The Baltimore Ravens are likely to release star safety Marcus Williams after the playoffs this upcoming offseason. According to a report, after revising his contract, it seems imminent that the Ravens will release Marcus Williams from his contract after June 1st since he failed his third campaign with the team. The Ravens had a huge problem with their pass secondary and made a move by elevating Ar’Darius Washington to the starting position to see how he would perform. This put Williams on the bench when head coach John Harbaugh made the move in an attempt to repair the flaw in the explosive defense they’ve already constructed.
The team is still in the thick of the postseason after their obliterating performance and win over Pittsburgh, but Williams was not responsible. Since Washington is outperforming him, it makes sense for both parties to move on. Originally selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, the veteran was one of the top free agents in 2022 after spending the first five years with the New Orleans Saints. However, he was never able to adjust in Baltimore’s secondary among other players like cornerback Brandon Stephens who is struggling to get the wheel moving.
Williams’ starting spot was never in jeopardy after missing 10 games in his first campaign with Baltimore, but his bench this season could signal his time with the Ravens is over after the season. The Ravens used Washington and Kyle Hamilton in their wild-card so this sets up Williams to find a new team this upcoming free agency.
Ravens Likely to Release Marcus Williams After Playoffs – Chargers, Saints Possible Next Fits
Reviving Playoff Luck
Following a disappointing wild-card loss against the Houston Texans, the Los Angeles Chargers have the leverage this upcoming offseason with plenty of salary cap to work with. As much as the Chargers want to improve the offense for Quarterback Justin Herbert, the Texans found a way to expose the team’s pass secondary despite it being explosive for the the majority of 2024 regular season. However, they lost several key starters, including Marcus Maye who they brought in to repair the safety unit since losing Alohi Gilman to a season-ending injury.
The team continued to lose Ja’Sir Taylor and Elijah Molden, two nicklebacks that kept the Chargers secondary intact and while Eddie Jackson is a backup for the safety department, he doesn’t provide long-term stability. The Chargers have 30 players who are entering free agency, including backup Tony Jefferson. While Derwin James is reliable, he needs more help on the far side to complete the defensive package. Williams might have been struggling the past two seasons but maybe the Chargers could bring out the best in him again since head coach John Harbaugh wants to win football games with a hard physical defense, which includes the secondary group.
A Return to New Orleans
As the Saints plan to keep building upon what they already have this offseason, they expect to lose several free agents to help relieve the salary cap. Quarterback Derek Carr is in no position to take a pay cut and that may stop them from making splash moves to improve their roster. Meanwhile, veteran Tyrann Mathieu is one favorite heading into the free-agent market with an uncertain future. While he’s on contract with the Saints through 2025, the team may have to embrace trading him to save money.
It’s not an ideal situation for the Saints, but the pass defense needs more experience if they want to win the ball opposite of Carr. With Marshon Lattimore gone and Paulson Adebo possibly leaving, the Saints might want to roll the dice on Williams. The veteran might not have much in the bag but it’s a temporary upgrade over Will Harris and Jordan Howden.
The post Ravens Likely to Release Star Safety After Playoffs – Chargers, Saints Possible Next Fits appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.