2026 Offseason Thread

[rmcjacket23]

I don't really see Roquan as a viable cut at this point. It only represents a little over $7M of savings and you already have Buchanan on the edge of being ready for the season or not. Replacing Roquan for that amount doesn't seem tenable. I don't think he's played up to the contract but I also don't think he's a detriment to this team.

Now, you could June 1st him but I also don't think there's much value in (a) getting that cap later than you can really use it and (b) spreading that cap hit into 2027. At that point, you might as well keep him and get value rather than eating money to not have a player on your roster.

Again, I don't think he's played exceedingly well, but I don't think he's as bad as some are portraying by any means.

I mean, in my opinion, Buchanan and Simpson are the replacements. He's the easiest cut for me because he's super expensive and I don't think the D takes a massive step backwards if he's not here. The Buchanan injury is a concern but I could also just as easily sign a vet ILB for near the league minimum and plug that hole. Especially true if I'm using his cap savings to keep somebody like Dre'Mont Jones or even Awuzie.

Marlon is actually the more difficult cut for me because you'd either need to sign Awuzie with his $ to offset it, or Corner becomes a big FA/draft need.

Macro though goes back to what I said. Do you want to keep putting a D out there that values run stopping (in a division and frankly a Conference where some of the better teams don't run the ball well) more than you value pass rush? Roquan isn't a benefit in pass D. We gave up 150 yards to RBs and TEs against PIT, in a game where we have a $20M LB, a first round Safety, and a Safety we traded for playing nearly the whole game. On top of Hamilton, who played like half the game.

 

[UKRaven1827]

i mean i really like sonny styles

Its hard not to.

He is an unreal athlete and a very very complete football player. He is a top 5 player in the class to my eyes.

 

[Simba]

I mean, in my opinion, Buchanan and Simpson are the replacements. He's the easiest cut for me because he's super expensive and I don't think the D takes a massive step backwards if he's not here. The Buchanan injury is a concern but I could also just as easily sign a vet ILB for near the league minimum and plug that hole. Especially true if I'm using his cap savings to keep somebody like Dre'Mont Jones or even Awuzie.

Marlon is actually the more difficult cut for me because you'd either need to sign Awuzie with his $ to offset it, or Corner becomes a big FA/draft need.

Macro though goes back to what I said. Do you want to keep putting a D out there that values run stopping (in a division and frankly a Conference where some of the better teams don't run the ball well) more than you value pass rush? Roquan isn't a benefit in pass D. We gave up 150 yards to RBs and TEs against PIT, in a game where we have a $20M LB, a first round Safety, and a Safety we traded for playing nearly the whole game. On top of Hamilton, who played like half the game.

Buchanan definitely got better as the season went along but that pairing while Roquan was out earlier in the season was a massive weak point. I'm not taking that risk for $7M. I also don't think $7M is enough of a savings that we couldn't get elsewhere without losing a quality player.

 

[rmcjacket23]

Buchanan definitely got better as the season went along but that pairing while Roquan was out earlier in the season was a massive weak point. I'm not taking that risk for $7M. I also don't think $7M is enough of a savings that we couldn't get elsewhere without losing a quality player.

I mean there's only two or three low-level cuts that add up to $7M, which is Washington + Hill, and I think those are happening regardless of Roquan's status. Outside of that, the only two restructure candidates would be Lamar and Madubuike, with the former being up in the air due to his injury.

So from my perspective, outside of a Lamar extension or restructure, I don't see any other avenues to create cap space beyond the low-level cuts that are already coming. And if that's the case, your path to roster improvement largely comes through the draft, and there's way too many holes to fill there in my opinion.

 

[SepticeyePoe]

Its hard not to.

He is an unreal athlete and a very very complete football player. He is a top 5 player in the class to my eyes.

He has insane name value, so this checks out

 

[JO_75]

Take the AL Davis approach... fastest corner so 100 year old Adam Theilen isn't beating us for deep plays. Fastest edge rusher so 100 year old Aaron Rodgers can't stand in the pocket all day. Cut Marlon too... he can take his podcast elsewhere.

 

[Simba]

I mean there's only two or three low-level cuts that add up to $7M, which is Washington + Hill, and I think those are happening regardless of Roquan's status. Outside of that, the only two restructure candidates would be Lamar and Madubuike, with the former being up in the air due to his injury.

So from my perspective, outside of a Lamar extension or restructure, I don't see any other avenues to create cap space beyond the low-level cuts that are already coming. And if that's the case, your path to roster improvement largely comes through the draft, and there's way too many holes to fill there in my opinion.

It's nothing more than rearranging deck chairs to me. Cutting Roquan creates a hole that doesn't need to be created.

 

[Grim]

Buchanan definitely got better as the season went along but that pairing while Roquan was out earlier in the season was a massive weak point. I'm not taking that risk for $7M. I also don't think $7M is enough of a savings that we couldn't get elsewhere without losing a quality player.

Definitely true but we also need to improve our LB room. I actually think a stronger DL investment would be best, as it would benefit Roquan and every other LB there. I agree, I don't see Roquan as someone we can ditch yet. I do think we need to be smart now to be able to divorce him starting next offseason if he doesn't return to form. He isn't worth his contract atm but does have value.

 

[Simba]

Definitely true but we also need to improve our LB room. I actually think a stronger DL investment would be best, as it would benefit Roquan and every other LB there. I agree, I don't see Roquan as someone we can ditch yet. I do think we need to be smart now to be able to divorce him starting next offseason if he doesn't return to form. He isn't worth his contract atm but does have value.

Maybe I'm on an island, but I'm not overly worried about the LB room. Think Roquan - Buchanan - Simpson - Higgins - probably one more is a fine room to take into 2026. A lot is predicated on Buchanan's recovery but I think he's shown enough where he's probably the longer term plan there once he's back to full health.

 

[rmcjacket23]

It's nothing more than rearranging deck chairs to me. Cutting Roquan creates a hole that doesn't need to be created.

I think if your objective is to protect Lamar or put pressure on other QBs, it's absolutely a hole that needs to be created. But I don't agree it's a hole to begin with.

 

[rmcjacket23]

Definitely true but we also need to improve our LB room. I actually think a stronger DL investment would be best, as it would benefit Roquan and every other LB there. I agree, I don't see Roquan as someone we can ditch yet. I do think we need to be smart now to be able to divorce him starting next offseason if he doesn't return to form. He isn't worth his contract atm but does have value.

The only investments at LB we should be making is to guys that can rush the passer. We have guys that can set the edge in the run game, and we have both youth and age at ILB.

 

[rossihunter2]

Maybe I'm on an island, but I'm not overly worried about the LB room. Think Roquan - Buchanan - Simpson - Higgins - probably one more is a fine room to take into 2026. A lot is predicated on Buchanan's recovery but I think he's shown enough where he's probably the longer term plan there once he's back to full health.

re-sign hummel and there's your 5 favourites to be the LB room in 2026

 

[Simba]

I think if your objective is to protect Lamar or put pressure on other QBs, it's absolutely a hole that needs to be created. But I don't agree it's a hole to begin with.

I don't think losing Roquan to create $7M of space solves the pressure problem

 

[rmcjacket23]

I don't think losing Roquan to create $7M of space solves the pressure problem

What happens when you spend that $7M on somebody who creates pressure?

While I don't know that he would be retained for $7M, is Roquan more important to the Ravens in 2026 than Dre'Mont Jones, for example? I think that'd be impossible to sell.

 

[gtalk12]

I've seen EDC spend big money for DBs on our defense for free agents. It's time he does the same on the line

 

[Grim]

Maybe I'm on an island, but I'm not overly worried about the LB room. Think Roquan - Buchanan - Simpson - Higgins - probably one more is a fine room to take into 2026. A lot is predicated on Buchanan's recovery but I think he's shown enough where he's probably the longer term plan there once he's back to full health.

I don’t think we disagree or are on an island or are saying anything drastically different. If Buchanan wasn’t injured I’d agree strongly but I think with him coming back I think it would be good to draft a LB or try to get another UDFA LB. It’s not in disarray or a major weakness like Edge is.

 

[Simba]

What happens when you spend that $7M on somebody who creates pressure?

While I don't know that he would be retained for $7M, is Roquan more important to the Ravens in 2026 than Dre'Mont Jones, for example? I think that'd be impossible to sell.

$7M ain't gonna get you that much pressure. I like Dre'Mont but it's Roquan 10 times out of 10 if those are my choices.

 

[rmcjacket23]

$7M ain't gonna get you that much pressure. I like Dre'Mont but it's Roquan 10 times out of 10 if those are my choices.

It'll get you a Joey Bosa type. We need at least 3 guys. Where are they coming from? If we're not willing to make cap moves to upgrade the roster via any other mechanism than the draft, I don't even really see the point in Lamar being here at that point.

I'd take Dre'Mont at half the cash of Roquan a thousand times over.

 

[rossihunter2]

$7M ain't gonna get you that much pressure. I like Dre'Mont but it's Roquan 10 times out of 10 if those are my choices.

the narrative on roquan has gone far too far the other way
unfortunate that he's being paid fred warner money

but he's still grading out pretty well even in a down year with no sacks and no turnovers and he was hamstrung by the poor coverage play around him early in the season too

if his replacement was clearly on the roster already, then maybe you look at that 7m saving and move on, but 7m is not enough for me to move on from roquan with the only other (healthy) LB being Trenton Simpson... and with Buchanan clearly not being ready to run the defence yet even if he had a very impressive rookie season

 

[JAAM]