Bryant McKinnie Still An Option For The Ravens

Update:

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome mentioned on Tuesday that re-signing free agent LT Bryant McKinnie is still an option for them.

“Could he be our left tackle? He potentially could be,” Newsome said Tuesday, per Aaron Wilson. “I have a good relationship with (McKinnie’s agent). It’s a process.“

Left tackle is still a need for the Ravens, who have already done a great job of finding replacements for some of the players that they’ve lost this offseason. McKinnie represents the best available option at left tackle on the open market and has reportedly also drawn interest from the Chargers and Saints.

Baltimore could still target someone in next week’s NFL draft, so it’s doubtful that any progress will be in the days leading up to the draft.

Kelechi Osemele is an option to move to the blindside, but this probably wouldn’t be their first choice.

We currently have him listed at No. 21 in our Best Available Free Agents List.

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Update:

Free agent OT Bryant McKinnie mentioned that the Ravens “definitely” want him back next season.

McKinnie stated that if he does re-sign with the Ravens, he wants to be starter.

“I definitely want a starting job,” said McKinnie, via BaltimoreRavens.com. “I want it to be fair for somebody to beat me out of my position instead of saying you want to try something new. Give me the opportunity to actually be fair and let somebody beat me out for the position.”

McKinnie, 33, did help them during their Super Bowl run last year, but it wasn’t as though he was playing at a Pro Bowl level on a consistent basis.

“Coming back there is an option; we are just trying to work some things out,” McKinnie said. “…I think [the Ravens] probably want to see what they get out of the draft and then maybe go from there.”

• Aaron Wilson reports that the Chargers made a “preliminary inquiry” regarding McKinnie, but no is imminent at this time.
• Wilson adds that the market for McKinnie is expected to pickup “quickly” following the upcoming NFL Draft.

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Update:

Aaron Wilson reports that a source informed him that the market for free agent OT Bryant McKinnie is in “slow motion.”

Wilson adds that things aren’t going much better for Andre Smith or Eric Winston either.

McKinnie, 33, has reportedly found at least minimal interest from the Ravens and Saints, but it appears unlikely that he’ll be able to command more than the veteran’s minimum at this point in free agency.

We have McKinnie listed as the No. 24 player in our recently updated Top 50 Free Agents list.

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Free agent LT Bryant McKinnie mentioned that the Ravens have already reached out him regarding a possible return to Baltimore.

“I can’t say I expect 2 (stay),” said McKinnie in a text message, via CSN Baltimore. “But Harbs called and then 1 of the O-Line-coaches called 10 minutes after.”

He also informed WNST Baltimore that the Saints have shown some interest as well.

So far, McKinnie’s market has been limited at best. He’s currently 33-years-old and just helped the Ravens win their second Super Bowl title, but it wasn’t as though he was a big offseason acquisition for them last year.

Baltimore lost Ben Grubbs to New Orleans and with no decent options available on the market, they took a chance on McKinnie. He was actually forced to take a pay cut at the start of the season after he lost his starting job.