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 the NFL scouting combine on Wednesday.
Monroe is scheduled to carry an $8.7 million cap figure for 2016, but cutting him without a post-June 1 designation would save only $2.1 million in space and leave $6.6 million in dead money. The Ravens would save $4.3 million in space on the 2016 cap with a post-June 1 designation, but that room would not be available until long after most free-agent activity would be concluded.
Harbaugh left open the possibility of Osemele returning to left guard, but the Ravens wouldn’t be entertaining the possibility of paying big money to the 2012 second-round pick to return to his old position after they already invested more money in an extension for five-time Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda last fall.
“I think we’ll figure it out, but I like him at left tackle,” Harbaugh said. “That’s something we talked about from the day he got drafted here that he could play left tackle. We still have Eugene, who’s still in our program. We’ll put the best five guys out there and build the best offensive line we can, no matter who’s here or who’s not here.
“As a coach, I really want K.O. here and I hope he feels the same way.”
Should the Ravens re-sign Osemele, that would presumably squash the possibility of Newsome taking a left tackle such as Laremy Tunsil of Ole Miss or Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley in this April’s draft.
