A busy day for the Ravens that included the addition of five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith and the re-signing of linebacker Daryl Smith also saw the departure of right tackle Michael Oher by way of a four-year contract with the Tennessee Titans.
The 2009 first-round pick wasn’t expected to return and will receive a $20 million deal that includes $9.5 million guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Oher visited with the Titans on Friday before coming to an agreement that brings his five-year run with the Ravens to a close.
Baltimore had left the door open to a potential return but wasn’t interested in making a steep financial commitment to Oher after signing left tackle Eugene Monroe to a $37.5 million contract earlier in the week. A high-ranking team official said earlier in the offseason that Oher would be viewed as a more viable option at left tackle in the current blocking system, making his return unlikely after Monroe agreed to remain in Baltimore.
Oher allowed a team-worst eight sacks in 2013 and has been penalized more than any player in the NFL since his rookie year, frequently committing false start penalties that drew the ire of fans. However, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound tackle was bounced back and forth between the left and right spots, which likely hindered his development as an NFL lineman.
Always durable in his time with the Ravens, the Memphis native made 80 starts and never missed a game in his five seasons.
