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Ought to the Ravens Re-Signal L.J. Fort?
Rely Baltimore Beatdown’s Jakob Ashlin as one of many pundits who was shocked the Ravens did not choose up the 2021 contract possibility for L.J. Fort.
“[Patrick] Queen and Malik Harrison each have loads of upside, however the Ravens mustn’t let one other good veteran linebacker go away when the price is so low,” Ashlin wrote. “The entrance workplace was lucky to search out Fort, and he has been integral to their success. Queen positively may take a leap ahead in his improvement subsequent season, and I wish to see Harrison get extra snaps. Nonetheless, why not preserve Fort for a bit of over $2 million?”
The transfer got here as a shock to Ashlin due to how concerned Fort was within the protection final season. He made eight begins ending with 53 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one quarterback hit.
Pundits famous that it is nonetheless attainable that Fort may re-sign with the Ravens after testing the free agent market, however it indicators a shift to a youthful linebacker core.
After drafting Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison final 12 months, Baltimore additionally re-signed Chris Board to a one-year deal this offseason.
“Queen is 21 and his potential sidekick, Malik Harrison, is 23,” Zrebiec wrote. “On the age of 25, Board is the graybeard of a gaggle that additionally consists of 22-year-old Kristian Welch and 24-year-old Otaro Alaka. Whether or not it is Daryl Smith or Josh Bynes or Fort, most Ravens groups within the post-Ray Lewis years have had a veteran inside linebacker, even in some circumstances, simply occupying a supporting position.”
“Shifting on from Fort — and it isn’t utterly out of the query that he comes again down the street at a lowered charge — places the onus on Queen and Harrison and even Board, who has been round since 2018, however principally in a particular groups position. Queen and Harrison, first- and third-round picks final 12 months, had uneven rookie seasons. They flashed sufficient to point out why the Ravens needed to draft them. However in addition they had sufficient ups and downs to disclose simply how a lot progress they should make earlier than the beginning of the 2021 season. They should develop up quick.”
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