NFL Free Agency: Dannell Ellerbe Receiving Offers, But Not From Ravens

Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is a hot commodity in free agency, but according to reports he’s being coveted by teams not named the Ravens. Ellerbe was hoping the Ravens would be active in trying to offer him a new contract but Ellerbe’s agent Hadley Engelhard, Baltimore was not among the “several” teams to give his client a jingle when tampering became legal at midnight.

“I’ve had dialogue with teams,” Engelhard said. “There were several. One team in particular called me at 12:01.”

That team wasn’t the Ravens, and Engelhard says no new teams have contacted him since the early morning hours on Saturday. The Ravens would love to bring Ellerbe back but not at the price he’ll be asking. Everyone knows the Ravens are strapped for cash thanks to how they structured their past salaries, and the massive deal they gave Joe Flacco is hitting them hard.

So it’s very likely that teams called Ellerbe’s agent early to establish an interest that would eliminate the Ravens from contention. However, there as been no set price yet established, so ruling out the Ravens as a destination for Ellerbe  still foolish, but it’s not completely wrong either.

As for action since the flurry of activity early in the morning, Ellerbe’s agent says there’s nothing to report — for now.

“There’s nothing to report right now,” Engelhard said Saturday. “I expect things to pick up at the beginning of the week as we approach Tuesday. That’s where we are.”