The NFL free agency started at 4:00pm today. Unlike the boom of last year, the Baltimore Ravens made small waves during the first day of free agency.
While the Ravens hoped to keep defensive end Art Jones, they speculated he would leave after this season and that’s what happened. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts shortly after his contact ended today.
Jones got a reported five-year, $6 million per year contact. He will reunite with Chuck Pagano, former Ravens defensive coordinator and current Colts head coach.
Jones was respected in the locker room and on the field. In the last two years, Jones started in 19 games; he had 100 tackles and 8.5 sacks.
The Ravens re-signed left tackle Eugene Monroe; they desperately needed a tackle to protect their $120 million dollar quarterback Joe Flacco.
Monroe got a reported five-year, $37.5 million contract, $7.5 million average per year.
Monroe is happy to stay in Baltimore:
“I was pretty confident that it would work out wherever it did, but definitely we had confidence that things could work out here. And I’m glad they did.”
The Ravens were lucky to keep Monroe, according to Pro Football Focus, he was the top left tackle set to hit the free agent market.
The Ravens traded the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 26-year old Monroe last season. Monroe played 11 games with the Ravens.
In other Ravens free agency news, wide receiver Jacoby Jones will visit the New York Giants on Wednesday.
While the Ravens want to re-sign him for less than the $4 million he made last season, they are letting him test the market. Jones has the added value of being a kickoff returner.
It is rumored that the Ravens could target a veteran wide receiver in free agency.
I am sad Jones is leaving, he was a good guy to have in the locker room, but it’s unfortunately football is a business and the Ravens couldn’t afford to keep him.
I am happy Monroe is staying, the Ravens offensive line struggled last season and Monroe is a good investment to protect Flacco.
Zennie Abraham