6 years agoThe Baltimore Ravens top-ranked defense will almost certainly undergo significant cosmetic changes with five starters uncertain whether they will return in 2019. The five starters are outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, middle linebacker C.J. Mosley, safety Eric Weddle, cornerback Jimmy Smith, and defensive end Brent Urban. Weddle, who is 34 years old, is the only one of the five that is not an impending free agent. Not only could the Ravens lose nearly half of their starting lineup, but some of their most productive players as those five accounted for 24 percent of the team's total tackles, 28.1 percent of their sacks (nine), 34.7 percent of the passes defensed, and 25 percent of the interceptions (three). Mosely is the quarterback of the defense and led the team in tackles (105), marking the fourth time that the fifth-year middle linebacker has reached 100 tackles. Weddle is the captain of the secondary. Pro Football Focus ranked Urban as the 52nd best defensive interior lineman in the league this year while Smith, who is an excellent coverage corner, ranked No. 80 at his position. Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Suggs has been the heart and soul of the defense for years and finished second on the team with seven sacks. The Ravens ended the campaign ranked first in the league in total defense, second in scoring defense, fourth against the run and fifth versus the pass. Losing any of the five players will hurt the defense overall, however, given the age of Suggs and Weddle, it might be best to move on from those two. Overall, the Ravens have seven potential free agents on the defensive side of the ball with linebacker Za'Darius Smith also being an unrestricted free agent.--Daniel Benjamin
Source: Jamison Hensley, ESPN