Having lost three edge defenders over the first 24 hours of free agency, the Ravens were able to re-sign the youngest of their free-agent outside linebackers on Tuesday.
Baltimore agreed to a four-year, $22 million contract with 2017 second-round pick Tyus Bowser, according to NFL insider Adam Caplan. The deal includes $12 million guaranteed and is worth up to $27 million with incentives, a more affordable rate than what former Ravens outside linebackers Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue fetched from New England and Las Vegas respectively. Rotational piece Jihad Ward also agreed to join Jacksonville on Tuesday morning.
Bowser, 25, played 541 defensive snaps and recorded three interceptions in the 2020 regular season, both career highs. The 6-foot-3, 242-pound outside linebacker has registered just 10 1/2 sacks over his first four NFL seasons, but his above-average ability in pass coverage was important to retain after the exit of the versatile Judon, who agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract with the Patriots on Monday. Pro Football Focus graded Bowser ninth among 31 qualified edge defenders in pass coverage and 19th among 110 edge defenders playing the run in 2020.
Such improvement came after Bowser was largely a non-factor over his first two seasons when he played a combined 323 defensive snaps. The University of Houston product registered a career-best five sacks in an expanded rotational role in 2019 and is now in line to replace Judon as Baltimore’s starting strong-side outside linebacker next season.
“The whole process of four years is coming to fruition right now,” defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said in late December. “He’s always been good in coverage, and with the way we used him this year, he’s had the ball come to him right at the right time. And it’s not always on third down; it’s first and second down as well. But it just talks to the value of Tyus Bowser and what he can do.
“To be able to rush the passer and also drop in coverage, that’s a talent and we really appreciate it. He’s just one of those pieces. He and Matt Judon are two chess pieces that you have — especially on third down — that people don’t know if they’re rushing or dropping.”
After veteran Pernell McPhee agreed to a one-year deal last week, Bowser became the second free-agent outside linebacker to be re-signed by the Ravens. They join 2019 third-round pick Jaylon Ferguson as the only edge defenders on the roster to have played more than 15 defensive snaps last season, meaning general manager Eric DeCosta still has work to do at the position this offseason.
Bowser is the Ravens’ first second-round draft pick to sign a multiyear second contract with the organization since 2008 selection and former Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice before the 2012 campaign.
