NFL Free Agency Rumors: Dannell Ellerbe Expected To Get Big Offer from Ravens
By Josh Hill
Free agency is right around the corner and despite that and the fact the Baltimore Ravens just shelled out big money to Joe Flacco, the team is expected to toss another big offer at Dannell Ellerbe to keep him in Baltimore. Both sides have been talking and those talks are expected to extend into the weekend, however if the Ravens don’t get a deal in to Ellerbe by midnight tonight, he’s fair game for anyone to make a run at.
Ellerbe remains hopeful that he’ll be able to work out a contract with the Ravens, but he’s not saying it’s a done deal just yet.
“There’s always a chance, and that’s what I’m hoping will happen,” Ellerbe said. “The Ravens are a perfect situation for me. Hopefully, it’s a perfect situation for me to sign on the dotted line.”
The Ravens know they’re in a pinch in terms of salary cap space and it’s long been known that they’ll have to make some hard decisions when it comes to who they plan on keeping. Paul Kruger, Ellerbe’s fellow linebacker, was a casualty of the salary cap issue and is expected to sign with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday.
Ellerbe and Kruger are both expected to be overpaid on the open market by teams searching for defensive help, and the Ravens can only afford to overpay one of them. That seems to be Ellerbe but there’s no guarantee that Baltimore will be able to work out a deal and the possibility that they’ll lose both Kruger and Ellerbe is very real.