The Ravens continued to reinforce their front seven by re-signing two depth pieces who brought relief during the 2019 season.
According to NFL Network, defensive tackle Justin Ellis agreed to a one-year contract while The Athletic reported a deal with edge defender Jihad Ward on Tuesday. The Ravens had been working to retain both veterans in the weeks leading up to the official start of free agency.
Signed to a rotational role in early October, the 25-year-old Ward showed the ability to effectively set the edge against the run and the versatility to line up in different pass-rushing spots, helping fill the absence of the injured Pernell McPhee. The 2016 second-round pick of the Oakland Raiders collected seven tackles, one sack, a pass breakup, and two fumble recoveries in 372 snaps over 11 regular-season games. Despite those modest numbers, the 6-foot-5, 287-pound Ward drew praise from coaches and teammates for his contributions.
“This guy is a great fit in our defense. We liked him coming out of the draft,” head coach John Harbaugh said in January. “I remember our scouts liked him and our coaches liked him. I liked him. And then all of a sudden from a turn of events, he’s sitting there staring you in the face, and then you’re like, ‘Well, is he going to work for us?’ Man, he came up aces.”
Ellis, 29, was signed in mid-November as defensive tackle Michael Pierce was sidelined with an ankle injury. The 350-pound defensive lineman was a healthy scratch for three games in December, but he played well in limited snaps, making six tackles in four regular-season games and another in the divisional-round loss to Tennessee.
The deals hadn’t been officially announced as of Tuesday evening, but both players made references alluding to re-signing with the Ravens on their verified Instagram accounts.
