![\"Malcolm](\"https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/X-sneaky-good-NFL-free-agents-Ravens-need-to-sign.jpg?w=1200\")
<\/p>\nAfter a 12-5 season ended in bitter disappointment, the Ravens have set their sights on finishing the deal this season. And one of the best ways they could do that is to get better on the edge.<\/p>\n
So that\u2019s where our journey starts.<\/p>\n
Raiders Malcolm Koonce a nice fit for Ravens<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"Denver](\"https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Las-Vegas-Raiders-DE-Malcolm-Koonce.jpg\")
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Ravens aren\u2019t in a position to go after high-dollar free agents, so a player like Koonce makes sense. He\u2019s only played three NFL seasons after missing all of 2024 with an injury. And he only had half of one year where he showed top-notch pass-rush ability.<\/p>\n
This makes him more affordable, so the Ravens should pursue him.<\/p>\n
The Raiders finished with a record of 4-13, and former head coach Antonio Pierce said Koonce\u2019s injury played a role\u00a0in the long season<\/a>, according to Sports Illustrated.<\/p>\n\u201cIf there’s one injury that really frustrated and hurt me this year, it was Malcolm,\u201d Pierce said. \u201cBecause he had a hell of a training camp, really, a hell of an offseason. Then we go into training camp, and I mean, he’s looking really, really good. And I know it’s against our offense, and we’ve got a couple of games in preseason, but the bend, the power, the confidence was back. I mean, he had that swag to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd when he went down that Thursday, it hurt our team. You felt it. You felt the emotional drop within the building, and it was a sad moment. But to Malcolm’s credit, seeing him in the building every day, working out and starting to get his little juices back to him. It’d be good to have him back because, I mean, he’s just on the brink of being a really good football player. And it’d be good to see him come back as a Raider and do what he needs to do for us to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pro Football Focus ranked Koonce at No. 16 among\u00a0the top free agents<\/a>\u00a0in 2025.<\/p>\n\u201cIf Koonce hadn\u2019t suffered a season-ending knee injury before 2024 began and instead carried over his momentum from the back half of 2023, he could\u2019ve been squarely within the top 10 of our list,\u201d PFF wrote. \u201cPerhaps the silver lining, if there is one, to getting injured so early in the year is that Koonce should be healthier entering the free agency period than if he got hurt during the season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Koonce might like the way the Ravens go about their business<\/strong><\/h2>\nKoonce graded out at 78.9 in pass rush with a 82.5 mark in true pass set situations. He could fit nicely into the Ravens\u2019 defensive scheme.<\/p>\n
The Ravens might be attractive to Koonce because of the leadership provided by Ravens head coach\u00a0John Harbaugh<\/a>. Patrick Ricard talked about the type of things Harbaugh\u00a0brings to the organization<\/a>, according to espn.com.<\/p>\n\u201cI genuinely think that every single thought in his head is about how he can make the Ravens better and what he can do for our team,\u201d Ricard said. \u201cAnd just the standard that he’s kept here. I feel like it’s probably the same feeling as it was when Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and all those guys were here. I feel like the culture of that locker room and how they were able to win a championship under him, he’s able to keep that going. So when guys come here, they have to buy into the culture or they just aren’t a Raven.\u201d<\/p>\nKoonce might also like the way Harbaugh molds himself according to the needs of the team.<\/p>\n\u201cJohn’s changed a lot over the years, in different ways \u2014 in mostly all good ways,\u201d Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said. \u201cBut when I say that, I think his passion for the team [and] for winning has never wavered. He’s resolute in his beliefs, [and] he’s a man of faith. He comes to work every day, and that’s inspiring, because he has a passion at practice every day that’s probably unmatched amongst anybody \u2014 players (and) coaches.\u201d<\/p>\n
CB D.J. Reed could be in Ravens\u2019 plans<\/strong><\/h2>\nIt could be hard for the Ravens to afford a player like D.J. Reed of the Jets. He ranked No. 6 on the PFF free-agent list.<\/p>\n
But Reed excelled in PFF\u2019s advanced metrics, boasting a 51.28 lockdown percentage. That\u2019s the kind of thing that could be a small but an important part of the Ravens getting over the top in 2025.<\/p>\n
The Ravens aren\u2019t in a position to go after high-dollar free agents, so a player like Koonce makes sense. He\u2019s only played three NFL seasons after missing all of 2024 with an injury. And he only had half of one year where he showed top-notch pass-rush ability.<\/p>\n
This makes him more affordable, so the Ravens should pursue him.<\/p>\n
The Raiders finished with a record of 4-13, and former head coach Antonio Pierce said Koonce\u2019s injury played a role\u00a0in the long season<\/a>, according to Sports Illustrated.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there’s one injury that really frustrated and hurt me this year, it was Malcolm,\u201d Pierce said. \u201cBecause he had a hell of a training camp, really, a hell of an offseason. Then we go into training camp, and I mean, he’s looking really, really good. And I know it’s against our offense, and we’ve got a couple of games in preseason, but the bend, the power, the confidence was back. I mean, he had that swag to him.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when he went down that Thursday, it hurt our team. You felt it. You felt the emotional drop within the building, and it was a sad moment. But to Malcolm’s credit, seeing him in the building every day, working out and starting to get his little juices back to him. It’d be good to have him back because, I mean, he’s just on the brink of being a really good football player. And it’d be good to see him come back as a Raider and do what he needs to do for us to win.\u201d<\/p>\n Pro Football Focus ranked Koonce at No. 16 among\u00a0the top free agents<\/a>\u00a0in 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Koonce hadn\u2019t suffered a season-ending knee injury before 2024 began and instead carried over his momentum from the back half of 2023, he could\u2019ve been squarely within the top 10 of our list,\u201d PFF wrote. \u201cPerhaps the silver lining, if there is one, to getting injured so early in the year is that Koonce should be healthier entering the free agency period than if he got hurt during the season.\u201d<\/p>\n Koonce graded out at 78.9 in pass rush with a 82.5 mark in true pass set situations. He could fit nicely into the Ravens\u2019 defensive scheme.<\/p>\n The Ravens might be attractive to Koonce because of the leadership provided by Ravens head coach\u00a0John Harbaugh<\/a>. Patrick Ricard talked about the type of things Harbaugh\u00a0brings to the organization<\/a>, according to espn.com.<\/p>\n \u201cI genuinely think that every single thought in his head is about how he can make the Ravens better and what he can do for our team,\u201d Ricard said. \u201cAnd just the standard that he’s kept here. I feel like it’s probably the same feeling as it was when Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and all those guys were here. I feel like the culture of that locker room and how they were able to win a championship under him, he’s able to keep that going. So when guys come here, they have to buy into the culture or they just aren’t a Raven.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJohn’s changed a lot over the years, in different ways \u2014 in mostly all good ways,\u201d Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said. \u201cBut when I say that, I think his passion for the team [and] for winning has never wavered. He’s resolute in his beliefs, [and] he’s a man of faith. He comes to work every day, and that’s inspiring, because he has a passion at practice every day that’s probably unmatched amongst anybody \u2014 players (and) coaches.\u201d<\/p>\n It could be hard for the Ravens to afford a player like D.J. Reed of the Jets. He ranked No. 6 on the PFF free-agent list.<\/p>\n But Reed excelled in PFF\u2019s advanced metrics, boasting a 51.28 lockdown percentage. That\u2019s the kind of thing that could be a small but an important part of the Ravens getting over the top in 2025.<\/p>\nKoonce might like the way the Ravens go about their business<\/strong><\/h2>\n
CB D.J. Reed could be in Ravens\u2019 plans<\/strong><\/h2>\n