NFL Free Agency: Baltimore Ravens Practicing Addition Through Subtraction

Ravens fans can't be very happy with their front office right now, as fan favorite Jarret Johnson, as well as rock-solid Cory Redding and Ben Grubbs, have moved on to new teams. They have nothing to worry about, though.

The Ravens will be in solid shape in due time.

First of all, it's worth questioning whether Johnson, Redding and Grubbs were worth keeping at all.

On a pure talent level, all three are certainly competent starters (especially Grubbs), but realistically, the Ravens would have liked to upgrade Johnson and Redding anyway.

Johnson, in particular, was a player that was no longer ideal at linebacker. Though he was never particularly explosive, his lack of pass-rushing ability in recent years allowed teams to key on slowing down Terrell Suggs, limiting the defense's pass rush as a whole.

Meanwhile, his run defense, long considered to be elite, has been slipping. For evidence, look no further than the playoff game against the Texans. Johnson was regularly washed out of plays, allowing Arian Foster to gain big yardage off-tackle.

While not an ideal option, Paul Kruger is more than capable of holding down the position until the Ravens find a better alternative.

Redding meanwhile, was a solid run stuffer, but he offered only a marginal pass rush. Pernell McPhee's emergence last year made Redding expendable, as he offers a far superior pass rush and better upside.

Unfortunately for the Ravens, who wanted to improve the offensive line this offseason, Grubbs will be the hardest to replace. The Ravens will need to find a replacement in free agency or the draft.

Looking beyond the individual players lost, though, the Ravens were going to address all these positions in free agency or the draft anyway.

Early in the offseason, GM Ozzie Newsome claimed that the Ravens' main focuses were to build the offensive line, the pass rush and wide receivers. Losing Redding and Johnson do not change that; it just ensures that the Ravens have the cap space to do it.

And the Ravens are well on the way towards addressing their offensive line, hosting free agents Evan Mathis and Eric Winston.

These two free agents would significantly improve the offensive line, and they wouldn't be possible to pick up had the Ravens re-signed Grubbs. Also, don't forget that the Ravens could still draft Peter Konz or another offensive lineman in the draft.

All in all, the Ravens still have holes in the pass rush and offensive line, but these holes would have existed regardless of what happened with Johnson, Redding and Grubbs.

By letting them go, the Ravens maintain cap space while opening opportunities for young players and giving them more flexibility in free agency and the draft.

The Ravens won't let these holes be an issue this season. They might not be moving quickly in free agency, but they will be sure to field the best roster possible in 2012.