Getty Ravens LB Tyus Bowser celebrates with teammates during 2021 game against Bears.
The 2024 offseason for the Baltimore Ravens and their general manager Eric DeCosta will be filled with difficult choices. The cap situation they face leaves them in a position where they may need to cut players from the roster to create more space for free agents.
Glenn Erby, writer for USA Today’s Ravens Wire, wrote about how the Ravens could clear cap space during the 2024 offseason. One of the moves he recommended was, “Post June 1 Cut, Trade — Tyus Bowser.”
According to Erby, by cutting or trading Bowser the Ravens could save $5.5 million in cap space and only have a dead cap hit of $2 million. Part of the reason for this Erby writes is, “Bowser has only one year left on his extension and a team-friendly cap hit.”
Bowser is coming into the final season his 4-year, $22 million contract extension he signed during the 2021 offseason.
Tyus Bowser’s Ravens Career Has Come up Short
The Ravens drafted Bowser in the second round of the 2017 draft out of Houston. They had high hopes for the linebacker, but as Erby puts it, “Bowser has been up and down since being drafted.”
“During his first four seasons, he never started more than two games,” Erby explains. Bowser was only able to reach a career high of 34 combined tackles during his first four seasons.
The linebacker found himself on special teams to begin his career most of the time and by 2020 he reached a 51% snap percentage on defense.
Tyus Bowser (@tbowser23) setting the edge. He strikes with inside hands, gets extended & controls his gap. Once the ball is bounced outside, Bowser makes the tackle! #stoptherun #ravensflock
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 Cap Situation Leaves Them Limited
General Manager DeCosta has his work cut out for him this offseason. According to OverTheCap the Ravens only have about $7.3 million in cap space for the GM to currently work with.
Erby’s suggestion of trading or cutting Bowser is only one of the potential moves that DeCosta could make to clear up around $51 million in cap space.
The Ravens currently have 23 players that will be free agents following the Super Bowl. ESPN put out their Top-50 free agents and the Ravens have four players included.
DT Justin Madubuike, LB Queen, OL Kevin Zeitler and OLB Jadeveon Clowney all had phenomenal seasons for the Ravens that have put them in a position to cash in.
This does not include key contributors and players like WR Odell Beckham, RBs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins and safety Geno Stone that will all need to be resigned or replaced.
The Ravens will be toeing the line between keeping their core intact but adding pieces to get them past the AFC Championship game,
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