Ravens named 'landing spot' for former No. 2 overall pick

The Ravens won't be able to be very active in free agency with just $16.63 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. 

However, they may be able to make one splash move, and Pro Football Focus' Brad Spielberger believes it could come in the form of a former No. 2 overall pick.

Spielberger named Baltimore a "landing spot" for edge-rusher Chase Young, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

"Young had a strong Super Bowl showing after a bit of a lackluster playoff run to that point, and it looks like a one-year mercenary deal may still be favorable before he looks to cash in on a multi-year contract," Spielberger writes. "Baltimore has cycled through these types of pass rushers in recent years."

The Ravens took a gamble on two veteran edge-rushers in 2023 and it worked out quite well. Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy had career years with Baltimore, combining for 18.5 sacks.

With both players set to become free agents and looking to cash in on their successful seasons, adding a player like Young could certainly play out similarly.

Young hasn't been the same player since 2020 when he was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, he may have had his second-best season in 2023, posting 25 tackles and 7.5 sacks with the Commanders and 49ers.

The 24-year-old is still expected to receive a half-decent payday this offseason — a one-year, $13M deal, according to Spotrac. However, that could turn out to be a steal like Clowney's and Van Noy's contracts were.

The Ravens do still have edge-rushers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo under contract, but both are unproven, combining for just six sacks in 2023. 

That's why throwing Young into the mix makes a ton of sense, especially if Baltimore can land him at a cheap price as it battles against the cap.