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Ravens re-sign veteran cornerback Wright to three-year deal

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With a need at cornerback, the Ravens didn’t want to allow veteran Shareece Wright to hit the free-agent market later this week. Instead, the sides agreed to a three-year contract on Monday to keep the 28-year-old in Baltimore after he started seven games in 2015. The deal is worth up to $16 million and includes $5 million guaranteed. “This is something that we knew if we could get this much, [I’d] come back here,” said Wright, who settled for a one-year, $3 million deal with San Francisco last offseason when he became an unrestricted free agent for the first time. “It’s more than the money. You see a lot of players leave teams that they were with to chase the money and their careers don’t really go the direction that they thought it would. To come back here with a team that knows me and I got to get to know them, I knew it was important.” Wright offered a strong clue about the agreement on his official Twitter account late Sunday night. He had been scheduled to officially hit the market at 4 p.m. on Wednesday if a deal was not reached, but he noted

Ravens can't compound Monroe mistake with another

Luke Jones

Kelechi Osemele is a heck of a football player. In a perfect world without a salary cap, the Ravens would re-sign one of the better guards in the NFL and continue their experiment from last December to see if he can be a franchise left tackle. If Osemele couldn’t, Baltimore would just move him back to his normal position and allow him and five-time Pro Bowl selection Marshal Yanda to continue serving as the best guard tandem in the NFL. But the league doesn’t work that way, and it’s for that reason that the Ravens are probably wise to let their 2012 second-round pick sign elsewhere this week, especially if other teams are willing to pay him upwards of $10 million per year as some reports have indicated. Osemele is a very good guard who has shown ability to swing outside, but we don’t yet know whether that translates to being a long-term left tackle. Other teams with more cap space and less money invested in the guard position can afford to experiment knowing that they can always move Osemele back to guard where he’s established himself as a commodity approaching Pro Bowl stature. Other teams would be happy to

Ravens kicker Tucker officially signs franchise tender

Luke Jones

A week after becoming the sixth player in Ravens history to receive the franchise tag, kicker Justin Tucker officially signed his tender. The team announced Friday that Tucker signed his franchise tender worth $4.572 million, diminishing the possibility of the fifth-year kicker holding out like other franchise players have done in the past. Of course, the Ravens would like to sign the 2013 Pro Bowl selection to a long-term extension to lower his hefty salary cap number for the 2016 season. The sides have until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement before the 26-year-old would be forced to play out the season under the franchise tag amount. Tucker is the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history  

Ravens release veteran linebacker Daryl Smith

Luke Jones

The man who was asked to replace future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis has been released by the Ravens. Veteran inside linebacker Daryl Smith was cut on Thursday morning, ending his three-year run in Baltimore. The longtime Jacksonville Jaguar led the Ravens with 121 tackles last season, but he will turn 34 later this month and carried a $4.375 million salary cap figure for 2016. However, general manager Ozzie Newsome left the door open for a potential return as the Ravens did in with Chris Canty and Vonta Leach in recent offseasons. “While we are releasing Daryl, we are not closing the door on the possibility of him returning to the Ravens,” Newsome said in a released statement. “He deserves an opportunity to see his market value at this time. With Buck, you’re talking about one of the NFL’s highest-quality people. We have been fortunate to have him with the Ravens, and his production has been outstanding.” His departure will create $2.625 million in cap space, but inside linebacker now becomes a greater position to address with young linebackers Zach Orr and Arthur Brown as well as veteran Albert McClellan being the only reserves on the current roster behind starter

Ravens working on adding former draft bust to roster

Luke Jones

INDIANAPOLIS — As the Ravens evaluate the incoming rookies at the scouting combine in Indianapolis this week, they are looking into adding one of the biggest busts in recent NFL draft history. Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed Thursday that the organization has had discussions with running back Trent Richardson and could add the third overall pick of the 2012 draft to the 90-man roster. The 25-year-old has not played in the NFL since being cut by the Oakland Raiders at the end of the 2015 preseason, but general manager Ozzie Newsome has shown an affinity for fellow Alabama products over the years. Is Richardson next? “We’re talking to him right now. He seems like a good guy,” Harbaugh said. “I’ve talked to him on the phone a few times. Ozzie’s got all the ties at Alabama, so we’ll see where it goes. It’s in the works. It’s possible.” Even with a relatively successful 950-yard season as a rookie with the Cleveland Browns, Richardson has struggled mightily in the NFL, averaging 3.3 yards per carry over 46 career games. His issues with weight while playing for both Cleveland and Indianapolis were no secret as coaches also questioned his overall commitment and

Ravens have made "really aggressive" offer to Osemele

Luke Jones

INDIANAPOLIS — While general manager Ozzie Newsome has downplayed the need to restructure Joe Flacco’s contract to clear precious salary cap space for the start of free agency, the Ravens are pushing to keep free-agent offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele. According to NFL Network, the Ravens have offered to make the fifth-year lineman their second-highest paid offensive player behind their franchise quarterback. Head coach John Harbaugh wouldn’t delve into the specifics of the offer, but he made it clear what the Ravens are trying to do with Osemele, who started the final four games of the 2015 season at left tackle. “I’m sure he’s shopping the deal. I can tell you — Ozzie said it already — it’s a really aggressive deal,” Harbaugh said. “I think it shows a lot of respect to K.O. It shows him that we really want him here, and I hope he takes it.” Of course, incumbent left tackle Eugene Monroe remains under contract as he would enter the third season of a five-year, $37.5 million contract signed two offseasons ago. However, Monroe has started only 16 games over the last two seasons, and Newsome provided a lukewarm endorsement for him when speaking to reporters at

Fowler spurns Orioles to re-sign with Cubs

Luke Jones

Less than two days after the Orioles reportedly agreed to terms on a three-year contract with Dexter Fowler, the veteran outfielder surprisingly re-signed with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. It was believed that the Orioles had a $35 million agreement with the 29-year-old outfielder, but multiple outlets have reported that Fowler wanted an opt-out after the first year and the Orioles balked at giving up the 28th overall pick of the June draft for potentially only one season of service. The Cubs announced a one-year deal for a reported $8 million salary for 2016 with a $9 million mutual option for 2017 that includes a $5 million buyout, giving Fowler $13 million guaranteed for his return to Chicago. Fowler told reporters in Arizona that he never agreed to a deal with Baltimore despite local and national reporters saying an agreement was in place on Tuesday night. Adam Jones was even quoted in Sarasota on Wednesday saying that he had communicated with Fowler and the switch-hitting outfielder had said he was excited to join the Orioles. Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said in Sarasota that there was not an agreement due to Fowler insisting on an opt-out clause.

As spring opens, Orioles still working on Gallardo, Fowler

Luke Jones

A week ago, it appeared a deal between the Orioles and starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo was all but complete and a contract with outfielder Dexter Fowler was coming together rapidly. But the two free agents remain unsigned as the club is set to open spring training in Sarasota on Thursday, leaving fans to wonder what’s taking so long and whether the signings will still happen. According to multiple outlets, the Orioles remain confident that they’ll sign both Gallardo and Fowler, but money remains an issue for both players. Fowler and the Orioles are discussing a contract in the range of $12 million to $13 million annually for two or three years, according to ESPN. Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time this offseason in which the Orioles have taken longer than expected to complete a signing as initial reports of a new contract with Darren O’Day were shot down by the reliever himself in early December — the contract was finalized a week later — and high-profile negotiations with first baseman Chris Davis stretched for several weeks before the slugger signed a seven-year, $161 million last month. The good news for fans rooting for these signings to happen is

Orioles add veteran reliever Thayer on minor-league deal

Luke Jones

The Orioles agreed to a minor-league deal with veteran relief pitcher Dale Thayer on Wednesday. The 35-year-old right-hander will receive an invitation to major league spring training, bringing the total number of pitchers in this year’s camp to 30. Most recently with the San Diego Padres, Thayer pitched to a 4.06 ERA in 37 2/3 innings in 2015, but he holds a 3.47 career mark in seven major league seasons. From 2012-2014, he pitched to a 3.02 ERA and averaged just under 63 innings per year as an effective member of the Padres bullpen. Of course, Thayer enters a crowded bullpen picture that already includes two 2015 All-Star selections — closer Zach Britton and primary setup man Darren O’Day — as well as Brad Brach, Mychal Givens, Brian Matusz, Chaz Roe, Dylan Bundy, and T.J. McFarland. He will be competing for a roster spot with other non-roster invitees with major league experience such as lefty Jeff Beliveau and right-hander Todd Redmond.

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