Here it is, Ravens’ fans! My 2019 Guide. File it and follow all the off-season action!
RAVENS FREE-AGENT CLASS
Free-agent signing period starts when the new league year begins on March 13; other players can become free agents and be signed before then if they still had time left on their contracts and get released for salary-cap-clearing purposes.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (10): With four or more years’ experience, a player can sign with another team with no compensation to the Ravens (total years of NFL experience in parentheses): RB Buck Allen (4), TE Nick Boyle (4), WR John Brown (5), QB Robert Griffin III (6), RB Ty Montgomery (4), ILB CJ Mosley (5), OLB Za’Darius Smith (4), OLB Terrell Suggs (16), DE Brent Urban (5), TE Maxx Williams (4)
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (4): With three years’ experience, another club can tender an offer sheet until April. 19. The Ravens would have seven days to match: RB Alex Collins, CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, ILB Patrick Onwuasor, DT Michael Pierce
EXCLUSIVE-RIGHTS FREE AGENTS (5): With two years’ or less experience, a player has no negotiating leverage: WR Quincy Adeboyejo, RB Gus Edwards, T-G Jermaine Eluemunor, C Matt Skura, RB De’Lance Turner
2019 REGULAR-SEASON OPPONENTS
NOTE: Information regarding dates, kickoff times, and TV networks will be released on or about April 18.
HOME: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New England, New York Jets, Arizona, San Francisco, Houston (placement game)
AWAY: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, Buffalo, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle, Kansas City (placement game)
The Ravens will have seven games against teams that had winning records in 2018, as well as five games against 2018 playoff teams.
For a second straight year, the team will play 13 of its 16 games in the Eastern time zone.
The two placement games are determined by a team’s finish during the previous season. The Ravens finished first in the AFC North in 2018. Placement opponents are defined as those who had the same finish in the standings as did the Ravens in divisions from the same conference the Ravens aren’t already playing in their entirety in the coming year. That places Houston and Kansas City on the schedule.
Per the league schedule rotation, the Ravens will play the entire AFC East and NFC West.
2019 FIRST-ROUND DRAFT ORDER FOR ELIMINATED TEAMS
Listed by draft position, team, 2018 record, and opponents’ 2018 win percentage; ties determined by weaker schedule strength. Order of positions 25-32 will be finalized by playoff results. The Super Bowl winner will pick at No. 32 unless it has traded the pick.
1. Arizona Cardinals: 3-13 (.527 strength of schedule)
2. San Francisco 49ers: 4-12 (.504)
3. New York Jets: 4-12 (.506)
4. Oakland Raiders: 4-12 (.547)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-11 (.523)
6. New York Giants: 5-11 (.527)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11 (.549)
8. Detroit Lions: 5-11 (.504)
9. Buffalo Bills: 6-10 (.523)
10. Denver Broncos: 6-10 (.523)
11. Cincinnati Bengals: 6-10 (.535)
12. Green Bay Packers: 6-9-1 (.488)
13. Miami Dolphins: 7-9 (.469)
14. Atlanta Falcons: 7-9 (.482)
15. Washington Redskins: 7-9 (.486)
16. Carolina Panthers: 7-9 (.508)
17. Cleveland Browns: 7-8-1 (.516)
18. Minnesota Vikings: 8-7-1 (.504)
19. Tennessee Titans: 9-7 (.520)
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-6-1 (.504)
21. Seattle Seahawks: 10-6 (.484)
22. Baltimore Ravens: 10-6 (.496)
23. Houston Texans: 11-5 (.471)
24. Oakland Raiders (from Chicago): 4-12 (.547)
NOTE: Even though Buffalo and Denver had the same 2018 record, schedule strength, and record in common games, Buffalo had the lower strength-of-victory figure, so it gets priority in draft order over Denver, eliminating the need for a coin flip.
2019-2020 RAVENS/NFL CALENDAR
NOTE: Dates and times of events are subject to change.
JANUARY
Date TBA — “State Of The Ravens” press conference featuring majority owner Steve Bisciotti, Under Armour Performance Center, time TBA
Jan. 13 — Assistant coaches under contract to clubs that won Wild Card games may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the Divisional playoff round
Jan. 14 – Deadline for collegiate players to declare for early-entry draft eligibility
Jan. 19 – East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.; NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.
Jan. 26 – Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala.
Jan. 27 – AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, 3 p.m (ESPN/ABC)
Jan. 27 — An assistant coach whose team is participating in the Super Bowl who has previously interviewed for another club’s head coaching job may have a second interview no later than the Sunday preceding the Super Bowl
Jan. 31 – Deadline for NFL clubs to try out and negotiate with Canadian Football League players who are entering an option year in 2019, or whose 2018 contracts are due to expire at 12:00 noon, New York time, on February 12.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 2 – NFL Honors, including the announcement of Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2019, Atlanta; 9 p.m. (CBS/NFL Network)
Feb. 3 – SUPER BOWL LIII; AFC champion vs. NFC champion; Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta; 6:30 p.m. (CBS)
Feb. 4 – Waiver system begins for 2019
Feb. 19 – First day to designate franchise or transition players
Feb. 26-Mar. 4 — NFL Combine Timing and Testing, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
MARCH
March 5 – Deadline for clubs to designate franchise and transition players (4 p.m., EST)
March 11-13 — Clubs are permitted to enter into contract negotiations with certified agents of players who will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the current league year.
March 13 — Before 4 p.m. (EST), clubs must exercise options for 2019 on all players who have option clauses in their 2018 contracts.
March 13 — Before 4 p.m. (EST), clubs must submit qualifying offers to their restricted free agents with expiring contracts and to whom they desire to retain a right of first refusal/compensation.
March 13 — Before 4 p.m. (EST), clubs must submit a minimum salary offer to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2018 contracts and who have fewer than three seasons of free agency credit.
March 13 — All 2018 player contracts will expire at 4 p.m. (EST). All clubs must have their top 51 players under the salary cap before 4 p.m. (EST), and the 2019 league year, trading and free agency period begin at 4 p.m. (EST).
March 24-27 – Annual League Meeting; Phoenix, Ariz.
APRIL
April 1 – Teams that have hired a new head coach after the end of the 2017 regular season may begin offseason workout program
April 15 – Teams with returning head coaches may begin an offseason workout program
April 18 (approx.) – NFL 2019 REGULAR-SEASON SCHEDULE RELEASED
April 19 – Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
April 24 – Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents
April 25 – 84th Annual NFL Selection Meeting (“The Draft”); site TBA, Nashville, Tenn.; 8 p.m. EST (Round One)
April 26 — NFL Draft, Day Two, 7 p.m. (Rounds Two and Three)
April 27 — NFL Draft, Day Three, noon (Rounds Four through Seven)
MAY
May 3-5 — RAVENS ROOKIE MINICAMP, Under Armour Performance Center
May 7 — Final day tender offers can be made to unrestricted free agents for exclusive negotiating rights
May 13 – Rookie Football Development Program begins
May 16-19 – NFL Players’ Association Rookie Premiere event
May 20-22 — NFL Spring League Meeting, Key Biscayne, Fla.
May-June (dates TBA) — Ravens’ organized team activity practices (OTAs), Under Armour Performance Center
JUNE
May 30, June 1-2 — Ravens Beach Bash; Council of Baltimore Ravens Roosts Convention and Parade, Ocean City
June 2 – For any player removed from the club’s roster or whose contract is assigned via waivers or trade on or after June 2, any unamortized signing bonus amounts for future years will be included fully in team salary at the start of the 2020 league year
June 3 – Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision
Mid-June — RAVENS MANDATORY MINICAMP; Under Armour Performance Center, Owings Mills
June 15 — Deadline for old teams to withdraw original qualifying offer to restricted free agents and maintain exclusive negotiating rights with a submitted tender of 110 percent of previous year’s salary
Late June — Rookie Transition Program for all clubs. Attendance mandatory for all rookies
JULY
July 15 — Deadline for designated franchise free agents to sign multi-year extensions. After this date, players can sign only one-year contracts and cannot sign extensions until after the team’s last regular-season game.
July 22 — Veteran free-agent signing periods ends here, or first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later.
July 22 – Signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a May 8 offer was tendered and for transition players with outstanding tenders
Late July (date TBA) — RAVENS’ TRAINING CAMP OPENS, Under Armour Performance Center
AUGUST
Aug. 1 — Hall of Fame Game; Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium; Canton, Ohio; teams TBA; 8 p.m. (NBC)
Aug. 3 — Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Induction Ceremony; Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium; Canton, Ohio; 6 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 6 — Deadline for under-contract players to report to earn a season of free agency credit; unsigned rookies acquired in the draft that have not signed by this date may not be traded to another team in 2019
Aug. 8-10 – Preseason Week One
Aug. 15-17 – Preseason Week Two
Aug. 22-24 – Preseason Week Three
Aug. 29 – Preseason Week Four
Aug. 31 — Roster cutdown deadline to a maximum of 53 players (6 p.m. EST)
Aug. 31 – Simultaneously with the cut-down to 53, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 1 – Claiming period for players placed on waivers expires at noon EST. Teams may begin to establish ten-man practice squads at 1 p.m. EST.
Sept. 5 — 100TH NFL REGULAR SEASON BEGINS; Super Bowl LIII champion at home vs. opponent TBA, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sept. 8-9 – WEEK ONE; Sunday and Monday games
Sept. 10 — Players still on the active roster on this date after having been on the roster for one regular-season game are guaranteed their full 2019 salary
OCTOBER
Oct. 6 – Week Five; flex scheduling begins for Sunday-night prime-time games
Oct. 29 – Trading period ends at 4 p.m. (EST)
NOVEMBER
Nov. 15 — Signing deadline for unrestricted and restricted free agents who were tendered a qualifying offer before June 1 — signing deadline for transition and franchise free agents who remained unsigned by another club
DECEMBER
Dec. 29 – Week 17; REGULAR SEASON ENDS
Dec. 31 – Teams may begin signing their own free-agent players for the 2020 season
JANUARY
Jan. 4-5 — Wild Card Weekend (ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox)
Jan. 11-12 — Divisional Playoff Round (NBC, CBS, Fox)
Jan. 19 — AFC Championship Game, 3 p.m. (CBS); NFC Championship Game, 6:40 p.m. (Fox)
Jan. 26 — AFC-NFC Pro Bowl; Camping World Stadium, Orlando; 3 p.m. (ESPN)
FEBRUARY
Feb. 1 – NFL Honors, including the announcement of Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2020, Miami; 9 p.m. (Fox/NFL Network)
Feb. 2 – SUPER BOWL LIV; NFC champion vs. AFC champion; Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.; 6:30 p.m. (Fox)
2019 STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Teams are listed from the strongest to weakest schedule and in order of 2018 win percentage of each team’s 2019 opponents.
Arizona Cardinals: .547
Oakland Raiders: .539
Denver Broncos: .535
Jacksonville Jaguars: .531
Houston Texans: .527
Indianapolis Colts: .519
Chicago Bears: .519
Kansas City Chiefs: .519
Atlanta Falcons: .519
Minnesota Vikings: .511
Tennessee Titans: .511
San Francisco 49ers: .509
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: .508
Dallas Cowboys: .504
Green Bay Packers: .504
Los Angeles Chargers: .502
Carolina Panthers: .502
Miami Dolphins: .500
Baltimore Ravens: .496
Pittsburgh Steelers: .496
Detroit Lions: .496
New Orleans Saints: .488
Cleveland Browns: .484
Buffalo Bills: .480
Seattle Seahawks: .478
Philadelphia Eagles: .476
New England Patriots: .472
New York Jets: .472
Los Angeles Rams: .472
New York Giants: .472
Cincinnati Bengals. 468
Washington Redskins: 468
