Even with Kubiak Out, Justin Forsett and Ravens Would Be Wise to Stay Together

The Baltimore Ravens signed free-agent running back Justin Forsett in 2014 to a one-year deal in order to add veteran depth to their group of backs. It also didn't hurt that he had familiarity—albeit one year of it—with then-offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's system.

Ultimately, Forsett finished the year as the Ravens' leading rusher and the fifth-leading rusher in the NFL, with 235 carries for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns.

He had a team-high 56 first downs via the rush and another 10 as a receiver, catching 44 of 59 passes thrown his way for 263 additional yards.

Though Kubiak has given way to Marc Trestman, with Kubiak leaving to take the Denver Broncos' head coaching job, Forsett's time in Baltimore may not be done. He has spent his brief offseason expressing to anyone who will listen his desire to return to the Ravens for the 2015 season.

Forsett wrote the following on SportsBlog (h/t BaltimoreRavens.com):

"

I've never been around such a group of resilient teammates. ... I'm just proud to be part of this organization, proud to be a Raven.

... 

I'm a free agent this year, but if I'm back with the Ravens, I know that the future is bright here. With the young team and veteran leadership that we have, I think that we could come out next year and accomplish all of our goals. I think we've got the weapons that we need on offense, specifically. I think on defense, we are very stout. Next season will only give us time to get better. I'm excited about it.

"

"I would like to stay in Baltimore," he continued. Forsett reiterated this interest to NFL.com's Kevin Patra at the Pro Bowl. "That is the plan [to return to the Ravens], they gave me my shot, they trusted me and believed in me enough to give me that shot so I'd like to stay," he said. "They expressed that they want me back. I want to be back, so we'll see what happens."

Though Kubiak's system certainly helped out Forsett's fortunes, that does not mean that Forsett cannot replicate his 2014 success in 2015 with Trestman as his coordinator.

For one, the Ravens' offensive line did as much to assist Forsett as Kubiak, staying healthy and proving to be adept at executing Kubiak's zone-blocking scheme.

Secondly, Trestman isn't about to abandon what worked in Baltimore this season just because it's not what he's most familiar with. In his introductory remarks upon being hired, Trestman made it clear that zone blocking and a heavy dose of the run will carry over in his tenure at coordinator.

Atts.	Yds.	YPR	Rush TD	Rush 1stD	Tgts.	Rec.	Rec.%	Rec. Yds.	Rec. TD	Yds. Scrim.
235	1,266	5.4	8	56	59	44	74.6%	263	0	1,529

According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun, Trestman said the following to reporters when asked about the blocking scheme:

"

"That's where it's going to start with the Ravens. Thats not going to change." He went so far as to say that he'd be learning the Ravens' offense rather than him trying to install a brand new one: "My idea would be why would I have 20-something guys learn a new offense. Isn't it easier for me to [do it]?"

"

This all seems like good news for Forsett.

The Chicago Bears, whom Trestman coached in 2014, tied for the seventh-most passing attempts on the season and ranked 30th in rushing attempts, an inversion of the Ravens' run-pass ratio. It looked more like the Ravens of 2013, who finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs.

The worry is that the pass-first philosophy would return to the Ravens with Trestman's hire.

But with Trestman adamant that the Ravens will run their own offense, not his, Forsett seems like he could yet again be the team's rushing centerpiece.

There may be a few differences—expect Forsett to get more passing targets, considering his Bears counterpart, Matt Forte, had 130 targets and 102 receptions in 2014—but the overarching offensive philosophy will not change.

There's a cliche statement that goes, "If it's not broken, don't fix it."

Trestman seems to recognize that very little, if anything, about Baltimore's offense isn't clicking. He has seen just what this side of the ball accomplished in 2014 and how much improvement it made in one year. Continuity is his priority over putting his fingerprints all over Baltimore's offense.

But Forsett's desire to return, the Ravens' interest in having him back and the fact that the offense that suited him so well will not change are not the only things to consider.

There's also that the NFL is a business, and Forsett won't be in Baltimore in 2015 if the money isn't agreeable to both sides.

Forsett was a bargain for the Ravens, signing a one-year deal worth just $730,000. But given his performance in 2014, a sub-$1 million annual salary isn't going to cut it for Forsett. His 2014 is one typically rewarded in the NFL.

That's not to say that Forsett is suddenly going to become one of the league's highest-paid running backs this offseason, but his price is certainly on the rise.

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

That, coupled with the other impending Ravens free agents—which include wide receiver Torrey Smith, pass-rusher Pernell McPhee and a whole host of their no-name cornerbacks who had to carry much of the latter half of the season—means it's heading into decision time for the team.

The Ravens have just over $6 million in carry-over cash from the 2014 salary cap while their current contracts have them over the cap by $4.1 million.

That leaves them with $2 million in cap space in 2015, assuming a $138.6 million 2015 salary cap and barring restructuring of other contracts to make additional room.

It's quite possible that the Ravens earmark Forsett as their highest-priority free agent. Though not thin at running back—they also have Bernard Pierce, Lorenzo Taliaferro and Fitzgerald Toussaint on the roster—only Forsett was truly capable of being a starter and every-down back.

In fact, he stole the job outright from the expected 2014 starter, Pierce.

Forsett's price tag is going to rise, and deservedly so, but it's quite possible it doesn't go up so much that the Ravens cannot afford him.

And with Forsett so publicly stating that Baltimore is where he wants to be, he could be open to a discounted rate of pay—within reason—to stay with a team that he believes is going places.

Like Trestman, the Ravens, too, don't want to fix what's not broken. The interest between Baltimore and Forsett appears to be mutual and Trestman isn't going to mess with the formula Kubiak put in place. 

Forsett should be able to pick up where he left off in Baltimore. That's why both sides should be able to find a dollar amount that works in order to keep the Ravens offense humming.

Contract and salary-cap information courtesy of Spotrac.