8 pending free agents to watch in the conference championship games

While there’s an inclination to stop watching football once your favorite team is eliminated from contention, there can be much to learn. For the Baltimore Ravens, that means getting a better look at some of the pending free agents they might want to target in the offseason.

It’s down to the final four teams now as the AFC and NFC fight amongst themselves to determine who will head to Super Bowl LV. While there are plenty of pending free agents not playing this weekend, there are more than a couple putting on a helmet and pads. With these games being some of the most important a player can be in, the Ravens should see the best possible versions of each pending free agent — something that can play a major impact on their status in the coming months.

Though the 2021 salary cap is expected to actually decrease after the coronavirus pandemic put a big dent in revenue, Baltimore is one of the few teams in the positive right now. With a limited market for free agents, the Ravens’ funds could go a long way in the offseason if they’re smart about where they spend it.

Let’s see which players Baltimore could be eyeing up today in the NFC and AFC Championship Games.

Note: These players are in no particular order

EDGE Shaquil Barrett -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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The Buccaneers used their franchise tag on Barrett in the offseason, keeping the 2019 sack king off the free-agent market. Since the Ravens need to figure out whether they're bringing back Matthew Judon or Yannick Ngakoue, or if they want to go in a completely different direction, Barrett is going to get the magnifying-glass treatment. Unfortunately, Barrett didn't live up to his 2019 production. After putting up 19.5 sacks a year ago, Barrett managed just eight in 2020 while going from 37 quarterback hits to just 16. But with 41 total pressures, Barrett is likely going to be at the top of the free-agent class if Tampa Bay can't work out a long-term contract.

TE Rob Gronkowski -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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I know every Ravens fan wants the team to go out and get the best wide receiver possible in free agency. But with a limited amount of cap space, that simply might not be plausible. Instead, Baltimore could save some money by finding the right tight end to join Mark Andrews. Though Gronkowski is no spring chicken (he'll be 32 years old by the start of next season) and he has quite the injury history, he's still a really productive player. Gronkowski played a full 16-game season for the first time since 2011, catching 45 passes for 623 yards and seven touchdowns. If he can come up big in the NFC Championship Game, especially as a chain-mover and in the red zone, he could be an interesting addition at a great value. Of course, Gronkowski has to return in 2020 and be willing to sign with a team that doesn't have Tom Brady under center -- both very big question marks.

WR Sammy Watkins -- Kansas City Chiefs

Watkins never really lived up to his pre-draft billing, but that's not to say he's been a dud either. In fact, he might be exactly the type of wide receiver the Ravens need right now. Watkins is a big-bodied, sure-handed receiver. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds with a 4.43-second 40-yard-dash, Watkins has all the physical trademarks of a top receiver. And while he has rarely hit that level of production, he'd be a great weapon alongside Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews in Baltimore. In Kansas City's offense with a bevy of other weapons around him, Watkins hasn't really been able to assert himself as a top target, catching 129 passes for 1,613 yards and eight touchdowns over three years. However, we have a better idea of his ceiling with his sophomore year with the Buffalo Bills in which he caught 60 passes for 1,047 yards, and nine touchdowns.

C Corey Linsley - Green Bay Packers

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There's absolutely no question the offensive line has to be one of Baltimore's top priorities this offseason. And if the Ravens are smart, they'll first look at center, where they had most of their problems this season. With both Patrick Mekari and Matt Skura sending snaps flying all over the place this season, finding a consistent snapper is paramount. But finding one that can both run and pass block would be ideal. Enter Linsley. Linsley is Pro Football Focus' top-ranked center, earning an elite 88.3 overall grade. He allowed just four pressures during the 2020 season and ranked in the 84th percentile in run blocking. Linsley is likely going to have quite a few suitors this offseason but Baltimore adding him would do wonders for an offensive line that was still serviceable despite so many major injuries and poor play from center.

CB Bashaud Breeland -- Kansas City Chiefs

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The Ravens have made it very clear they cannot have enough good cornerbacks. As if their previous statements over the years didn't already qualify that, the injury bug bit Baltimore's secondary so bad it felt like they would have taken fan tryouts at various points of the season. While Breeland almost assuredly will outprice himself from the Ravens' interest, there's no point in assuming that with the salary cap potentially messed up. And if Baltimore can add yet another top cornerback to arguably the league's best secondary, that would be nuts. Over the last three seasons, Breeland has allowed passer ratings of 49.9, 88.7, and 78.3 out of 158.3 when targeted. If Breeland can do a good job shutting down Buffalo's high-flying aerial attack, his free-agent value will almost assuredly skyrocket.

WR Demarcus Robinson -- Kansas City Chiefs

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Robinson isn't a name many Ravens fans would know off the top of their heads and he's not expected to be a the top of free agency. But that might actually be to Baltimore's benefit when it comes to opening up the wallet. At 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds with a 4.59-second 40-yard-dash time, Robinson comes across as a lesser version of Sammy Watkins. He can be explosive and has the body and skillset to win in contested-catch situations. While still pretty raw, five years in Kansas City likely has Robinson far better prepared to step up into a bigger role elsewhere. With very limited production with the Chiefs, Robinson isn't going to break the bank elsewhere. But when combined with Marquise Brown's deep speed and elusiveness in the open field, he might just be the right player at the right price for Baltimore. Take a closer look at how he performs when on the field -- both as a receiver and downfield blocker -- in the AFC Championship Game.

WR Chris Godwin -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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If the Ravens want to stack speed on top of speed, Godwin would be their answer in free agency. He's ridiculously fast and explosive downfield, which can be proven by his career 14.5 yards-per-reception average. The question is if he'd be able to play outside primarily. According to Player Profiler, Godwin saw 357 of his 675 snaps from the slot. It would be ideal if Godwin could stay outside and Marquise Brown could move inside where his open-field agility could be better utilized. That's not to say Godwin wouldn't still be an intriguing option if he's best in the slot, but it might cap his value to the Ravens quite a bit. Paying attention to when Godwin is on the outside and how he's best utilized there in the NFC Championship Game will go a long way to determining if he's a good fit for Baltimore at his likely high price tag.

C Austin Reiter -- Kansas City Chiefs

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If Linsley is too expensive for Baltimore's tastes, Reiter will likely be the cheaper option. While he's not at Linsley's level, Reiter is still plenty good enough, being the 13th-ranked center in the NFL, according to PFF. As PFF notes, Reiter is a far better pass blocker than run blocker. That's not as ideal on a Ravens' offense that prioritizes the run first but it's also something that should be able to be improved upon by one of the best run-designers in the game in offensive coordinator Greg Roman. If Reiter can consistently snap the ball and is stout against pass rushers, his relative value compared to Linsley might make him an attractive enough option for Baltimore when free agency begins.

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