After giving lucrative contracts to retain nose tackle Brandon Williams and to add Arizona safety Tony Jefferson, the Ravens have endured their first free-agent loss on defense this offseason.
Defensive end Lawrence Guy has agreed to a four-year, $20 million with the New England Patriots, according to NFL Network. Turning 27 next week, Guy is the fourth Baltimore free agent to find a new home this offseason, joining right tackle Rick Wagner, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, and guard Vlad Ducasse.
Claimed off waivers by the Ravens in 2014, Guy appeared in 43 games and made 17 starts while collecting 90 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks, and one forced fumble. The 5-technique defensive end didn’t receive much acclaim in the Baltimore defense, but he was good against the run and often slid inside to rush the quarterback in sub packages. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 38th-best interior line defender in the NFL in 2016.
Brent Urban and Bronson Kaufusi now move up the depth chart at Guy’s position with neither having much NFL experience. A 2014 fourth-round pick, Urban has been limited to just 240 defensive snaps in his career after missing most of his first two seasons with injuries. Kaufusi was selected in the third round of last year’s draft out of Brigham Young and missed his entire rookie season with a broken ankle sustained early in training camp.
A seventh-round pick out of Arizona in 2011, Guy spent time with Green Bay, Indianapolis, and San Diego in his NFL career before finding an established role with the Ravens.
Below is a look at the free-agent scorecard for Baltimore so far this offseason:
Outside free agents signed
S Tony Jefferson (from Arizona)
RB Danny Woodhead (from San Diego)
Unrestricted free agents re-signed
DB Anthony Levine
QB Ryan Mallett
NT Brandon Willaims
Unrestriced free agents lost
DE Lawrence Guy – New England
FB Kyle Juszczyk – San Francisco
RT Rick Wagner – Detroit
G Vlad Ducasse – Buffalo
Unrestricted free agents unsigned
WR Kamar Aiken
S Matt Elam
CB Chris Lewis-Harris
CB Jerraud Powers
Luke Jones
Luke Jones is the Ravens and Orioles beat reporter for WNST BaltimorePositive.com and is a PFWA member. His mind is consumed with useless sports knowledge, pro wrestling promos, and movie quotes, but he often forgets where he put his phone. Luke's favorite sports memories include being one of the thousands of kids who waited for Cal Ripken's autograph after Orioles games in the summer of 1995, attending the Super Bowl XXXV victory parade with his dad in the pouring rain, and watching the Terps advance to the Final Four at the Carrier Dome in 2002. Follow him on social media @BaltimoreLuke or email him at Luke@wnst.net.
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