Bisciotti: Ravens Made Competitive Terrell Suggs Offer
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti expected Terrell Suggs to stay in Baltimore after what he describes as an offer close to the one the Cardinals submitted. But the 17th-year veteran bolted early in free agency.
While Bisciotti did not specify how close the Ravens came to matching the one-year, $7MM proposal the Cardinals made, the longtime owner anticipated being able to retain Suggs with a hometown discount.
“Until the very minute Terrell took Arizona’s deal, I thought he would take less to stay here,” Bisciotti said, via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley (on Twitter). “I was wrong. I wished him well.”
Just before Suggs’ defection, he and the Ravens did not appear to be close on terms. The franchise’s all-time sack king played for $6.95MM in 2018, the final season of his four-year, $20MM deal. Suggs initially leaned toward re-signing with the Ravens. However, Suggs said Ozzie Newsome stepping away from his GM post, and Baltimore’s decisions on other veteran defensive stalwarts, swayed him.
Suggs played high school and college football in Arizona, helping to explain the choice to leave a division champion for the team that finished with 2018’s worst record. The Ravens also lost Za’Darius Smith, who signed a $16.5MM-AAV Packers deal, but still have Matt Judon and brought in Pernell McPhee and Shane Ray after the draft. Third-round pick Jaylon Ferguson also figures to factor into Baltimore’s pass rush, as will 2017 third-rounder Tim Williams. Bisciotti called Williams a situational pass rusher, Hensley adds (via Twitter). Williams played 120 snaps last season.
Browns, Ravens Top Gerald McCoy’s List
The Browns and Ravens are in the lead for Gerald McCoy‘s services, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, if neither club offers him the contract he wants, it’s possible that things could open up for other teams. 
One of those teams could be the Panthers, who have a desire to upgrade at defensive tackle and have been lurking, according to Rapoport. With less than $10MM in projected cap space, the Panthers don’t have a ton of breathing room, but they could get creative with some contract adjustments and/or a backloaded contract for McCoy.
Pairing McCoy with Kawann Short would give the Panthers a potent attack on the inside, but Dontari Poe‘s contract may stand in the way. Signed to a three-year, $28MM deal in 2018, cutting Poe today would leave the Panthers with a whopping $9.2MM cap charge versus just $166K in savings. Instead, the Panthers may prefer to stay the course with Short, Poe, and quality backup Kyle Love.
Latest On Gerald McCoy, Ravens
While the Browns hoped they could have Gerald McCoy signed before he left Cleveland, they now have serious AFC North competition. The Ravens are trying to execute the same strategy.
McCoy’s Tuesday visit will continue to Wednesday morning, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The Ravens hope to have a deal with the decorated defensive lineman by Wednesday, per ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. The Browns, though, have remained in contact with McCoy since he left their facility, Hensley adds.
The six-time Pro Bowler (but zero-game playoff participant) wants to land with a contending team. The Browns have enjoyed a busy offseason loading up for what could be their most talented team since rebooting in 1999, but the Ravens are the defending AFC North champions. This has become an interesting pursuit. No other McCoy visits are known to be scheduled, though numerous teams have inquired.
Baltimore obviously lost plenty of talent from its No. 1-ranked defense this offseason, but most of the shakeups occurred in Baltimore’s secondary or linebacking corps. Brent Urban, however, signed with the Titans after starting 16 Ravens games last season. McCoy would join Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce, who recently signed his second-round RFA tender, on Baltimore’s front. Third-year players Chris Wormley and Willie Henry reside on the Ravens’ line as well. Baltimore also signed UDFA Gerald Willis, who was viewed as a mid-round draft prospect.
The Ravens hold $13.7MM in cap space but have not signed their top three draft choices. A multiyear deal should not be ruled out, with that likely serving the Ravens’ interests better, as The Athletic’s Jeff Zreibec writes (subscription required). Baltimore is expected to hold more than $55MM in 2020 cap space. Another potential draw for McCoy: the employment of defensive line coach Joe Cullen, who was the Buccaneers’ D-line coach from 2014-15.
Poll: Where Will Gerald McCoy Sign?
Since being released by the Buccaneers earlier this week, Gerald McCoy has received his fair share of interest from about a quarter of the league’s teams. Once Tampa Bay quickly signed Ndamukong Suh as his replacement, the veteran defensive tackle became arguably the most impactful free agent left on the market. 
It’s not hard to see why the nine-year veteran is receiving so much attention. Since entering the league in 2010, the Oklahoma product has earned six Pro Bowl selections and a First Team All-Pro nod (2013) while recording at least five sacks in every season since 2012. He is the only defensive tackle who can make that claim.
The list of teams interested in McCoy’s service is a long one that includes the Browns, Ravens, Panthers, Colts, Bengals, Saints, Falcons and Patriots, who have reportedly pulled out of the running recently. As of this writing, only the Browns and Ravens have been linked to visits. According to reports, McCoy is more interested in playing for a contender and making the playoffs for the first time in his career than a pay day.
His fit in Cleveland would be an intriguing one. That would mean the Browns would roll out a defensive line that would feature McCoy, Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson. That is one formidable front four. The Browns have been connected to McCoy for some time, but they decided against trading for the defensive tackle while he was under contract for $13MM in the upcoming season. After his Bucs release, the Browns might be able to sign him at a lesser rate without giving up any draft capital.
Staying in the AFC North, Baltimore would provide McCoy a contender as the reigning division champs and a loaded defense to work in. In 2018, Baltimore allowed the fewest yards and the second-fewest points in the league, and would become even better on paper with the addition of McCoy. 
Drew Brees is making his own pitch for McCoy to join the Saints. “He’s a stud, he’s a great player,” Brees said this week. “I mean you’re basically asking me if I would love having a Pro Bowl defensive tackle that I’ve spent the last eight years trying to run around and avoid, not have hit me, join our team. Yeah, of course.” McCoy would team with the recently signed Malcom Brown up the middle for a team considered by many to be a Super Bowl frontrunner in 2019.
The Colts have the cap space to sign McCoy and have been relatively quiet so far this offseason. The longtime star would fill an immediate role as a leader on a young and up-and-coming defensive unit that features the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard.
Both the Panthers and Falcons have little in the way of cap room to sign McCoy, but that hasn’t stopped the NFC South squads from readying their pitches for the six-time Pro Bowler.
The Bengals are also interested in McCoy, but they are arguably the furthest away from competing for a playoff spot among the other teams listed. Though pairing McCoy with fellow standout Geno Atkins up the middle would instantly propel Cincinnati into the conversation in the AFC North.
So which team will be the one to land the impact defensive tackle? Is it one of the squads already rumored to be interested, or will a mystery team emerge and secure McCoy’s signature? Vote in the poll (link for app users) and let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
Ravens To Host Gerald McCoy On Visit
In what has quickly become a crowded pursuit, Gerald McCoy will make another trip to meet with an AFC North team. The Ravens are up next on the veteran defensive tackle’s docket, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter).
McCoy will make a trip to Baltimore on Tuesday, per Stroud, but this does not mean the Browns are out of the mix. The sides wrapped up their visit recently, and the Browns remain in contention to sign the nine-year Buccaneer.
The Browns booked the first meeting with McCoy, but it looks like it will take a contract — at least, in terms of per-year value — worth nearly what McCoy was making with the Bucs to secure his services. While more will go into McCoy’s second NFL landing spot than finances, it is believed the 31-year-old interior defender has drawn an offer of $11MM per year. However, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports that proposal is not from a team coming off a winning season. Still, with more than a quarter of the NFL interested, McCoy won’t come cheap.
The Cleveland visit went well, with Cabot reporting the Browns tried to sign him before the summit concluded. McCoy would prefer to land with a team that has realistic playoff opportunities. With the Bucs having not made the playoffs since 2007, McCoy has never suited up for an NFL postseason game. If the Browns end up adding McCoy, they will have four Pro Bowlers on their defensive line; only four other teams have employed that many on a defensive front since 1970, according to the NFL Network.
For the Ravens, McCoy would add another big name to a defense that lost a few but gained one (Earl Thomas) this offseason. While the Ravens did lose Brent Urban, the big names lost were either linebackers or defensive backs. Baltimore uses a 3-4 scheme and has well-regarded nose tackle Brandon Williams. The Ravens could use some depth up front, however, and a McCoy signing would likely move one of Baltimore’s incumbent ends to the bench.
McCoy would likely factor in as an end in Ravens base sets and move inside in sub-packages. He played the bulk of his 731 snaps (498) at either left or right defensive tackle last season, though 141 did come at left end to reveal some possibilities for the next team that deploys McCoy.
Gerald McCoy To Visit Browns
Gerald McCoy will kick off his free agent tour by visiting the Browns on Friday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Browns GM John Dorsey has also confirmed that McCoy will meet with team brass (Twitter link). 
The Browns have been connected to McCoy for some time, but they decided against trading for the defensive tackle while he was under contract for $13MM in the upcoming season. After his Bucs release, the Browns might be able to sign him at a lesser rate without giving up any draft capital.
There’s also mutual interest between McCoy and the Ravens, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com hears. The Browns’ up-and-coming roster appeals to McCoy, per Cabot, but he also likes the Ravens’ top-ranked defense a lot and has some relationships in that locker room. The Patriots, Falcons, Saints, Colts, and Bengals are also interested in the six-time Pro Bowler.
AFC North Notes: Ravens, Ben, Bengals
Sidelined with a Lisfranc injury that kept him from performing at the Combine, Marquise Brown has resumed running, Jeff Zreibec of the Baltimore Sun tweets. Although Zreibec adds (on Twitter) Brown will miss Ravens OTAs, he is still believed to be in good shape for an on-time debut. A minicamp return was once thought to be a target of Brown’s, the first wide receiver taken in this year’s draft is believed to be ahead of schedule. The Ravens seem to be expecting Brown to be ready by the time their rookies report for training camp. Lisfranc injuries can be quite tricky, so the Ravens showing caution with Brown certainly makes sense. It will be interesting how the Ravens will use the deep threat, considering how their previous long-range target, John Brown, saw his production hit a wall after Lamar Jackson took the reins last season.
Here is the latest from the AFC North:
- Ben Roethlisberger did not opt to gather Steelers skill-position players together for private workouts in recent years, but that changed recently. The 16th-year quarterback brought several Steelers weapons, including JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner, to his lake house in Georgia for some on-field work, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. This figures to be an interesting offseason for Roethlisberger, who will be working with a younger (and less proven) receiver cast after Antonio Brown‘s ugly departure.
- The Bengals likely will again turn to Giovani Bernard as Joe Mixon‘s top backup, but the team did add two running backs in the sixth round — Trayveon Williams and a former college backfield stablemate of Mixon’s in Rodney Anderson. The Oklahoma product is coming off an ACL tear that marred his final Sooners season. Anderson, who tore the ligament in September of last year, will not participate in Cincinnati’s offseason program but is expected to be ready by the start of training camp, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes. Anderson left Oklahoma early despite the injury and comes to western Ohio after a litany of maladies. Prior to the ACL tear, he suffered a broken leg, a neck injury that nullified his 2016 season and ankle tendon damage. But Anderson led the Sooners with 1,161 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in 2017.
- On the subject of reserve running backs, Kenneth Dixon‘s Ravens role may be in jeopardy. The team added Mark Ingram in free agency and drafted Oklahoma State’s Justice Hill in the fourth round. The Baltimore backfield houses holdovers in Dixon and Gus Edwards, but Zreibec writes (subscription required) the older player is the more likely player to be the odd man out. Injuries and suspensions have marred the 2016 fourth-round pick’s career. Dixon did average 5.6 yards per carry on 60 totes last season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/17/19
Here are today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: QB Jalan McClendon
- Waived: DT Kalil Morris
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Isaiah Johnson
- Waived: CB D.J. Killings
Ravens Work Out Jon Bostic
The Ravens have signed Pernell McPhee and Shane Ray, but they could still add to their front seven. On Friday, the Ravens auditioned a group of free agents, including linebacker Jonathan Bostic (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec). 
Bostic appeared in all 16 games for the Steelers in 2018 and started 14, but he fell out of favor with the coaching staff down the stretch. The journeyman said back in February he was hoping to stay in Pittsburgh in 2019, but the Steelers opted to instead draft Michigan’s Devin Bush and send the veteran packing.
Last year Bostic tallied 73 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three passes defended while earning average marks from Pro Football Focus. If signed by the Ravens, he’ll look to improve on those numbers while getting opportunities to exact revenge on his former team.
Still only 28, Bostic still has time to prove that he was a worthwhile second-round pick back in 2013.
Ravens Sign WR Michael Floyd
The Ravens will sign wide receiver Michael Floyd to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Floyd, who was once a standout in the Cardinals’ offense, spent last season with the Redskins.
[RELATED: Ravens To Sign Shane Ray]
Floyd didn’t see a whole lot of action with Washington, making just three starts and notching only ten catches for 100 yards. But, he has three 800-plus-yard receiving seasons on his resume dating back to his time in Arizona.
Floyd’s best season came in 2013 when he hauled in 65 grabs for 1,041 yards and five touchdowns. He following that up with a solid 47/841/6 showing in 2014 and averaged a career-high 17.9 yards per grab, a number that was topped only DeSean Jackson.