Ravens 2012 free agency update

Let's get you caught up on the Ravens offseason thus far. We went over the Ravens free agents last month. So far five Ravens players have signed with new teams. Those players are:

LB Jarrett Johnson (pictured)
The perennially underrated Johnson signed a four-year deal with the San Diego Chargers.

G Ben Grubbs
The pro-bowler and former first-round pick signed a five-year $36 million contract with the New Orleans Saints.

DE Cory Redding
As we speculated, Chuck Pagano wanted to bring some of his defensive players with him to Indianapolis. Redding signed a three-year $10.5 million deal with the Colts.

S Tom Zbikowski
Zbikowski also followed Pagano to Indy, signing a three-year deal as well.

S Haruki Nakamura
Nakamura signed a three-year contract with the Carolina Panthers.

The Ravens have only re-signed one of the unrestricted free agents thus far, C Matt Birk signed a three-year deal to remain in Baltimore.

Ravens Free Agent Analysis

Now that the Ravens season has ended, the team has 21 players who have expiring contracts and will become free agents.

Of the 21, 13 of those players will be unrestricted free agents, meaning that if the team and player do not reach an agreement on a new contract by March 13th, the player will be free to sign with any team. Players must have completed four or more accrued seasons to become UFAs.

Four players will be restricted free agents, in this case the Ravens can offer the player a tender, attached to a draft pick. The Ravens would have the option to match any offer another team makes to the player and retain his services. If they decline to match the offer, the Ravens would obtain the draft pick attached to the tender by means of the other teams forfeiture. RFAs have completed three accrued seasons in the league.

Four more players will be exclusive rights free agents, which, you guessed it, means the Ravens have exclusive rights to the player. Baltimore is the only team that can make them an offer, and if the player declines the offer, they will be released. These players have completed two or fewer seasons in the league.

Here's the complete list of Ravens free agents, and on the UFAs and RFAs we've included a 1-5 COR (chance of returning) scale, with 1 being as good as gone, and 5 being almost certain to stay.

Reed, Rice, Also Withdraw from Pro Bowl

Ravens FS Ed Reed and RB Ray Rice have joined the list of Ravens players not attending this year's Pro Bowl. They will me replaced on the roster by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark and San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews, respectivly.

Reed and Rice join DL Haloti Ngata and LB Terrell Suggs as the Ravens players withdrawing from the game.

Guards Marshal Yanda and Ben Grubbs, fullback Vonta Leach, and linebacker Ray Lewis will play in the game.

Suggs Out of Pro Bowl, Grubbs In

Linebacker Terrell Suggs has pulled out of the upcoming Pro Bowl. He will miss the game with an undisclosed injury, (Or "injury").

There are typically a handful of high profile players that pass on the Pro Bowl each year, and really, can you blame Suggs for not wanting to frolic around in Honolulu 7 days after such a heartbreaking loss in the AFC Championship?

Speaking of that heartbreaking loss, being that the Patriots are advancing to the Super Bowl, their players that were elected to the Pro Bowl are all being replaced by alternates. And thus, Patriots guard Logan Mankins will be replaced by the Ravens very own Ben Grubbs.

I'm sure Grubbs would trade that Pro Bowl appearance for a Super Bowl appearance in a heartbeat, but it really is a long overdue honor for the elite offensive guard. He has been a dominant and consistent member of the Ravens offensive line since being drafted in the first round out of Auburn in 2007.


Update 1/24/12 6:39pm:
Aaron Wilson of Scout.com reported that DT Haloti Ngata has also withdrawn from the Pro Bowl. Ngata revealed to Wilson that he played most of the season with a thigh injury. He will be replaced on the AFC roster by Miami DT Paul Soliai.