Ravens Free Agency 2012: Ben Grubbs Likely On His Way Out

The Baltimore Ravens went 12-4 in the 2011 season and swept the entire division. They made their way to the AFC Championship game where they lost to the New England Patriots. The Ravens are in position to take over control of the AFC North in 2012 as the Steelers have to cut a lot of players to get back under the cap and are likely going to have to rebuild.

When it comes to players that are set to leave Baltimore, guard Ben Grubbs is on top of the list. When the Ravens used the franchise tag on running back Ray Rice, they pretty much guaranteed that Grubbs would at least test the market. He's considered the second best guard behind Carl Nicks in this year's free agency class and when it comes to where he ends up, look no further than the Bengals, who could make a serious push to sign the guard. Others on the list of players that could leave Baltimore are Matt Birk, Jameel McClain and Tom Zbikowski. Ladarius Webb received a first round tender already. He'll likely be back.

The Ravens are in good position to at least head back to the playoffs. They should focus on re-signing some of their own players to cap-friendly deals, especially Grubbs. If they can keep Joe Flacco protected and keep him surrounded by talented targets and a talented running back, they should be considered a Super Bowl contender in 2012. The Ravens are in the best shape of any team in the division heading into the new year.