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The Baltimore Ravens made one of the more notable moves of the offseason by acquiring Trey Hendrickson, a proven pass rusher with a track record of production, but it's hard to please everyone. It appears that the move didn't move the needle for everyone. If the expectation was that the move alone would elevate their standing league-wide, hold those horses. One recent ranking suggests otherwise.
One of ESPN's best and brightest remains unimpressed, as, in a ranking of 2026 free-agent classes, Ben Solak slots only nine teams below the 23rd-placed Ravens. Here's some of what he said.
Uh oh! Well, don't panic yet, Ravens fans. At least Hendrickson hasn't lost his ability to get to the opposing quarterback. Still, Solak finishes this theory with a hot-and-cold ranking.
Adding insult to injury is the higher rankings given to the Ravens' AFC North rivals. The Pittsburgh Steelers topped the rankings, while the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns also finished ahead of Baltimore, at 19 and 21, respectively. No one should panic. NFL divisions haven't ever been won in March, and that figures not to be how the standings will work themselves out in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens snubbed in free-agency class ranking despite Hendrickson addition
Continue reading...
One of ESPN's best and brightest remains unimpressed, as, in a ranking of 2026 free-agent classes, Ben Solak slots only nine teams below the 23rd-placed Ravens. Here's some of what he said.
"Running to Hendrickson after missing out on Crosby. The Ravens are paying tippy-tippy-top of the market for a designated pass rusher in Hendrickson. Among 325 edge rusher seasons over the past three years, Hendrickson's run stop win rates rank 274th, 300th, and 302nd. New Ravens coach Jesse Minter is coming from Los Angeles, where premier run-defending edges Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack made his light boxes a lot more viable."
Uh oh! Well, don't panic yet, Ravens fans. At least Hendrickson hasn't lost his ability to get to the opposing quarterback. Still, Solak finishes this theory with a hot-and-cold ranking.
"Hendrickson will alleviate the Ravens' pass rusher problem, which has been a big issue for years, but I'm not sure he's an every-down player. Minter will need to scheme around him in a way Crosby would not have demanded."
Adding insult to injury is the higher rankings given to the Ravens' AFC North rivals. The Pittsburgh Steelers topped the rankings, while the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns also finished ahead of Baltimore, at 19 and 21, respectively. No one should panic. NFL divisions haven't ever been won in March, and that figures not to be how the standings will work themselves out in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens snubbed in free-agency class ranking despite Hendrickson addition
Continue reading...