Luke Jones, Ravens, x-Archive

Ravens decline 2016 option for defensive end Chris Canty

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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The Ravens have informed Chris Canty that they will not pick up his option for the 2016 season, making the veteran defensive end a free agent.
Though not unexpected, the move clears $2.15 million from the 2016 salary cap. Canty had spent the last three years with the Ravens, collecting 19 tackles and one sack last season. Calf and pectoral injuries limited the 6-foot-7, 320-pound defensive lineman to just nine games in 2015.
“[I] had a blast in Baltimore,” Canty said in a text message to WNST.net. “Now, it’s on to the next.”
Canty was released last offseason before eventually signing a two-year, $4.65 million contract that was constructed with the second season being a team option. He was reportedly owed a $150,000 roster bonus on March 9.
Canty said late last season that he intended to continue his NFL career after previously contemplating retirement at the end of the 2014 season. A Super Bowl XLVI member of the New York Giants, Canty has played 11 seasons in the NFL after beginning his career with the Dallas Cowboys.
“Chris was a leader for our young defensive line, especially last season,” head coach John Harbaugh said in a statement released by the team. “For three years, he has been a reliable force on the field, in our locker room and in our community. He has been highly-productive as a player, and even better as a leader.”
The Ravens appear to be in good shape at Canty’s 5-technique defensive end position with younger options Lawrence Guy and Brent Urban remaining on the roster.