like Weddle? Ravens fans will have to wait to find out.
DeCosta also signed free-agent running back Mark Ingram.
The former standout at the University of Alabama was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2011 where he spent the past eight years of his career.
Ingram racked up 1,321 yards on the ground and 55 touchdowns in his time in the Big Easy.
GRADE: A-
Ingram is a great edition to the Ravens' backfield. Not only is he a threat carrying the ball, but he will be a great checkdown option for Lamar Jackson. Ingram has a career 228 receptions and five receiving touchdowns. The Ravens have not had a topnotch dual-threat back since Ray Rice in 2013.
Only time will tell how the DeCosta moves panned out for the Ravens.
The team now knows its opponents for 2019, but will have to wait for the schedule to be finalized before knowing when its first game of the season will be.
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