Most significant signing: The Ravens have made only a couple of signings -- running back Justin Forsett and safety Kendrick Lewis. Forsett is the easy choice because he was the MVP on the Ravens last season and there were few viable alternatives to replace him. The team would've had to turn to Pierre Thomas or Knowshon Moreno if it failed to keep Forsett. He was a major reason the Ravens got their running game back on track. His vision and explosiveness worked well with the Ravens' stretch zone-blocking scheme. Forsett was the only running back in the league last season to gain more than 1,200 yards rushing and average more than 5 yards per carry. He's not DeMarco Murray, but he's a better value than the NFL's reigning rushing champion because his contract averages only $3 million per season.
Most significant loss: The Ravens are going to miss the big plays downfield by wide receiver Torrey Smith. There is always going to be criticism that Smith never developed into a No. 1 target, and he had shaky hands at times. But Smith stretched the field and defenses always had to account for him. His 44 catches since 2011, his first season in the NFL, ranked seventh in the league. That doesn't take into account the frequent pass-interference penalties that he drew. Smith also scored 10 touchdowns in the last 11 games, which was twice as many scores as any other Ravens player during that stretch. The Ravens will feel the loss of Pernell McPhee in the pass rush and tight end Owen Daniels on intermediate routes. But Smith was the best deep threat in franchise history.
Biggest surprise: Everyone knew there was a good possibility that the Ravens were going to part ways with Haloti Ngata if the sides couldn't agree to a contract extension, but the trading of the five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle was unexpected. It was a shrewd move by general manager Ozzie Newsome to get a couple of mid-round picks (a fourth- and a fifth-rounder) for a player they were prepared to cut anyway and get nothing in return.
On a lesser note, the signing of Lewis wasn't on anyone's radar outside the Ravens' facility. They needed to upgrade the safety spot because last season's starter, Darian Stewart, signed with the Denver Broncos, and former first-round pick Matt Elam regressed last season. Lewis is the kind of low-key addition that often makes a solid impact. He is a smart, center-fielder-type safety whose priority is to cut down on big plays. The Ravens allowed 54 passes of 20 or more yards, which tied for 11th in the league.
What's next? Finding someone to catch the ball from quarterback Joe Flacco. The Ravens have only one wide receiver on the roster who caught more than 25 passes last season, and that's soon-to-be 36-year-old Steve Smith. This offense needs a big wide receiver and an experienced tight end, but the free-agent pool for both positions is dwindling. They also want to improve at cornerback. The challenge there is cornerbacks are often pricey in free agency and the Ravens have limited salary-cap space.