Baltimore Ravens' Bargain Guide to the 2015 Offseason

The Baltimore Ravens don't have a lot of gaping holes on their roster heading into the 2015 offseason.

After winning 11 games and making it to the divisional round of the playoffs, Baltimore was narrowly defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

The Ravens are close to being a Super Bowl contender themselves, and with a good offseason, they could become one in the 2015 season. 

That said, there are are few holes on the roster that have to be filled. Like every NFL team, Baltimore has its weaknesses, but not having many is what separates the contenders and pretenders.

The Ravens floated with being both during the 2014 season, but it was clear by the end of the season that they were closer to being a championship contender than they were at the beginning of the season.  

Now, here is a look at who could be some of the free-agent targets for the Ravens. 

Wide Receiver

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The Ravens could be in need of another receiver with Torrey Smith set to hit free agency for the first time in his five-year career. He could be in for a big payday, and Baltimore doesn't have much salary-cap space to offer him a big deal.

If Baltimore loses him, the market for receivers will be deep this year. Though the Ravens don't have much money to spend, there are some decent options that could make an impact next year. 

Titans receiver Kenny Britt could be a decent replacement for Smith. At 6'3" and 215 pounds, Britt's game is similar to that of Smith in that he has the combination of size and speed that would make him a quality deep threat with quarterback Joe Flacco's arm while also being a big red-zone target.

In 2014, Britt caught 48 passes for 748 yards and three touchdowns with second- and third-string quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Austin Davis throwing to him.

If Baltimore wants to spend a little more money, Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts is hitting the market for the first time in his NFL career. 

After catching 122 passes for 1,756 yards and 10 scores from 2012-2013, Shorts recorded just 53 receptions for 557 yards and one score for Jacksonville in 2014.

The 27-year-old missed three games this past year while rookie quarterback Blake Bortles threw him the ball, so it's fair to say those numbers don't reflect his true ability. 

Shorts would be a quality possession receiver that could be affordable if the Ravens lose Torrey Smith. 

Looking as the best possible receiver Baltimore could have a chance of signing, 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree is hitting the market after his rookie contract expired. 

Crabtree's only 1,000-yard receiving season came in 2012, but since then, his numbers have gone down in the 49ers' run-heavy offense with option-quarterback Colin Kaepernick running the show.

The 6'1", 214-pound Crabtree caught just 68 passes for 698 yards and four scores this past season after an Achilles injury caused him to miss 11 games in 2013.

Crabtree has a lot of potential, but his stock isn't too high right now to take him out of Baltimore's price range if it's in need of a quality receiver in free agency. 

Cornerback

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The Ravens have three quality corners in Lardarius Webb, Asa Jackson and Jimmy Smith. However, Smith and Jackson are coming off season-ending injuries, and Webb may be a cap casualty. 

Baltimore needs to add at least one quality corner this offseason, and there are several hitting free agency to pick from. Staying within the AFC North, there are several players the Ravens are familiar with hitting the market. 

Browns cornerback Buster Skrine is hitting free agency for the first time, and he's been a productive player for Cleveland through his first four years. 

Over his past two years, Skrine had registered 36 pass deflections and five interceptions in 31 starts. Skrine will be one of the better cornerbacks to hit the market and could be out of the Ravens' price range. 

One guy who played almost as well but won't cost as much is Bengals cornerback Terence Newman. The 36-year-old has been a full-time starter in Cincinnati the past three years while registering five interceptions, 35 pass deflections and 199 tackles. 

He's got one or two good years left in him, so don't be surprised to see Baltimore target Newman since it's familiar with him. 

Packers cornerback Davon House is another quality corner who could be in Baltimore's price range if it's looking for a starting-caliber DB.

The 25-year-old is entering free agency for the first time after a breakout 2014 campaign. According to Pro Football Focus, opposing quarterbacks posted a 76.6 passer rating when throwing at House in 2014, which was 26th among 116 qualifying corners.

If the Ravens want to add a quality corner, any of the aforementioned guys would be solid additions. 

Safety

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Like cornerback, the safeties played well for Ravens in terms of the starters, but the backups were not anything to brag about. 

Making matters worse is both Jeromy Miles and Darian Stewart are set to hit free agency. Those two started a combined 18 games and played 1,117 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.  

After James Ihedigbo left in free agency and Matt Elam regressed in his second NFL season, Stewart got starts at both free and strong safety this year, though he did better at strong safety.

The other safety spot was a weakness, and there are several players Baltimore could sign to at least add some competition this year. 

Colts safety Mike Adams is a great option if the Ravens want a starting-caliber defensive back. He was the No. 7 safety via Pro Football Focus this past season while grabbing five interceptions and registering 87 tackles. 

However, because Adams turns 34 in March, teams are going to be reluctant to spend big money on him. This could allow a team in win-now mode like the Ravens to swoop in and sign him.

Adams could be the missing link that makes Baltimore's defense one of the truly elite units in the NFL and a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Another quality veteran hitting the market is Dawan Landry, who spent his first five NFL seasons with Baltimore. He left to sign with the Jaguars in 2010 and spent the past two seasons with the Jets. 

This past season, the 32-year-old Landry was PFF's No. 9 safety after notching 106 total tackles. He's familiar with Baltimore, and a reunion could be best for both sides. 

If the Ravens want to add a younger option who might not cost as much as the aforementioned safeties, Louis Delmas could be a fit. He was a starting safety for the Dolphins this past season with mixed results. 

Delmas finished 51st out of 87 qualified safeties via PFF's grades. He accounted for just 61 tackles, three passes defensed and one interception. 

All of the guys mentioned in this article would be nice additions to the Ravens roster. While few, if any of them would be game-changers, they could all help fill holes that could make Baltimore a true championship contender in 2015.