With 18 unrestricted free agents, one prominent restricted free agent and a host of candidates to have their contracts extended, altered or eliminated from the books, the Baltimore Ravens will have a number of decisions to make over the next couple of months.

March 10

OL Josh Jones expected to sign 1-year deal worth up to $4.75 million with Seahawks

The Ravens lost their fifth unrestricted free agent on Day 1 of the legal tampering period when Jones verbally agreed to a one-year deal with Mike Macdonald’s Seattle Seahawks, according to NFL Network. Jones saw action in 16 games with the Ravens last season but started none and played just 46 total offensive snaps. He was mostly used as the sixth offensive lineman in heavy personnel packages.

Still, Jones provided experience and versatility with his ability to play both guard and tackle spots. The Ravens, despite re-signing left tackle Ronnie Stanley, have very little depth at both tackle and guard. Starting left guard and occasional tackle Patrick Mekari agreed to terms with Jacksonville. Backup guard Ben Cleveland is also a free agent.

When Stanley officially signs, the Ravens will have only eight offensive linemen under contract, and three of them have never been active for an NFL regular-season game.

LB Chris Board agrees to 2-year deal worth up to $6 million with Giants

Board’s second stint with the Ravens ends after just one season as he departs for New York, leaving Baltimore even thinner at inside linebacker and with their special teams corps. Board played a team-leading 386 special teams snaps last season and was voted a captain of that unit. He also gave the Ravens some quality snaps as a reserve inside linebacker, his role increasing defensively following Trenton Simpson’s benching.

With him and Malik Harrison leaving, Baltimore has only three inside linebackers: Roquan Smith, Simpson and William Kwenkeu. Kristian Welch, a reserve linebacker and special-teamer like Board and Harrison, is also a pending free agent.

LB Malik Harrison agrees to 2-year, $10 million deal with Steelers

For a second straight year, the Ravens lose one of their linebackers to a division rival. Harrison reportedly agrees to a deal with the Steelers, joining former teammate Patrick Queen in Pittsburgh. Harrison and Queen were part of Baltimore’s 2020 draft class, with Queen going in the first round and Harrison in the third.

Harrison was a valuable and versatile player for the Ravens, starting 34 games over five seasons and establishing himself as one of the team’s core special-teamers. Harrison had one of his best seasons in 2024, playing in 15 games (starting seven) and making 54 tackles to go along with two sacks and three tackles for loss. His ability to play outside and set the edge against the run while also moving inside made him an important complementary piece of Zach Orr’s defense. He also played the second-most special teams snaps on the team.

CB Brandon Stephens reportedly agrees to 3-year, $36 million deal with Jets

In his season-ending news conference, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta foreshadowed Stephens’ departure, saying the team would allow him to test the market. With 2024 first-round pick Nate Wiggins having such a strong rookie season, the Ravens weren’t expected to be major suitors for Stephens — and certainly not at the price the Jets paid. NFL Network first reported Stephens’ deal.

Stephens, a third-round pick in 2021, started 48 games over four seasons with the Ravens. Mostly a safety early in his career, Stephens was a starting cornerback for the past two seasons and had a very strong 2023. However, he struggled throughout 2024, allowing 926 receiving yards, the second most in football, according to Pro Football Focus.

Stephens’ departure does leave the Ravens extremely thin in the secondary behind projected starters Marlon Humphrey and Wiggins. They have second-year, fourth-round pick T.J. Tampa and injury-plagued Jalyn Armour-Davis as potential reserves.

LG Patrick Mekari agrees to 3-year, $37.5 million deal with Jaguars

Mekari, an undrafted free agent in 2019 who wound up spending six seasons in Baltimore and starting games at every position along the O-line, became the first of the Ravens’ unrestricted free agents to sign elsewhere. He got $20 million in guaranteed money, a nice payday for one of Baltimore’s most versatile and respected players in recent years.

Mekari’s departure was expected after the Ravens re-signed left tackle Ronnie Stanley. The veteran was their free-agent priority over Mekari, and it always seemed unlikely that the Ravens, who are up against the salary cap, had the space to give out two big deals for starting offensive linemen. Baltimore also has a potential internal replacement for Mekari in Andrew Vorhees, who started the first two games of the 2024 season at left guard. The Ravens figure to draft a guard in next month’s draft, too.

Still, Mekari had a nice run for Baltimore, becoming one of its most successful undrafted free agents in franchise history. He got two contracts from the team and started 53 games over six seasons. He started all 19 games for the Ravens last year, and his versatility was one of several reasons why he was such a well-respected and valuable player for the organization.

March 8

Ravens agree to 3-year, $60 million deal ($44 million guaranteed) with LT Ronnie Stanley

Re-signing their No. 1 free agent and most experienced offensive lineman was one of the Ravens’ top priorities heading into the new league year, and they got it done before Stanley was officially able to field offers from other teams. Stanley, 31 next week, was expected to generate significant interest from the tackle-needy teams, which include the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders, and he almost certainly left money on the table to remain in Baltimore.

The return of Stanley, who was selected to his second Pro Bowl last year and played in every regular-season game for the first time in his career, helps the Ravens avoid an offensive line overhaul for a second straight offseason. Last year, they had to replace three starters up front. With Stanley, Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, right guard Daniel Faalele and right tackle Roger Rosengarten all under contract, the Ravens may only have to replace pending free-agent left guard Patrick Mekari.

Baltimore has long prioritized signing its own players before spending big on outside free agents, and Stanley was clearly the Ravens’ biggest-ticket item this offseason. They’ll have to create salary-cap space before Wednesday to be active on other fronts.