The Baltimore Ravens and their general manager, Eric DeCosta, are expected to face challenging decisions during the upcoming 2024 offseason. The team’s salary cap situation presents a significant hurdle, potentially requiring them to make roster cuts in order to free up space for signing free agents.
Given the financial constraints, DeCosta will likely have to carefully analyze the roster and make tough choices about which players to release or restructure contracts for. This process will involve evaluating the team’s needs and priorities, weighing the performance and value of individual players, and considering the implications of each decision on the overall salary cap situation.
The Ravens will aim to balance their desire to retain key contributors while also addressing areas of need through free agency. It is a delicate balancing act that will require strategic maneuvering and careful financial management to optimize the team’s roster for the upcoming season.
According to Glenn Erby’s analysis on USA Today’s Ravens Wire, one potential move the Baltimore Ravens could make during the 2024 offseason to clear cap space is to either cut or trade Tyus Bowser. By parting ways with Bowser, the team could save $5.5 million in cap space while incurring a dead cap hit of $2 million. Erby points out that this move makes financial sense because Bowser has only one year remaining on his contract extension and carries a cap hit that is favorable to the team.
Tyus Bowser is currently entering the final season of his four-year, $22 million contract extension, which he signed during the 2021 offseason. Given the financial considerations and the potential for cap savings, Erby suggests that the Ravens may explore the possibility of moving on from Bowser to create additional flexibility in managing their salary cap.
Tyus Bowser’s Ravens Stint Falls Short of Expectations: Assessing His Underwhelming Career in Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens selected Tyus Bowser in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft from the University of Houston. The team had high expectations for Bowser as a linebacker, but as noted by Erby, his performance has been inconsistent since joining the Ravens.
Erby points out that in his first four seasons, Bowser never started more than two games. During this period, Bowser’s statistical output was also modest, with a career-high of 34 combined tackles over that span.
Initially, Bowser primarily contributed on special teams, and it wasn’t until 2020 that he saw an increased snap percentage on defense, reaching 51% of the defensive snaps. This indicates that his role and playing time gradually expanded as he gained more experience and the coaching staff gained confidence in his abilities.
The Ravens clearly still believed in the young linebacker following the 2020 season as they gave him a contract extension with a significant raise.
Bowser returned the favor by having the best season his career. Bowser lined up as the inside linebacker next to Patrick Queen and had 56 combined tackles, 7.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 15 quarterback hits.
It was by far the best career of his year, and he was playing 77% of the defensive snaps. However, he tore his Achilles in the season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Since that injury, “Bowser has played nine games since,” Erby writes. Bowser missed the start of the 2021 season due to his rehab and was unable to find his form once he returned.
He was only able to contribute 13 combined tackles in the nine games he played. The addition of Roquan Smith also limited the amount of playing time he would have.
Things did not get better for the linebacker as Erby explains, “Offseason knee surgery following the 2022 season caused Bowser to miss every game this past season [2023].”
Ravens’ Limited Cap Situation Puts Constraints on Offseason Moves
General Manager Eric DeCosta faces a daunting task this offseason, as the Baltimore Ravens have limited cap space to work with. According to OverTheCap, the team currently has only around $7.3 million in available cap space.
In addition to Glenn Erby’s suggestion of trading or cutting Tyus Bowser to create approximately $51 million in cap space, DeCosta will need to explore other potential moves to address the team’s financial situation.
The Ravens have a significant number of players set to become free agents after the Super Bowl, including key contributors such as defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, linebacker Patrick Queen, offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler, and outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney. These players had impressive seasons and are likely to attract considerable interest in free agency.
Other notable players like wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, and safety Geno Stone also require attention in terms of contract negotiations or finding suitable replacements.
The Ravens face the challenge of striking a balance between retaining their core players while also adding new pieces to push them past the AFC Championship game and closer to their Super Bowl aspirations.
