Getty Patrick Ricard was named a potential cut candidate for the Baltimore Ravens
The 2024 NFL offseason is going to be an eventful one for the Baltimore Ravens.
They have already had some major changes to their coaching staff and changes to their roster will follow soon.
The team has more than 20 players who can enter free agency during the offseason.
They could also decide to move on from one notable player that still has a year left on his contract.
During a February 5 appearance on Glenn Clark Radio, Russell Street Report’s Brian McFarland revealed that he believes Patrick Ricard could be cut to save cap space.
McFarland said, “That’s $4 mil in savings. He’s a guy in the last year of his deal. He can get $4 mil somewhere else so I don’t think he’ll take a pay cut. He and Tyus Bowser are the most in jeopardy I’d say.”
The combination of cap savings and a diminishing role could make cutting Ricard an appealing option for the Ravens.
Why Patrick Ricard Could Be Cut
Ricard has been a very good player for the Ravens throughout his tenure with the team.
Over the course of seven seasons in Baltimore, Ricard has earned a spot in the Pro Bowl four times and was named to the All-Pro Second Team in 2023.
Unfortunately, Ricard saw his role take a big hit during the 2023 season.
After playing 64% of the Ravens’ offensive snaps in 2022, he played only 39% this past season. That was his lowest snap percentage since 2019. At that time he was still getting defensive snaps and playing a bit bigger of a role on special teams.
With that drop in usage, it makes sense for the Ravens to want to try and save a bit of money.
Ricard doesn’t get paid a ton. His average salary is only $3.75 million.
However, his cap hit for the 2024 season is a little over $5 million and the Ravens can save $4 million of it by cutting him.
With a pair of talented tight ends and the team investing in the wide receiver position, Ricard’s playing time doesn’t seem likely to increase in 2024.
That could lead the team to decide that the $4 million they’d save would be better spent somewhere else on the roster.
Other Ravens Cut Candidates in 2024
Ricard isn’t the only Ravens player that could end up being released by the team this offseason.
They are going to need cap space to be able to retain their most important free agents and still need to upgrade their roster if they’re going to make a Super Bowl run in 2024.
One of those is Tyus Bowser, who McFarland also mentioned. He has played just nine games over the last two seasons and the team could save $5.5 million by letting him go.
They already have one outside linebacker spot filled by Odafe Oweh and could bring back Jadeveon Clowney for the other spot or bring in a big name.
Justice Hill stepped up for the Ravens in the backfield after the team lost a couple of running backs to injuries. It might not be enough for him to keep his job as the team is likely pursue an upgrade during the offseason and can save almost $2.5 million by releasing him.
Ronnie Stanley has also been brought up as a surprising option. Stanley has struggled with injuries since his All-Pro season back in 2019. His play has also not lived up to the expectations that come with his huge contract.
Left tackle is a difficult position to find a replacement and cutting him becomes more appealing next offseason, but the more than $8 million the Ravens would save could be enough to convince them to move on.
The Ravens have plenty of players they’ll need to make decisions on as they figure out how to take that last step toward a Super Bowl.