It could be a fun season for the Baltimore Ravens in 2025, and the NFL Draft might provide instant help. Also, here are two sneaky good NFL free agents the Ravens need to sign.
After 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.
So that’s where our journey starts.
Raiders Malcolm Koonce a nice fit for Ravens
The Ravens aren’t in a position to go after high-dollar free agents, so a player like Koonce makes sense. He’s 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.
This makes him more affordable, so the Ravens should pursue him.
The Raiders finished with a record of 4-13, and former head coach Antonio Pierce said Koonce’s injury played a role in the long season, according to Sports Illustrated.
“If there’s one injury that really frustrated and hurt me this year, it was Malcolm,” Pierce said. “Because 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.
“And 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.”
Pro Football Focus ranked Koonce at No. 16 among the top free agents in 2025.
“If Koonce hadn’t suffered a season-ending knee injury before 2024 began and instead carried over his momentum from the back half of 2023, he could’ve been squarely within the top 10 of our list,” PFF wrote. “Perhaps 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.”
Koonce might like the way the Ravens go about their business
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’ defensive scheme.
The Ravens might be attractive to Koonce because of the leadership provided by Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. Patrick Ricard talked about the type of things Harbaugh brings to the organization, according to espn.com.
“I 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,” Ricard said. “And 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.”
Koonce might also like the way Harbaugh molds himself according to the needs of the team.
“John’s changed a lot over the years, in different ways — in mostly all good ways,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said. “But 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 — players (and) coaches.”
CB D.J. Reed could be in Ravens’ plans
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.
But Reed excelled in PFF’s advanced metrics, boasting a 51.28 lockdown percentage. That’s the kind of thing that could be a small but an important part of the Ravens getting over the top in 2025.
Reed is highly valued, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“Reed is a highly competitive coverage corner with press-man traits and the transition speed to break on the throw,” Fowler wrote. “More of a ball disruptor than playmaker, over his career he has 40 pass breakups, compared with six interceptions. Reed should be viewed as a scheme-versatile corner who can fit in multiple NFL systems.
“Several teams we’ve polled agree Reed is the top corner in free agency. Roughly 10 teams have a glaring need at the position.”
And that level of need is why the Ravens may have trouble luring him to Baltimore. But paired with Nate Wiggins, and having a guy like Kyle Hamilton at strong safety, Reed could fit perfectly into the Ravens mix.
DeCosta is high on Wiggins, the Ravens’ first-round pick in 2024.
“He’s got a very, very bright future, because he can do some things that other guys can’t do,” DeCosta said. “Eventually, how far he develops is really going to be up to him. His future is unlimited.”
Having help on the other side could be a tipping point for Reed to join the Ravens’ Super Bowl-hungry franchise.
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