Limited salary cap space has left the Baltimore Ravens with little choice but to take a major risk about the future of breakout free agent Ar’Darius Washington.
The versatile safety, whose promotion to the starting lineup helped transform Baltimore’s defense last season, is a restricted free agent. He and the Ravens “couldn’t agree” on a new contract, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, so the franchise took the rare and risky step of giving Washington “the $3.263 million Right of First Refusal Tender. It means that if Washington signs an offer sheet with another team, the Ravens would have a chance to match it. If they don’t, they’d lose Washington for no compensation.
Seeing Washington depart without getting compensation would surely sting the Ravens and general manager Eric DeCosta. He is trying to navigate tricky waters with little resources, but DeCosta also understands the value of homegrown players who become stars in a Ravens uniform.
Washington fits the bill after a breakout campaign in 2024. His stellar performances have left him apparently frustrated and defiant about the Ravens not offering something better.
Ar’Darius Washington Reacts to Ravens Move
Intentional or not, the Ravens using a tender that would allow Washington to sign with another team without yielding compensation says something. It says that while he’s valuable, the Ravens consider Washington far from indispensable.
The 25-year-old sounds unfazed. At least based on his posts on ‘X.’ Washington posted “Bet” and “SOB all 2025 regardless” on March 9.
It’s not unreasonable for the Ravens to think they can do without Washington, since the former undrafted free agent only became a starter midway through last season. Yet, it’s equally natural for Washington to have expected more after the excellent football he put on tape last season.
His promotion, along with moving fellow safety Kyle Hamilton into deeper coverage, helped inspire a significant revival for the Ravens defensively.
The turnaround was described by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus back in December.
Possibly breaking up a partnership this effective is an obvious risk for the Ravens, but DeCosta has little choice. He entered 2025 NFL free agency lacking true walking around money and has since spent the bulk of what he had on maintaining and improving the supporting cast around quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Ravens Have Used Limited Cap Space in Other Areas
DeCosta has already extended the stay of Jackson’s All-Pro blindside protector, while also re-upping running back Derrick Henry’s lead-blocker, Patrick Ricard. Jackson will welcome those decisions, but the big move involved equipping him with a $6 million playmaker.
Those deals meant there was little money left over for Washington. The Ravens have just $2,210,626 worth of cap space remaining, per Spotrac.com.
It doesn’t leave DeCosta with a lot of options, but the lowly figure does bring the issue of defensive depth into focus. Especially when defensive backs Arthur Maulet and Marcus Williams have or will be released, while nose tackle Michael Pierce retired, per Zrebiec.
There are gaps still to fill at the level of depth, but Washington’s departure would leave a sizeable hole in the starting lineup. A hole tougher to countenance if the Ravens received nothing in return.
