3 Free Agent Pass-Rushers the Ravens Should Target If They Don't Re-Sign Matthew Judon

Matthew Judon is coming off the best season of his young NFL career. His 9.5 sacks, 33 QB hits and four forced fumbles were all the highest marks of his career. He was an anchor of the Baltimore Ravens' defense, and he was rewarded with his fist Pro Bowl nomination.

Judon is set to become an unrestricted free agent, though, and the Ravens are below the league average in available cap space. They'll likely do their best to bring him back, but the 27-year-old is one of the best defenders in this year's free agent class, and he may end up commanding a huge contract.

If Baltimore can't ink Judon to another deal, these are three free agent pass rushers they should target instead.

1. Dante Fowler

Dante Fowler celebrates during a game against the Cardinals. / John McCoy/Getty Images

If the Ravens can't afford to keep Judon, they won't likely be able to afford Jadeveon Clowney or Yannick Ngakoue, the other two top edge rushers on the market. Dante Fowler would be a strong consolation prize, though. Fowler just racked up a career-high 11.5 sacks in his first full season with the Los Angeles Rams, bouncing back from an underwhelming 2018 season in which he tallied 4.0. Fowler owned the ninth-best pass rush win rate among edge rushers, and that upside is easy to like.

2. Mario Addison

Mario Addison after a game against the Colts. / Justin Casterline/Getty Images

The Ravens are in win-now mode after looking like the best team in the NFL in the 2019 regular season. That means they don't necessarily need to go young with their signings, so it isn't much of a concern that Mario Addison will turn 33 this year. Addison has been a consistent source of pressure for the Carolina Panthers in recent years, notching at least 9.0 sacks in each of the last four years, including 9.5 in 2019. He ranks No. 11 in the NFL with 39.0 sacks in that stretch, and that level of consistency isn't likely to fall off for at least another couple seasons.

3. Everson Griffen

Everson Griffen before a playoff matchup against the 49ers. / Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Everson Griffen's 8.0 sacks from 2019 may not look like anything to write home about, but he did rack up 24 QB hits, which is tied for the fourth most among upcoming free agents. Like Addison, he's older (also turning 33 this season), but consistent. Griffen had a down year when injuries limited him to 11 games in 2018, but other than that he has racked up 8.0 sacks in the other five of his last six seasons, with at least 22 QB hits in each of those five.

Join FanDuel Sportsbook Today. New users get a risk-free bet up to $500. Join Now.

Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.