Trading for Maxx Crosby was a win, but Ravens still have much work to do
The fervor and fanfare that accompanied the Baltimore Ravens reaching a deal Friday night to acquire star pass rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders, a move that was surprising because it was so uncharacteristic of a draft-obsessed organization, was replaced Monday afternoon by the familiar feeling of dread. Who are the Ravens going to lose next? advertisement As abnormal as it was for the Ravens to trade two first-round picks for Crosby, what happened for a couple of hours Monday afternoon has become an annual March rite. It was just even harder to take this year because of how excited Ravens fans were after acquiring one of the league's best pass rushers. The wave of free agent departures began with outside linebacker Dre'Mont Jones, a trade acquisition by Baltimore last season, agreeing to a three-year, $39.5 million contract with the New England Patriots. His departure was largely expected after the Ravens acquired Crosby in a trade. Tight end Isaiah Likely became the second Raven to leave town, following coach John Harbaugh and joining the New York Giants on a three-year, $40 million contract. His departure stung a bit, but it was also anticipated as the Ravens made several attempts to re-sign Likely last year. When they couldn't get it done, they extended fellow tight end Mark Andrews. Punter Jordan Stout was next, as he and the Giants agreed to a three-year, $12.3 million contract. Stout, a 2022 fourth-round pick, parlayed a breakout season into the NFL's top punter contract. Suddenly, the Ravens were forced to add a punter to an already long list of needs. Then came the news that shook the Ravens the most, even after they began to accept it Sunday night. Center Tyler Linderbaum, who made the Pro Bowl three times in four years after the Ravens drafted him in the first round in 2022, left for Las Vegas. The Raiders agreed to pay him a staggering $81 million over three years, making him the highest-paid center in football by $9 million a year. The Ravens' final offer to Linderbaum was four years for $88 million, but it wasn't enough. Now they are looking for a new anchor for an offensive line under construction. advertisement The blows kept coming and one of them was self-induced. The Ravens decided not to offer a contract to speedy running back Keaton Mitchell. They could have used a $3.5 million original round bid or a $5.8 million second round bid. They deemed both too expensive, and now the offensive and special teams units are missing their fastest player. Valuable blocking tight end Charlie Kolar decided to accept a three-year, $24.3 million offer from the Los Angeles Chargers. The Ravens were interested in retaining him. Without him, they now have only one tight end, Andrews, on the roster. Versatile defensive back Ar'Darius Washington, believed to be a candidate to return at Baltimore's No. 3 safety spot, also headed to New York to join Harbaugh. The final blow of the day came when safety Alohi Gilman agreed to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year, $24.75 million contract. When Day 1 of the legal tampering period ended, the Ravens had lost arguably five of their top six free agents (fullback Patrick Ricard remains unsigned), Washington, Gilman and their only restricted free agent (Mitchell), while adding just one player. New York Jets guard John Simpson returned to Baltimore on a three-year, $30 million deal and became the expected starter at left guard. Around 3 p.m. ET on Monday, three hours after free agent representatives were “allowed” to negotiate deals for the first time, the Ravens had already maxed out with four projected compensatory picks for the 2027 draft. That was quick, even by their standards. To be clear,