The Ravens’ free-agent exodus continued Friday with safety Darian Stewart becoming the latest to depart by signing a two-year contract with the Denver Broncos.
Stewart started 14 of 16 games last season after signing a one-year, $1.3 million contract with Baltimore last season. The 26-year-old was drawn to the Ravens because of his relationship with former secondary coach Steve Spagnuolo, who worked with Stewart when he was the head coach of the St. Louis Rams.
Stewart collected 53 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, and three pass breakups during the regular season and secured an interception and a key pass breakup in the wild-card win over Pittsburgh. He joins defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (Detroit), wide receiver Torrey Smith (San Francisco), linebacker Pernell McPhee (Chicago), tight end Owen Daniels (Denver), and quarterback Tyrod Taylor (Buffalo) as Ravens players to depart this past week.
Though considered one of the more reliable in a group of safeties that saw playing time in 2014, Stewart’s loss isn’t considered a major one with the Ravens needing to improve at the position next to starter Will Hill. The problem will be finding that upgrade as this year’s draft class is not impressive beyond Alabama safety Landon Collins, who most expect to long be off the board by the time the Ravens pick 26th overall in the first round.
Free-agent safeties remaining on the board include Ron Parker of Kansas City, Louis Delmas of Miami, and Seattle’s Jeron Johnson.
With the Broncos losing free-agent safety Rahim Moore to Houston, head coach Gary Kubiak targeted Stewart after watching him play in Baltimore this past season.
In other free agency news from Friday, former Buffalo tight end Scott Chandler elected to sign a contract with the New England Patriots despite some interest from the Ravens.
