With the close of the NFL season now past, I don’t really know what to do with my life. There’s no football to watch, so now I’ll have to transition into full-time college basketball watching.
Of course, I’m a firm believer that there’s only an NFL offseason if you let there be an NFL offseason. That being said, I’m not allowing the lull from February to July bring me down. Besides, there’s always the NFL Draft, free agency, and trades that can be completed throughout the spring and summer.
We’ve got a few mock drafts out, so I’ll begin to examine the free agency class of 2016. I’ll inspect each teams free agents, and look at the players’ possible landing spots.
You can find the report on the AFC East here.
Baltimore Ravens, 5-11
Because specialists are people too, it seems fitting to start with the kicker position. Justin Tucker, a kicker at the age of 26, enters free agency as the second best kicker behind Mason Crosby. The Ravens recently place their franchise tag on Justin Tucker, so the kicker will be back in Baltimore next season.
The Ravens have a plethora of wide receivers to retain, and it starts with breakout pass catcher Kamar Aiken. Aiken, like Tucker, is 26, and still has plenty left in the tank. Aiken proved to be the only viable and consistent wideout in a sketchy Baltimore offense in 2015, so the Ravens must prioritize Aiken this spring.
Another offensive juggernaut that may leave Baltimore is offensive guard Kelechi Osemele. The Iowa State product was labeled by Pro Football Focus as the third best free agent guard in the 2016 class. The Ravens desperately need to keep Osemele in order to retain a solid offensive anchor in years to come.
Courtney Upshaw hasn’t lived up to his pre-draft hype, and he’s been a bit of a project for the Ravens since he entered the league in 2012. Upshaw didn’t have a great season in his contract year, meaning he probably won’t receive a high contract. Upshaw won’t be the top target for Baltimore, and the Ravens won’t be devastated to see him go.
Other Baltimore Free Agents: Chris Carter, Jimmy Clausen, Morgan Cox, Chris Givens, Albert McClellan, Kelechi Osemele, Allen Reisner, Matt Schaub, Justin Tucker, Courtney Upshaw, Shareece Wright
Don’t miss this: Cincinnati Bengals free agency, Pittsburgh Steelers free agency, Cleveland Browns free agency
