{"id":43009,"date":"2025-04-22T03:46:14","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T03:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=43009"},"modified":"2025-04-22T03:46:14","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T03:46:14","slug":"breaking-ravens-wont-change-draft-plans-after-3-263-million-free-agency-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=43009","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : Ravens Won\u2019t Change Draft Plans After $3.263 Million Free Agency Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"l-article__header\"><\/header>\n<div class=\"l-article__meta\">\n<div class=\"l-article__meta-item l-article__meta-item--dates\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"l-article__content\">\n<div class=\"c-content entry-content\">\n<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\" class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div class=\"h-responsive\">\n<figure class=\"h-responsive__inner\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2194150203-e1745272812599.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2194150203-e1745272812599.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2194150203-e1745272812599.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2194150203-e1745272812599.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Ar'Darius Washington\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" data-dom-ready-time=\"1652\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption-credit\">Getty<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"c-post-image-caption-text\">A $3.263 million free agency deal won&#8217;t change the Baltimore Ravens&#8217; plans in the 2025 NFL draft.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The\u00a0Baltimore Ravens\u00a0stayed strong at arguably their strongest position after securing a $3.263 million deal in free agency, but the team \u201ccould still\u201d add to the spot in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.<\/p>\n<p>Safety\u00a0Ar\u2019Darius Washington\u00a0officially signed his restricted tender on Monday, April 21, per\u00a0Ravens.com Editorial Assistant Matt Ryan. He reported it\u2019s a one-year deal for a former undrafted free agent who went from fringe player to key starter last season.<\/p>\n<p>Retaining Washington keeps safety arguably the strongest spot on the roster. At least on the surface, thanks to Washington\u2019s partnership with All-Pro\u00a0Kyle Hamilton.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_1_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-1 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_1\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Yet, keeping this duo together won\u2019t deter the Ravens from using premium draft capital to acquire a new safety, according to\u00a0ESPN\u2019s Jamison Hensley. He pointed out \u201cBaltimore could address safety in this week\u2019s draft as early as the first round.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"2159adac7d5ba0af697299a1b27fab6c\" class=\"embed_container\">\n<div class=\"tweet-container\">\n<article class=\"tweet-container_article\">\n<div class=\"tweet-container_header \">\n<div class=\"tweet-header__author \">\n<div class=\"tweet-header__meta\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tweet-header-brand\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tweet-body\">\n<p>Ravens safety Ar\u2019Darius Washington signed his $3.263M tender as a restricted free agent. He solidified the spot next to Kyle Hamilton last season, starting the final 12 games (including playoffs).<\/p>\n<p>Baltimore could address safety in this week\u2019s draft as early as the first round.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tweet-actions\"><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Taking a safety with the 27th pick would look like a luxury after this deal, but the Ravens could make an argument for drafting to strength. Adding another playmaker to the most versatile position group on their hybrid defense would not only expand the looks the Ravens get to show quarterbacks.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_2_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-2 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_2\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It would also safeguard a near future set to be dominated by Hamilton\u2019s potentially\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nfl\/baltimore-ravens\/kyle-hamilton-destroy-market-contract-extension\/\" target=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">m<\/a>arket resetting next contract, as well as Washington still being ticketed for free agency in 2026.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Ar\u2019Darius Washington Earned Extended Stay With Ravens<\/h2>\n<p>Washington earned a new payday and at least one more year in Ravens purple after helping transform the defense following his\u00a0promotion to the starting lineup\u00a0in November.<\/p>\n<p>His presence, along with Hamilton moving further back, added unpredictability to the coverage schemes. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr and senior consultant Dean Pees were able to\u00a0disguise zone shells\u00a0and confuse quarterbacks out of two-deep safety looks that morphed into a myriad of things post-snap.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_3_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-3 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_3\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Washington made such a difference it was a surprise when the Ravens handed him the right of first refusal tender,\u00a0risking losing him\u00a0for nothing if another team signed the 25-year-old to an offer sheet.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately for the Ravens,\u00a0no team seized the opportunity\u00a0and he\u2019s staying put at M&amp;T Bank Stadium. It\u2019s a stroke of good luck that should give general manager Eric DeCosta more options in Round 1, even though he may still double down at safety.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_4_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-4 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_4\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Safety Still in Play for Ravens in Round 1<\/h2>\n<p>The Ravens\u00a0have plans for Washington, but Hensley\u2019s take suggests they could also provide the flexible defensive back some serious competition. The best way to do that would be by taking a run-stuffing safety who can play in the slot and\u00a0rates as a potential steal\u00a0late on Day 1.<\/p>\n<p>Putting a prominent draft pick alongside Washington and Hamilton would help the Ravens forge something they have been struggling in vain to replicate. Namely, a dynamic three-safety combination like the one Hamilton formed with\u00a0Geno Stone\u00a0and\u00a0Marcus Williams\u00a0in 2023.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_5_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-5 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_5\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Things unravelled when Stone joined AFC North rivals the\u00a0Cincinnati Bengals\u00a0last offseason, while Williams bottomed out amid injuries and\u00a0getting benched. Williams is no longer on the team, and neither is a former All-Pro safety who\u00a0couldn\u2019t last the season.<\/p>\n<p>Having Washington and Hamilton bracket a top draft pick in a cleverly used rotation will make up for those missteps and expand what the Ravens do defensively. Those are good reasons to still draft a safety high, even after Washington\u2019s return was confirmed.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_7_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad  adthrive-content adthrive-content-7\"><\/div>\n<p>The same reasons may not be compelling enough for DeCosta to ignore edge-rusher, wide receiver or the offensive line in the opening round.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Getty A $3.263 million free agency deal won&#8217;t change the Baltimore Ravens&#8217; plans in the 2025 NFL draft. The\u00a0Baltimore Ravens\u00a0stayed strong at arguably their strongest position&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43010,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING : Ravens Won\u2019t Change Draft Plans After $3.263 Million Free Agency Deal - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=43009\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING : Ravens Won\u2019t Change Draft Plans After $3.263 Million Free Agency Deal - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&nbsp; Getty A $3.263 million free agency deal won&#8217;t change the Baltimore Ravens&#8217; plans in the 2025 NFL draft. 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