Baltimore Ravens: No Need for Haloti Ngata Return

Haloti Ngata was great in his time with the Baltimore Ravens, but the team no longer needs him.

Many questioned the Ravens decision to send Haloti Ngata to the Detroit Lions last summer. We were not sure if the young guys (Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan) were ready to take on a bigger role on the defense. The move proved to be a good one for Baltimore as they were able to get some much needed salary cap and watched Williams and Jernigan turn into fantastic players for Dean Pees.

Ngata did not enjoy the same success. Many feel that it could be due to the switch from the 3-4 defense to a 4-3, but Ngata was always known for being versatile along the defensive line so that should not have been a problem. He was renowned for being great at stuffing the run, but had a down year in Detroit. He did do okay rushing the passer, but still only finished the season with 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks. It was a career-low in tackles for the former Oregon Duck, and it came in a contract year which is not good for him.

The reason the Ravens were willing to part ways with Ngata was not only the development of the younger players, but the fact that Ngata was entering the last year of his contract and would enter free agency. The move created $8.5 million in cap space and the two draft picks acquired ultimately landed Za’Darius Smith and Maxx Williams in last year’s draft. Baltimore definitely won in that trade.

That free agency has now come and many have speculated that a return to Baltimore could be in the works. Not only do I think it’s not likely, it makes no sense for the Ravens to make the move.

The fact that Williams did not make the Pro Bowl is part of the reason the game is not taken seriously. He was snubbed, and deserved to go to Honolulu over his teammate Elvis Dumervil. Pro Football Focus graded him as the highest-rated player on the Ravens defense as he has made his mark quickly as a starter. It’s only a matter of time before he gets the national recognition he deserves. 

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Jernigan showed the previous year that he was capable of handling his own when Ngata was suspended for PED use. Given an opportunity to get extended playing time, Jernigan put forth the same type of numbers as Ngata this season. The two former teammates graded very similarly, according to PFF.

The Ravens coaching staff knew that they had something in the work with Williams and Jernigan. Add Carl Davis into the mix and Baltimore could have a three-headed monster that we be driving offensive lineman nuts for a long time.

Haloti gave Baltimore some of the best defensive line play in the history of the organization, but those days are over with. Ngata is going to ask for a contract that’s too much for a player that the Ravens feel they already have for a cheaper price. It honestly would not surprise me if Ngata ended up in San Francisco to anchor their defensive line with a new head coach in charge.

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Bringing Ngata back would take playing time away from one of the three young players. There is no reason for Baltimore to hinder their development to be special in the league for a player that is a fan favorite. Spend that money on keeping Kelechi Osemele or bringing in a playmaker on either side of the ball.