Eric Weddle Says He’ll Retire If Ravens Don’t Want Him Back For Next Season

Ravens veteran S Eric Weddle told reporters on Monday that he will sit down and speak with GM Eric DeCosta this offseason.

Weddle mentioned that he would like to play out the final year of his contract in Baltimore, but if the Ravens don’t want him back, he will retire and “ride off into the sunset.”

“I’m going to go speak to Eric [DeCosta] and see what he sees with myself and the team,” Weddle said, per Jamison Hensley. “If he wants me back, I’m here. If not, it’s all good and I’ll just ride off in the sunset. I still have a desire to play and I feel that I can still affect the game.”

Mike Garafolo says that Weddle returning for the 2019 season wasn’t a lock and still isn’t, but the door is at least open for a possible return.

It would be surprising if the Ravens did not want Weddle back for the 2019 season, given that he was such an important part of their defensive success this past season.

Weddle, 34, is a former second-round pick of the Chargers back in 2007. He played nine seasons for the Chargers before signing a four-year, $26 million contract that included $13 million guaranteed with the Ravens for the 2016 season.

Weddle is entering the final year of his contract and stands to make a base salary of $6.5 million for the 2019 season.

In 2018, Weddle appeared in 16 games and recorded 68 tackles, one sack, no interceptions and three pass defenses. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 17 safety out of 91 qualifying players.