Baltimore Ravens free agent signings
The Baltimore Ravens announced several free agent signings this afternoon. The biggest name that was re-signed was linebacker Jameel McClain who was signed to a three-year deal. Here is the complete Ravens press release on the transactions. More commentary will come tomorrow.
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms with following unrestricted free agents, general manager/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome announced Friday afternoon:
- OLB Brendon Ayanbadejo (re-signed for three years)
- S Sean Considine (signed one year)
- CB Corey Graham (signed for two years)
- LB Jameel McClain (re-signed for three years)
“It’s a good day for the Ravens,” Newsome stated. “Getting Jameel and Brendon back is very important for us. They both know the standard we have around here, and they have helped set that.
“With Corey and Sean, we have improved our special teams, plus they give us quality and proven depth for the defense. When we ended the season, [head coach] John [Harbaugh] and I talked about the need to get better players for special teams, especially with kick coverage. Corey and Sean will improve that area for us.”
OLB Brendon Ayanbadejo
Entering his 10th NFL season, the three-time Pro Bowl special teamer has played in 126 career games, including 46 contests as a Raven over the past four seasons (2008-11). Owning 173 career special teams tackles, Ayanbadejo has led or shared the team lead in special teams stops in six of his nine seasons.
Ayanbadejo has also produced 97 tackles from scrimmage (63 solo), including a career-high 27 last season. Additionally, he registered a career-high 1.5 sacks and two passes defensed in 2011.
“He’s our leader on special teams, and we needed him back,” Harbaugh said. “He’s valuable to everything we do on [special] teams. And, adding Corey and Sean to those groups will help Brendon, who was double-teamed on most plays last season.
“The other good thing with Brendon is that he’s a real factor on our defense with our sub [substitution] packages. His development in that area exceeded what we originally expected when we first signed him as the top special teams’ player.”
S Sean Considine
Considine has played in 83 career games (28 starts) and enters his eighth NFL season. In 2011, he saw action in four contests with Carolina and then eight games with Arizona. Originally selected by Philadelphia in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, he also spent four seasons with the Eagles (2005-08) and two years in Jacksonville (2009-10).
Considine has notched 253 career tackles (159 solo), 2.5 sacks, four interceptions, five fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles during his career, adding 93 special teams stops.
CB Corey Graham
A 2011 Pro Bowl special teamer with Chicago, Graham enters his sixth NFL season after playing in 77 career games (10 starts) with the Bears. Last season, Chicago ranked second in NFL opponent punt return average (5.4 ypr), and since Graham entered the league in 2007, the Bears have permitted an NFL-best 6.5 yards per opponent punt return. Graham earned his first All-Star nod last season after leading the team with 22 special teams stops, upping his career total to 104.
Graham has also produced 117 tackles (90 solo), four interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery from scrimmage during his career. Totaling a career-high three interceptions last year, he tied for the team’s second most.
LB Jameel McClain
Entering his fifth NFL season, McClain was originally signed by Baltimore as a rookie free agent in 2008. Starting all 16 games for the Ravens in 2011, he recorded 81 tackles, one sack, five passes defensed and two fumble recoveries (including one for a six-yard touchdown return).
“We are pleased this worked out for us,” Harbaugh stated. “It has been our hope to bring [McClain] back, even when he became a free agent. Personally, I have tremendous respect and admiration for Jameel as a player, but also his life story. We are proud of him, and we know our fans are, too.”
McClain has never missed a regular season game for the Ravens, playing in 64-consecutive contests and starting 31 of 32 over the past two seasons. McClain has been a key component of the Ravens’ unit, which has boasted the NFL’s No. 3 scoring defense (points allowed) for four-straight seasons, tying an NFL record. The Ravens have also produced a Top 5 rushing defense in each of McClain’s four years.
“Jameel understands what it is to be a Raven, to play like one, and he is an integral part of our team, especially our defense,” Harbaugh added. “With Jameel and Brendon back, our linebackers group is very solid right now.”
