If you weren’t convinced the Ravens defense was entering a new era, Monday brought the biggest sign yet as one of the best players in franchise history is saying goodbye.
After seven Pro Bowls, a Defensive Player of the Year award, a Super Bowl championship, and three times as many career sacks as all but two other Ravens, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs is expected to sign with Arizona, ending an incredible 16-year run with the organization that selected him with the 10th overall pick of the 2003 draft. The 36-year-old free agent often expressed hope of staying with the Ravens for the remainder of his career, but he acknowledged the possibility of that not happening at the end of last season. The Cardinals provide Suggs the opportunity to return home as he attended high school in Arizona and was an All-American standout at Arizona State.
New general manager Eric DeCosta said last month he wanted Suggs to return for a 17th season, which would have tied Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis for the longest tenure in Ravens history. It remains unclear how far apart the sides might have been in contract talks.
“I think Sizz is definitely a guy that we want back,” DeCosta said at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. “This is a good opportunity for us to meet with his agents this week, which will happen in the next few days. He’s a guy that means a lot to our franchise as a player, but also as a leader. I would love to have him back next year.”
Suggs is the second key veteran to leave Baltimore’s top-ranked defense after Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle was released last week and signed with the Los Angeles Rams. Free-agent inside linebacker C.J. Mosley would become the third Pro Bowl defensive player to depart if the Ravens can’t strike a new deal with their 2014 first-round pick.
With Suggs set to join the Cardinals and fellow free agent Za’Darius Smith likely departing as well, the Ravens’ top remaining options opposite starting strong-side outside linebacker Matthew Judon are Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams, a pair of 2017 Day 2 draft choices who have yet to live up to expectations at the next level.
Suggs started 16 games last season, collecting 34 tackles, seven sacks, seven pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble return for a touchdown. However, he registered just 1 1/2 sacks over the last 10 games of the season, which included the home playoff loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Pro Football Focus graded Suggs as the 36th-best edge defender in the NFL in 2018.
The 2011 Defensive Player of the Year and owner of seven double-digit sack seasons is first on the Ravens’ career sacks list with 132 1/2 while the next two on the list — Peter Boulware and Michael McCrary — combined for 121. Suggs’ 33 career forced fumbles also top the franchise career list.
