(Updated: 7:30 p.m.)
After striking a deal to keep Pro Bowl left tackle Ronnie Stanley over the weekend, the Ravens figured they’d be saying goodbye to starting left guard Patrick Mekari and starting cornerback Brandon Stephens this week.
Two days before the official start of free agency, the versatile Mekari — who started all 17 games between left guard and right tackle last season — agreed on a three-year, $37.5 million contract with Jacksonville, according to ESPN. The deal reportedly has a max value of $39 million and includes more than $20 million guaranteed, which amounts to an outstanding payday for one of the numerous undrafted free agent success stories in franchise history.
Since being signed out of Cal in 2019, Mekari has logged more than 200 career snaps at each of the five offensive line positions, but the organization viewed him as a better fit as a swing tackle entering the 2024 offseason. That changed when Mekari moved to left guard in Week 4 after an ankle injury to Andrew Vorhees and started every remaining game there with Pro Football Focus grading him 51st out of 77 qualified guards. The change allowed Baltimore to start 2024 second-round pick Roger Rosengarten at right tackle, which improved the overall play of the offensive line.
With Stanley agreeing to a three-year, $60 million deal over the weekend, the Ravens will only hope not to have as great a need for Mekari, who started eight games at left tackle in place of Stanley from 2022-23. Turning 31 this month, Stanley started all 17 games for the first time in his career last season after a severe ankle injury led to a stretch of him missing 31 of 32 games from 2020-22.
Vorhees is the early favorite to replace Mekari at left guard, but general manager Eric DeCosta will likely aim to add depth and competition for that spot via the draft.
Stephens’ departure was expected after a disappointing season in which the 2021 third-round pick out of Southern Methodist gave up too many big plays in coverage and ranked 100th out of 116 qualified cornerbacks in PFF’s grading. However, that didn’t stop the 27-year-old from reaching agreement on a three-year, $36 million deal with the New York Jets, who are betting on Stephens playing more like he did in 2023 when he was an unsung hero for an elite defense that was without No. 1 cornerback Marlon Humphrey for sizable parts of 10 games.
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The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Stephens proved to be durable over his time with Baltimore as he missed just three regular-season games over four seasons. He registered two interceptions, 32 passes defended, two sacks, and 259 tackles over 65 games (48 starts).
Of course, Baltimore still needs to find a third cornerback to go with Humphrey and 2024 first-round pick Nate Wiggins, who’s expected to step into an every-down outside spot in his second year.
On Monday evening, Baltimore learned it was losing a third starter from last season with linebacker Malik Harrison agreeing to a two-year, $10 million deal with AFC North rival Pittsburgh, according to NFL Network. A 2020 third-round pick out of Ohio State, Harrison was a core special-teams contributor and had the ability to play every linebacker spot, which allowed him to earn more snaps and a starting job over the second half of 2024 as second-year inside linebacker Trenton Simpson struggled and was benched after the Week 14 bye. Harrison split the weak-side linebacker duties with fellow special-teams contributor Chris Board down the final stretch and in the postseason.
The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Harrison will now join ex-Ravens inside linebacker Patrick Queen in Pittsburgh as the latter signed with the Steelers in free agency last March. Both were selected by Baltimore over the first three rounds of the 2020 draft.
Harrison set career highs with 54 tackles and two sacks in 15 games (seven starts) last season.
