The Ravens and left tackle Eugene Monroe are “very close” to agreeing to a new contract that will keep the free-agent-to-be off the open market, reports Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com and the NFL Network (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) are also hearing that the two sides should hammer out a deal today, barring any last-minute snags.
We heard just yesterday that the Ravens and Monroe were “deep in productive talks.” The Dolphins, expected to be a strong suitor for Monroe, have seemingly opted to sign Branden Albert instead, and the Cardinals appear to be focusing on Jared Veldheer, freeing up Monroe to resume negotiations with the Ravens.
In earlier talks with the Ravens, at a time when a reunion seemed unlikely, Monroe was said to be seeking $10MM per season, while Baltimore was hoping to pay closer to $8-9MM annually. With Albert reportedly in line for a $10MM per year salary, it seems likely that the final figures on Monroe’s deal will end up closer to that amount than what the Ravens wanted to pay.