Ravens’ Zach Orr Retires
Hours after a report surfaced the Ravens and linebacker Zach Orr were progressing on an extension, those plans will not come to fruition, it appears. Orr will instead retire due to a “serious injury”, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The talented linebacker was reportedly playing with a cracked bone in his shoulder, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports (on Twitter), and he missed Week 17 due to a neck injury. The team attempted to talk Orr out of this decision, according to Rapoport.
Orr is battling a congenital neck condition, Jeff Zreibec of the Baltimore Sun reports, adding the discovery of this came a day after the Ravens’ regular-season finale that saw Orr sit with the neck malady. The condition affects less than one percent of people.
He confirmed his retirement, Garafolo tweets, at the scheduled Friday press conference. Orr also insists the Ravens did not talk him out of his decision to retire, Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com relays (on Twitter). Rapoport notes (via Twitter) the Ravens’ attempt to discuss a reconsideration centered on whether he was comfortable with his decision rather than the conversation being about disregarding his health for a return for a fourth season.
Orr spent just three seasons in the league after debuting as a UDFA in 2014 for the Ravens. He was eligible for restricted free agency this year. The 24-year-old ‘backer started 15 games in 2016 after being a first-stringer in none of Baltimore’s contests in 2014 or ’15. The team promoted the North Texas alum into its starting lineup alongside C.J. Mosley, where Orr replaced Daryl Smith. He finished the year as the Ravens’ runaway leader in tackles with 130 en route to second-team All-Pro acclaim. Orr also intercepted three passes and recovered two fumbles.
Orr played for the league minimum his first three seasons and was set to cash in either via extension or RFA tender.
Ravens, LB Zach Orr Progressing Towards Deal
The Ravens and linebacker Zach Orr have made “considerable progress” towards an extension agreement, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Baltimore has a press conference scheduled for Friday, leading La Canfora to speculate that the club could announce the new contract at that time.
[RELATED: Baltimore Ravens Depth Chart]
Orr, 24, is a former undrafted free agent, meaning that although his three-year UDFA deal was set to expire this spring, he still would have been under the Ravens’ control as a restricted free agent. As such, Baltimore would have had the option of extending him a first-round tender (worth around $3.8MM), a second-rounder tender (~$2.75MM), or a right of first refusal tender (~$1.75MM). The first two offers would have entitled the Ravens to draft pick compensation if Orr signed with another club, while the latter tender would have given Baltimore the right to match any offer sheet, but would not have netted the club a pick if it opted not to equal a rival’s overture.
Instead, the Ravens are close to locking up Orr for (presumably) several years following a 2016 campaign that saw the North Texas alum become a starter for the first time in his career. Chosen to replace the departed veteran Daryl Smith next to C.J. Mosley in the starting lineup, Orr appeared in 15 games and played the most defensive snaps of any Baltimore ‘backer. In that span, Orr racked up 89 tackles, three interceptions, and five passes defensed, but didn’t grade out well according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked him as the NFL’s seventh-worst linebacker among 87 qualifiers.
Ravens Name Joe D'Allessandris O-Line Coach
- The Ravens have announced the hiring of Joe D’Allessandris as their offensive line coach. He’ll replace Juan Castillo, who went to Buffalo. D’Allessandris oversaw the Chargers’ O-line from 2013-15.
Ravens Could Release Elvis Dumervil
- After four seasons, the Ravens are likely to part with pass rusher Elvis Dumervil this winter, writes Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com. By releasing Dumervil, who has one year left on his contract, the Ravens would open up $6MM in cap space. Baltimore could use those savings to find a cover corner or offensive weapon, Brown suggests. Dumervil, who’s celebrating his 33rd birthday today, is coming off an eight-game, three-sack season. He missed just one contest out of 48 from 2013-15 and combined for 32.5 sacks, including a lofty 17.5 in 2014.
NFLPA Announces Cap Carryover Amounts
The NFL Players Association has announced all 32 teams’ salary cap carryover amounts for the 2017 season (Twitter link). Next season’s cap figure isn’t yet known, but it’s likely to be in the $165MM range. When that becomes official, it can be added to each team’s carryover amount to determine that club’s official spending room for 2017.
Here are this year’s carryover totals:
- Cleveland Browns: $50,123,269
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $39,314,310
- San Francisco 49ers: $38,708,916
- Tennessee Titans: $24,046,522
- Washington Redskins: $15,055,131
- Carolina Panthers: $13,208,020
- Miami Dolphins: $8,363,708
- Chicago Bears: $8,103,197
- Oakland Raiders: $8,000,000
- Green Bay Packers: $7,984,687
- Philadelphia Eagles: $7,933,869
- Denver Broncos: $7,243,248
- Indianapolis Colts: $6,614,106
- Cincinnati Bengals: $6,578,866
- New Orleans Saints: $5,754,000
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $5,330,779
- New England Patriots: $5,292,335
- Kansas City Chiefs: $5,002,168
- Houston Texans: $4,935,924
- Detroit Lions: $4,725,644
- Arizona Cardinals: $4,405,068
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $3,269,367
- Buffalo Bills: $2,837,222
- Baltimore Ravens: $2,553,126
- Dallas Cowboys: $2,401,553
- Seattle Seahawks: $2,065,865
- New York Giants: $1,800,000
- Atlanta Falcons: $926,541
- Minnesota Vikings: $400,184
- New York Jets: $371,487
- Los Angeles Rams: $304,311
- Los Angeles Chargers: $113,693
Ravens Lose Juan Castillo To Bills
- Along with officially hiring Leslie Frazier as their new defensive coordinator, the Bills announced the additions of Juan Castillo (offensive line coach/run game coordinator) and Bob Babich (linebackers) to their coaching staff Friday. They’ll also retain special teams coach Danny Crossman for a fifth season. Castillo, who spent the past four years with the Ravens, was previously a longtime staff member in Philadelphia – where he became familiar with new Bills head coach Sean McDermott. Babich coached the Chargers’ linebackers this past season, which came after a three-year run as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator.
Ravens To Hire Greg Roman As Offensive Assistant
- Former Buffalo offensive coordinator Greg Roman will sign on with the Ravens‘ coaching staff, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets. The Ravens are sticking with Marty Mornhinweg as OC, so Roman will be there in some kind of assistant role. Cabot notes that the Browns were eying him for an assistant gig.
Ravens Hope Steve Smith Will Keep Playing
On New Year’s Day, Steve Smith announced that he is walking away from football. Days later, the Ravens aren’t so sure that they can’t get him to change his mind. 
[RELATED: Steve Smith Announces Retirement]
“I haven’t given up hope that Steve Smith is going to come walking in here in September,” owner Steve Bisciotti said. “We’ll see about that character. I wouldn’t count him out.”
Smith, meanwhile, shrugged off Bisciotti’s comments.
“Man, I’m retired,” Smith told Fox Sports 1. “I sent that paperwork to Roger Goodell January 2.”
At 37, Smith was the NFL’s oldest receiver, but he was still quite productive. He hauled in 70 catches (third on the team), 799 yards receiving (second), and five touchdown catches (first). By the same token, Smith has been thinking about retirement for at least the last year and he is looking to spend more time with his family. Bisciotti & Co. will try, but it sounds like Smith will stick to his plan.
Ravens Could Sign Veteran Wide Receiver
The Ravens are losing Steve Smith to retirement, and Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome isn’t ruling out the idea of replacing Smith’s production with a free agent veteran receiver, according to Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). In addition to Smith, Kamar Aiken is also an unrestricted free agent, and has recently indicated that he’s unlikely to return to the Ravens in 2017.
[RELATED: Ravens To Retain Terrell Suggs]
Baltimore’s passing game ranked 26th in DVOA last season, and while that metric factors in the play of quarterback Joe Flacco and the Ravens’ offensive line, the club’s wide receiving corps was nothing special in 2016. Losing Smith and Aiken won’t help matters, as Mike Wallace now projects as Baltimore’s No. 1 wideout entering the offseason. 2015 first-rounder Breshad Perriman, Chris Moore, Michael Campanaro, Vince Mayle, and Keenan Reynolds currently represent the rest of the Ravens’ pass-catching depth chart.
Wide receiver isn’t the deepest position on the 2017 open market, but this year’s crop of wideouts does offer some intriguing options. Alshon Jeffery — who ranked No. 4 on the latest edition of PFR’s Free Agent Power Rankings — may hit the market if the Bears don’t opt to use the franchise tag for a second consecutive year, while Terrelle Pryor and Michael Floyd also present varying levels of upside. Second-tier receivers include Kendall Wright, Brandon LaFell, Pierre Garcon, Kenny Britt, and Kenny Stills, while bargain basement options such as Anquan Boldin and Ted Ginn should also be available.
In addition to wide receiver, Newsome also stated a desire to add depth to Baltimore’s secondary and improve the club’s offensive line, per Zriebec (Twitter link). Head coach John Harbaugh also spoke to the media today, and indicated that he’s talking to one internal candidate, as well as NFL and college coaches, in an effort to fill the Ravens’ open quarterbacks coach position (link).
Greg Roman Could Join Ravens
- Former Buffalo offensive coordinator Greg Roman could potentially join the Ravens staff in some undefined role, per La Canfora (all Twitter links). Baltimore recently announced that offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will return for the 2017 campaign, so Roman — who has remained in contact with head coach John Harbaugh — could join the Ravens in a run-game director capacity.