Ravens Sign Veteran Linebacker Vince Biegel
The Baltimore Ravens have added some more depth to their front seven.
On Monday, the Ravens announced that they’ve signed veteran linebacker Vince Biegel to a one-year contract. The 28-year-old played with the Miami Dolphins last season, though he saw very little playing time in five games.
A fourth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2017 (108th overall), the Wisconsin product has mostly been a backup player. However, he did make 10 starts for the Dolphins in 2019 — recording 2.5 sacks, 59 tackles, 13 quarterback hits and one interception.
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At BetMGM Maryland, customers would be able to bet on a plethora of sports, and they’d have the option to place a variety of different bets (futures, parlays, over/under and more).
The Ravens’ usually stingy defense ranked dead-last against the pass last season and a mere 19th in scoring. Of course, injuries to Marcus Peters (he missed the entire season with a torn ACL) and Marlon Humphrey (five games missed with a torn pectoral muscle) can be cited as a reason for the struggles.
GM Eric DeCosta replenished the group by signing ball-hawking safety Marcus Williams in free agency. A few weeks later, the Ravens selected Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton in the No. 14 slot.
Biegel probably won’t start in 2022, but as Baltimore learned last year, you can never have too much depth on defense.
Tyler Linderbaum “Excited To” Block For Lamar Jackson
The Ravens bolstered their offensive line by selecting Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum with the No. 25 selection.
DeCosta acquired the additional first-rounder (23rd overall) from the Arizona Cardinals in the Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown trade. The Buffalo Bills traded up to the No. 23 spot so they could select Florida corner Kaiir Elam, and the Ravens happily came away with the top center prospect in the class two picks later.
Linderbaum will immediately slot in as the starting center on a Ravens’ offensive line that features one bonafide superstar in offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley. And the Iowa Product is thrilled about the change “to protect” 2019 league MVP Lamar Jackson.
“My job is to protect him (Jackson); I’m excited to get that opportunity,” Linderbaum said, via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “Every snap, every down, I’m going to have to bring it, because obviously it’s a tough league. Every guy across from me is going to be tough.
“But just the mentality I’m going to bring, just that gritty toughness, physical, I’m going to bring it just to protect him and keep him safe.”
Baltimore boasted the NFL’s top rushing defense in 2019 and 2021. They finished third in that category last season despite missing Jackson for five games, and despite not having top running backs Gus Edwards or J.K. Dobbins all season.
Upgrading the secondary and the offensive line were among DeCosta’s main offseason goals. He got all of that done in round one alone with the Hamilton and Linderbaum picks. Now, we wait and see if it will be enough to help Baltimore get back into the postseason.
Marcus Peters Hopes To Stay In Baltimore
Ravens All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters is entering the final season of his contract, but if he gets his way, the 29-year-old will stay put beyond 2022.
Peters was asked by Jeff Zriebec of The Athletic (subscription required) if he was open to signing a new deal with the Ravens. Peters made his answer very clear.
“I’m going to just say this. I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else,” Peters said. “I feel comfortable being here. If some things get worked out, then they get worked out. But as of right now, I’m in the last year of my deal. I’m here to get my leg better and just play ball at the highest level I can play ball at.”
Peters missed all of 2021 due to a torn ACL he suffered in a practice session shortly before the start of the 2021 regular season. The Ravens’ secondary simply wasn’t the same without Peters, who has been a mainstay since coming to Baltimore via trade with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019.
Peters earned All-Pro honors with Baltimore in 2019 after posting three interceptions and 10 pass defenses. In 2020, he had four INTs, nine pass defenses and four forced fumbles.
Needless to say, his return will be a massive boost to a Baltimore secondary that played well below expectations a year ago.
