Getty Ravens safety Marcus Williams intercepts pass against the 49ers.
With Organized Team Activities (OTA) starting for many teams on Monday, May 20, teams will begin to look at their roster to see what holes still need to be addressed. For the Baltimore Ravens, in order to address any potential holes, they will need to create some more cap space first.
Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department wrote an article on the “Most Creative Ways Every NFL Team Could Create More Salary-Cap Space After 2024 Draft.” For the Ravens, one of the options BR recommended was to restructure the contract of star safety Marcus Williams.
BR wrote, “The Ravens had to navigate a tough salary-cap situation this offseason, and they did it while still managing to add some talent to the roster. However, they might want to clear some more space.”
Marcus Williams with an absurd interception.
The Ravens were able to add a key piece in RB Derrick Henry and lockup star DT Justin Madubuike despite their financial issues. However, they lost players like LB Patrick Queen, safety Geno Stone, WR Odell Beckham Jr. and OLB Jadeveon Clowney to free agency due to financial constraints.
According to BR the Ravens only have $6.3 million in cap space currently. BR writes, “Marcus Williams is a prime candidate as he’s set to count for $18.7 million against the cap, but $12 million of that is salary that could be converted into a bonus.”
Freeing up $12 million in cap would allow the Ravens to address any last-minute injury concerns or holes that would derail their season.
Marcus Williams Looking to Rebound After Rough 2023
Williams currently has the third highest cap hit on the Ravens team behind only QB Lamar Jackson and CB Marlon Humphrey. Williams has the seventh highest cap hit of any secondary player in the NFL.
The New Orleans Saints former second round pick was the pinnacle of consistency for the Saints and roamed the secondary as a disruptive weapon. In the five years he played with New Orleans he never played less than 14 games and played a minimum 880 defensive snaps.
The safety parlayed the success into a 5-year, $70 million contract with the Ravens in 2022. Unfortunately for Williams and the Ravens it seems the safety has encountered the injury bug since coming over to Baltimore.
Marcus Williams was tied for 3rd in the league with 4 interceptions while only playing in 10 games
Injuries have y’all forgetting the Ravens have one of the best safeties out there😴😴
Williams only played 10 games in 2022 and 11 games in 2023 and played a total of 1274 snaps over the two seasons. Luckily for the Ravens, Stone was able to step up and play alongside star Kyle Hamilton in 2023.
With Stone gone though, the Ravens will be counting on Williams to rebound and recapture his form as a Saints player. If he can recapture that form, he and Hamilton could form one of the top safety duos in the NFL.
Ravens Still Have Holes to Address With Cap Space
The Ravens $6.3 million in cap space leaves them with limited options in the secondary free agent market now that the initial wave has passed.
“They are traditionally buyers on the last wave of free agency before training camp really gets underway, and they should be entering the season with the mindset of a Super Bowl contender,” BR explained.
The Ravens could still use help in the wide receiver group, pass-rush and amongst the offensive line. According to BR by restructuring Williams, “It provides the Ravens with the opportunity to keep the safety but add another edge-rusher to the defense before the season starts.”
The Ravens were connected to pass-rusher Carl Lawson earlier in the week by Bleacher Report, so the creation of more cap space could give general manager Eric DeCosta more leverage to negotiate with.