When Rolando McClain came on board the Baltimore Ravens after a roller coaster few years in the NFL, it was hoped that he would be the final piece to the linebacker puzzle that has hit the Ravens in the offseason. McClain was expected to be a rotating player for the Ravens and help fill a few voids created by offseason departures. However, McClain has not announced his retirement for the NFL, leaving the Ravens once again in need of a linebacker. With a thin group of veterans still available, Brian Urlacher is the best option.
The Ravens maintain control of McClain's contractual rights after they placed him on the reserve-retired list. If McClain does decide to enter back into the league after getting his personal life together, Baltimore can revisit that situation. Until then, the Ravens must assess the inside linebacker carousel.
The position has taken a few hits. Ray Lewis announced his retirement from the league. That means they are losing a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Dannell Ellerbe jumped ship to the Miami Dolphins for a $35 million contract. Jameel McClain's health is up in the air after suffering a spinal cord contusion in December. Josh Bynes proved he can step up and be a starter after filling in last season while multiple players were recovering from injury. His speed and ability to shed blocks make him an ideal candidate.
The team is set at outside linebackers with Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil who came on during free agency. Rookie Arthur Brown out of Kansas State will be a promising linebacker prospect. The team traded up six spots in the second round to get him.
Despite some in-house options, the Ravens still intend on bringing in a veteran to fill McClain's roster spot. The best option remaining in a thin pool of veterans is Brian Urlacher. It was originally assumed that Urlacher would be signing with the Minnesota Vikings after the Chicago Bears announced they would not be bringing the veteran back. News came out that he and the Vikings were close to reaching a two-year deal, something head coach Leslie Frazier denied.
"Brian has been a great player in our league for a long, long time. He was a thorn in our side for many years. At this point we want to look at the guys on our roster, give them a chance to compete for the middle linebacker position then we'll see where it takes us," Frazier said.
With Minnesota currently out of the picture, Urlacher's best shot at a team is Baltimore.
