Though fellow restricted free agent Cary Williams is not expected to report for the Ravens’ offseason training program for a few more weeks, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe will not waste any time in signing his second-round tender.

The 26-year-old linebacker told WNST.net he will report to the team’s Owings Mills facility on Tuesday and sign his second-round tender, which is worth $1.92 million for the 2012 season.

Ellerbe is projected to be the Ravens’ top reserve at the inside linebacker position and was offered the second-round tender amount before starting inside linebacker Jameel McClain re-signed with Baltimore. The former Georgia product missed seven games in an injury-plagued 2011 season.

Williams is not expected to report for offseason workouts until at least early May as his representation tries to work out a long-term contract with the Ravens.

With future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis inching closer to the end of his career, the subject of the Ravens finding his eventual replacement is nothing new.

One of the most recent names to be discussed this offseason was Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict. However, character issues, a subpar junior season, and poor workout numbers have caused his draft stock to plummet from a potential first-round pick to a prospect some teams may remove from their boards entirely.

It’s a position similar to what current Ravens linebacker Dannell Ellerbe faced three years ago. After being a second-team all-SEC selection as a junior at Georgia, a knee injury in his senior season and off-the-field questions dramatically changed Ellerbe’s draft fate.

“It went from starting out [projected to go in the] first round and getting hurt [as a senior],” Ellerbe said on AM 1570 WNST on Tuesday. “[I was] going into the draft having to work my way back up.”

Signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009, Ellerbe made the 53-man roster and eventually grabbed the starting inside linebacker job next to Lewis by the end of his rookie year. Replacing an injured Tavares Gooden, Ellerbe started the final three games of the regular season and two playoff games. He finished his rookie campaign with 41 tackles and a critical interception in the regular-season finale that helped clinch a playoff spot.

His future appeared bright as it looked like the hard-hitting linebacker was realizing the potential scouts saw prior to his senior season in college.

But instead of building on his rookie success, Ellerbe showed up to his second training camp out of shape and lost his starting job to Jameel McClain. To make matters worse, an embarrassing showboating incident on an interception return for a touchdown in a preseason game in St. Louis carved out an even bigger spot in coach John Harbaugh’s doghouse.

Ellerbe has been trying to climb back up the ladder ever since as a backup. Injuries limited Ellerbe to nine games last season as he dealt with several ailments, including a sprained foot that left him on crutches following the AFC Championship game in New England.

His ability to play the run effectively has never been questioned, but, much like McClain, his pass coverage remains underwhelming.

Now entering his fourth season, the 26-year-old is looking to establish himself in Baltimore for the long haul.

“I still haven’t felt that yet,” Ellerbe said. “I still work year to year, and I’m still pushing myself every day. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way. I just want to go out there and do my business and show that I belong in the league.”

Entering free agency with the threat of losing McClain, the Ravens placed the second-round tender on Ellerbe, who was a restricted free agent. He appeared to be in line as the favorite to start next to Lewis before a slow market for inside linebackers allowed the Ravens to re-sign McClain to a three-year deal last week.

The turn of events appears to have left Ellerbe in a familiar position as the primary backup and fighting to simply get on the field. With inside linebacker still a position the Ravens are likely to target in the draft, the end result of that final weekend in April could dramatically change Ellerbe’s fate in Baltimore.

Drafting an inside linebacker in the first few rounds would not only threaten Ellerbe’s standing on the depth chart, but it could push him off the roster entirely. With Ellerbe scheduled to make $1.92 million this season, the addition of a rookie inside linebacker could prompt general manager Ozzie Newsome to consider withdrawing the second-round tender to clear some cap room to address other needs — and make Ellerbe a free agent.

No matter how the offseason plays out, the 2012 season will be a big one for Ellerbe in trying to carve out a more prominent role for the future — in Baltimore or somewhere else. Planning to begin training with Lewis in a few weeks, Ellerbe would still like to realize that potential with the team that took a chance on him after watching his once-promising draft stock disintegrate.

“I love the fans and just love the atmosphere in Baltimore,” Ellerbe said. “So I’m definitely ready to get back and ink my deal. At the end of the day, it’s a business.  I understand that, but I love the Ravens. I would love to end my career in Baltimore.”

To hear Dannell Ellerbe’s entire conversation with WNST.net’s Thyrl Nelson, click HERE.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The first 10 days of free agency had been anything but smooth for the Ravens, even if it was expected by anyone paying attention.

With limited salary cap room and 12 unrestricted free agents becoming available, coach John Harbaugh knew there would be difficult decisions to make, including waving goodbye to veterans Ben Grubbs, Jarret Johnson, Corey Redding, Haruki Nakamura, and Tom Zbikowski. Even when the Ravens targeted a potential outsider to help fill one of those voids — such as their flirtation with Eagles guard Evan Mathis — they found themselves without sufficient funds to close the deal.

Other than the re-signing of veteran center Matt Birk last week, the lack of activity was causing some restless nights among the fan base. But with the second week of free agency nearing its conclusion, this is typically when general manager Ozzie Newsome begins hunting for the best value.

Newsome and the Ravens apparently found it on Friday, re-signing linebackers Jameel McClain and Brendon Ayanbadejo and inking former Bears cornerback Corey Graham and veteran safety Sean Considine to contracts.

“[Waiting] probably wasn’t as hard for me as it was for the fans, because I had a little bit more of a front seat into what we were doing and those conversations are happening every day,” Harbaugh said. “We were involved with guys all the time, but we had our limits as to what we were going to be able to pay certain players.”

While none of the four moves should be labeled as significant splashes, the retaining of McClain allows the Ravens to cross off inside linebacker as one of their most pressing needs this offseason. Though not an elite player, McClain acquitted himself nicely in the absence of fellow inside linebacker Ray Lewis for four games last season.

The 26-year-old repeatedly stated his preference to remain with the organization that took a chance on him as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2008, but many expected McClain to find a new home somewhere else once he hit the open market on March 13.

“There’s always that possibility, because this game is unpredictable,” McClain said. “We never know what’s going to happen at the end of the day. But in the back of my heart, I always knew that Baltimore was home.”

With a deep group of available inside linebackers and a slow pace to the market, McClain’s only visit came with the Denver Broncos, who eventually re-signed inside linebacker Joe Mays. Those circumstances led to increased optimism that the Ravens would be able to keep McClain in Baltimore, which became reality on Friday afternoon.

“I probably wasn’t real confident early on because we just know what kind of a player he is,” Harbaugh said. “I think you guys have seen him. Our fans know how good of a player he is. For whatever reason, the inside backer market just didn’t really go crazy.”

McClain represents a rock-solid starting option next to Lewis and quells concerns at the position, but the Ravens will still look to address the inside linebacker position in April’s draft with an eventual replacement for Lewis in mind. Pass coverage still remains an issue, but the re-signing of Ayanbadejo does give the Ravens another option in the nickel package.

Friday also represented an encouraging day for the Ravens’ special teams with two Pro Bowl selections secured for a unit that finished 30th in the NFL in 2011, according to FootballOutsiders.com. The returning Ayanbadejo as well as Graham and Considine will try to help the Ravens improve on their 31st-ranked kickoff coverage and 24th-ranked punt coverage last season.

Of the three signings, Graham represents the most intriguing upside. Regarded as one of the best gunners in the league, he will start on all special teams units and be a focal point for which other teams will have to game-plan. Though clearly behind Lardarius Webb, Cary Williams, and Jimmy Smith, Graham does have secondary experience in addition to his special teams prowess.

“He’s kind of a guy like me who you’re going to have to scheme against him and double-team him and come up with ways to stop him,” Ayanabadejo said about his former Chicago teammate. “And anytime you double-team one guy, that’s going to leave someone else open.”

While Friday can be regarded as a modest sigh of relief for the Ravens and their fans, plenty of holes remain with the draft nearly a month away. Identifying starting replacements for Grubbs at left guard and Johnson at outside linebacker are still the top priorities. After that, the Ravens will look to address the third receiver spot as well as to try to find a viable return specialist.

The four signings eat away most of the near-$5 million in cap room the Ravens held entering the day, meaning they will likely need to sit tight until the draft and reassess the roster and the open market after selections have been made.

Yes, Friday represented a satisfying move in the right direction, but it will likely put the Ravens back in the familiar position of waiting.

With plenty of work still to do between now and the start of the season.

Hear interviews with John Harbaugh, Jameel McClain, and Corey Graham in the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault right here.

PRESS RELEASE

The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms with following unrestricted free agents, general manager/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome announced Friday afternoon:

· OLB Brendon Ayanbadejo (re-signed for three years)

· S Sean Considine (signed for one year)

· CB Corey Graham (signed for two years)

· LB Jameel McClain (re-signed for three years)

“It’s a good day for the Ravens,” Newsome stated. “Getting Jameel and Brendon back is very important for us. They both know the standard we have around here, and they have helped set that.

“With Corey and Sean, we have improved our special teams, plus they give us quality and proven depth for the defense. When we ended the season, [head coach] John [Harbaugh] and I talked about the need to get better players for special teams, especially with kick coverage. Corey and Sean will improve that area for us.”

OLB Brendon Ayanbadejo

Entering his 10th NFL season, the three-time Pro Bowl special teamer has played in 126 career games, including 46 contests as a Raven over the past four seasons (2008-11). Owning 173 career special teams tackles, Ayanbadejo has led or shared the team lead in special teams stops in six of his nine seasons.

Ayanbadejo has also produced 97 tackles from scrimmage (63 solo), including a career-high 27 last season. Additionally, he registered a career-high 1.5 sacks and two passes defensed in 2011.

“He’s our leader on special teams, and we needed him back,” Harbaugh said. “He’s valuable to everything we do on [special] teams. And, adding Corey and Sean to those groups will help Brendon, who was double-teamed on most plays last season.

“The other good thing with Brendon is that he’s a real factor on our defense with our sub [substitution] packages. His development in that area exceeded what we originally expected when we first signed him as the top special teams’ player.”

S Sean Considine

Considine has played in 83 career games (28 starts) and enters his eighth NFL season. In 2011, he saw action in four contests with Carolina and then eight games with Arizona. Originally selected by Philadelphia in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, he also spent four seasons with the Eagles (2005-08) and two years in Jacksonville (2009-10).

Considine has notched 253 career tackles (159 solo), 2.5 sacks, four interceptions, five fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles during his career, adding 93 special teams stops.

CB Corey Graham

A 2011 Pro Bowl special teamer with Chicago, Graham enters his sixth NFL season after playing in 77 career games (10 starts) with the Bears. Last season, Chicago ranked second in NFL opponent punt return average (5.4 ypr), and since Graham entered the league in 2007, the Bears have permitted an NFL-best 6.5 yards per opponent punt return. Graham earned his first All-Star nod last season after leading the team with 22 special teams stops, upping his career total to 104.

Graham has also produced 117 tackles (90 solo), four interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery from scrimmage during his career. Totaling a career-high three interceptions last year, he tied for the team’s second most.

LB Jameel McClain

Entering his fifth NFL season, McClain was originally signed by Baltimore as a rookie free agent in 2008. Starting all 16 games for the Ravens in 2011, he recorded 81 tackles, one sack, five passes defensed and two fumble recoveries (including one for a six-yard touchdown return).

“We are pleased this worked out for us,” Harbaugh stated. “It has been our hope to bring [McClain] back, even when he became a free agent. Personally, I have tremendous respect and admiration for Jameel as a player, but also his life story. We are proud of him, and we know our fans are, too.”

McClain has never missed a regular season game for the Ravens, playing in 64-consecutive contests and starting 31 of 32 over the past two seasons. McClain has been a key component of the Ravens’ unit, which has boasted the NFL’s No. 3 scoring defense (points allowed) for four-straight seasons, tying an NFL record. The Ravens have also produced a Top 5 rushing defense in each of McClain’s four years.

“Jameel understands what it is to be a Raven, to play like one, and he is an integral part of our team, especially our defense,” Harbaugh added. “With Jameel and Brendon back, our linebackers group is very solid right now.”

Nearly a week into the signing period and with Peyton Manning finally choosing his next football home — ending our long-suffering national nightmare — it’s safe to say we’ve reached the conclusion of the first wave of NFL free agency.

As expected, it’s been anything but an exhilarating splash for the Ravens as they’ve witnessed five unrestricted free agents depart while only re-signing veteran center Matt Birk to a three-year contract on Friday. Baltimore has six remaining unrestricted free agents to potentially address, with inside linebacker Jameel McClain at the top of the list.

Unlike veteran defensive starters Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding, McClain represents a more difficult decision as he’ll only turn 27 in July and has plenty of good football in front of him.  He also represents a known commodity at a position where the Ravens lack depth behind Ray Lewis. Though he doesn’t bring the skills in pass coverage the Ravens would like to see improved among their linebackers, McClain proved valuable when Lewis was sidelined with a toe injury for four games last season, leading the huddle while Baltimore barely missed a beat without its future Hall of Fame linebacker.

The problem is general manager Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens are having a difficult time gauging McClain’s value with the market for inside linebackers developing at a snail’s pace so far in free agency. Most top names at the position remain unsigned, including Detroit’s Stephen Tulloch, Seattle’s David Hawthorne, and Atlanta’s Curtis Lofton.

McClain visited the Broncos on Friday and took a physical, but Denver ultimately decided to re-sign Joe Mays, who will presumably be the guy at middle linebacker after making 12 starts last season. With such a deep group of inside backers still available and most having the same limitations in pass coverage beyond the top names on the list, McClain may not find the payday he’s looking for.

Of course, the Ravens have a limited amount of salary cap space and a number of other positions to address. They also placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, which would pay him roughly $1.92 million in 2012, as a likely insurance policy to losing McClain.

Whether they can ultimately re-sign McClain or not, the Ravens are likely to address the inside linebacker position in the first few rounds of April’s draft. And unless the market remains very cool on McClain, Baltimore will likely roll the dice with the combination of Ellerbe and a drafted rookie to fill the void next to Lewis in defensive coordinator Dean Pees’ 3-4 scheme.

Changing of the guard

With the Ravens missing out on free-agent guard Evan Mathis when the veteran elected to re-sign with the Eagles over the weekend, the remaining options on the open market are underwhelming in trying to replace former Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs.

A few veterans such as Jake Scott and Vernon Carey are still out there but represent a noticeable step back from Grubbs at the position. That’s led many to speculate about the possibility of second-year tackle Jah Reid being moved to guard.

The thought of Reid playing guard has intrigued me since he began working there late last season and was a sleeper candidate to replace the injured Marshal Yanda in the regular-season finale against Cincinnati. You typically don’t see 6-foot-7 guards, but having the tallest starting quarterback in the league eliminates the need for shorter interior linemen.

Evan so, it’s difficult to view Reid as anything more than a project for the position, meaning the Ravens’ best bet might be to select a guard in the first or second round of the draft. While many have cooled on the idea of drafting Wisconsin center Peter Konz in the first round after Birk’s re-signing, another intriguing name that might be available at the 29th pick is Georgia guard Cordy Glenn.

With massive size at 345 pounds and impressive athleticism, Glenn has seen his stock rise substantially since the Senior Bowl. Despite playing left tackle as a senior after playing inside prior to that, Glenn is considered to be best suited for guard by most. However, some still flirt with the idea of him eventually becoming a left tackle at the next level.

It’s far from certain that Glenn will be there when the Ravens pick late in the first round, but he would be the ideal candidate to start at left guard compared to the underwhelming veteran options remaining in free agency. And with veteran left tackle Bryant McKinnie entering the final year of his contract, the Ravens could also evaluate whether Glenn could move to left tackle in his second season.

Third wideout

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With the start of the new league year and free agency less than 24 hours away, you can already hear the cries if you listen carefully.

And you know exactly what I’m talking about if you pay attention to talk radio, internet message boards, and Twitter over the opening days of free agency every year.

When are the Ravens going to do something?

Why does Ozzie insist on sitting on his hands?

They’re definitely taking a step back this season.

Never were those exclamations louder than last season, an unprecedented period of free agency that coincided with the start of training camp after the 134-day lockout. General manager Ozzie Newsome waved goodbye to veterans Derrick Mason, Todd Heap, Kelly Gregg, and Willis McGahee in a series of cap-saving cuts, and a number of veterans including Chris Chester, Dawan Landry, and Josh Wilson found richer contracts elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the Ravens’ free-agent additions for 2011 were relatively modest over the course of the preseason, adding fullback Vonta Leach, safety Bernard Pollard, left tackle Bryant McKinnie, center Andre Gurode, and running back Ricky Williams in addition to re-signing right guard Marshal Yanda to a long-term contract. The “offseason” timetable was stunted by the lockout, but Newsome operated in the way he typically does — calculated and conservative. In fact, the most dynamic move he made — trading a fourth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for veteran receiver Lee Evans — turned out to be the biggest failure.

The history lesson is worth repeating as the Ravens embark on free agency for the 17th time in franchise history. Projected to have approximately $14.45 million in salary cap space (before tendering restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents), Newsome will devote much of that to retaining as many of his own free agents as he can.

Of Baltimore’s 12 unrestricted free agents, five were starters last season, meaning the Ravens could be looking at more significant roster turnover than you’d like from an AFC North championship team that was one touchdown catch from advancing to the Super Bowl.

Expecting a dramatic splash of throwing money at elite free agents such as wide receiver Vincent Jackson or outside linebacker Mario Williams is only setting yourself up for disappointment. Even in the years in which he’s had the most cap room, Newsome rarely targets the players grabbing the headlines in the opening days of free agency, instead focusing on keeping his own and laying plans for value free agents that fulfill a need without eating up precious cap room.

As was the case last season, the Ravens will look for continued growth from within to aid in their quest for Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. Entering the 2011 season, Terrence Cody, Ed Dickson, and Dennis Pitta were well-known draft picks from the previous season but had yet to emerge as starting-caliber players in the NFL. Even bigger question marks surrounded Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams before they became legitimate starting cornerbacks for one of the league’s top defenses. And fighting serious doubts after a poor preseason, wide receiver Torrey Smith set franchise rookie records for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches.

Their contributions were as critical as any free-agent acquisition the Ravens made en route to a 12-4 record and their first division title in five years.

This season, the Ravens will potentially look to younger players such as defensive ends Arthur Jones and Pernell McPhee, offensive lineman Jah Reid, and linebackers Paul Kruger, Dannell Ellerbe, and Albert McClellan to help fill potential voids left behind by free agents Cory Redding, Ben Grubbs, Matt Birk, Jarret Johnson, and Jameel McClain. Of course, the Ravens will add new pieces via free agency and next month’s draft to fill some of those needs, but it’s almost a guarantee that they’ll need to lean on some combination of the aforementioned players for expanded roles in 2012.

After tendering their restricted free agents and exclusive rights players, the Ravens will be left with somewhere between $6 million and $7 million to address their own unrestricted free agents and shop the open market. It doesn’t take an economics major to realize that money will only go so far.

But, as he usually does, Newsome will make the most of it.

As the frenzy of free agency begins on Tuesday and the big names start coming off the board — possibly even a few from the Ravens’ own backyard leaving for greener pastures — remember many of the biggest factors determining how the Ravens fare in 2012 already reside in Owings Mills.

It may get ugly, with many of their unrestricted free agents not expected to return, but Newsome and the Ravens never strive to “win” the first week of free agency. They’ll look closely for that under-the-radar talent that nobody is talking about right now. And, as always, the Ravens will plan to shine during April’s draft.

By the time July arrives, they’ll address the offensive line and the linebacker position in some form as well as add a few pieces in other areas to optimize a team that was only a few tenths of a second away from going to the Super Bowl back in January.

Just remember that when you or someone else feels the urge to panic and ask if Newsome is asleep at the wheel over the next week or so.

To borrow an expression from another era and another sport here in Baltimore, it’s “The Raven Way” of doing business.

And if history is any indication, it’s worked pretty well.

With free agency set to begin on Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m., it’s time to predict who remains and who departs among the Ravens’ 12 unrestricted free agents, four restricted free agents, and seven exclusive rights free agents.

As of Thursday afternoon, the 2012 salary cap had yet to be set, but most reports indicate it will remain right around the $120 million used for the 2011 season. The Ravens are projected to have somewhere between $11 and $12 million in cap space, depending on what the final cap number will be.

Franchise tag

RB Ray Rice: STAYS
Skinny: The Ravens have until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement with Rice or he will play for the $7.7 million salary mandated by the franchise tag for running backs.

Unrestricted free agents

G Ben Grubbs: LEAVES
Skinny: General manager Ozzie Newsome expressed optimism at the NFL Combine, but the Ravens won’t engage in a bidding war when Grubbs hits the open market. 

C Matt Birk: STAYS
Skinny: The Ravens will meet with Birk’s agent Joe Linta next week and could sign the veteran to a cap-friendly, short-term deal to finish his career in Baltimore. 

LB Jarret Johnson: LEAVES
Skinny: Despite little depth at outside linebacker, the Ravens appear ready to move on and won’t be able to afford Johnson in a thin market for linebackers. 

LB Jameel McClain: LEAVES
Skinny: Assuming the Ravens do not strike a deal for Grubbs, some of that money could be allocated to retain McClain, but other teams historically throw too much money at Baltimore linebackers in the open market. 

DE Cory Redding: STAYS
Skinny: Though third-year defensive lineman Arthur Jones could step into the starting lineup, Redding might have more value to the Ravens than other potential suitors at this stage in his career. 

LB Brendon Ayanbadejo: STAYS
Skinny: With the lack of depth at inside linebacker and Ayanbadejo’s ability in pass coverage, the Ravens will hold onto the 35-year-old at a lower rate than the four-year contract he signed with the team in 2008. 

S Tom Zbikowski: LEAVES
Skinny: After four years serving primarily as a backup, the former Notre Dame product is looking for an opportunity to start elsewhere and doesn’t bring enough to the table as a special teams player to warrant overpaying. 

S Haruki Nakamura: STAYS
Skinny: In the same position as Zbikowski, Nakamura’s versatility as a defensive back as well as his special teams prowess will force the Ravens to pony up a little extra to keep him in Baltimore. 

OL Andre Gurode: LEAVES
Skinny: With the Ravens looking to select an interior lineman or two in April’s draft, the five-time Pro Bowl center will continue his career elsewhere. 

DT Brandon McKinney: STAYS
Skinny: A solid member of the defensive line rotation, McKinney won’t figure to draw a ton of interest on the open market, and the Ravens want to maintain their depth up front. 

TE Kris Wilson: LEAVES
Skinny: Adding a veteran tight end was a shrewd move after Todd Heap’s release last season, but Wilson’s spot will be assumed by a younger, cheaper option. 

LB Edgar Jones: LEAVES
Skinny: Injuries opened the door for Jones’ return last season, but he wouldn’t figure to fit into the team’s plans for the 2012 season. 

Restricted free agents

(The Ravens can offer a first-round, second-round, or low tender to any of these players, giving them the right to match any offer from an opposing team or to receive that team’s draft pick that matches the designation. The low tender awards a draft pick equal to the round in which the player was originally drafted.)

CB Lardarius Webb: STAYS
Skinny: Webb will receive the first-round tender worth roughly $2.75 million as the Ravens will explore a long-term agreement with the fourth-year cornerback. 

CB Cary Williams: STAYS
Skinny: A report indicated the Ravens will offer Williams a first-round tender, but the second-round designation (an estimated $1.9 million) saves money and would still deter teams from trying to pry away the biggest surprise of the 2011 season.

LB Dannell Ellerbe: STAYS
Skinny: The Ravens could roll the dice and offer the low tender ($1.25 million) to the inconsistent linebacker, but that would mean they wouldn’t receive a pick (Ellerbe was an undrafted free agent) if they declined to match a potential offer sheet.

RB Matt Lawrence: LEAVES
Skinny: Even with little depth at running back behind Ray Rice, there’s no way to justify even offering the low tender to the oft-injured running back entering his fourth season.

Exclusive rights free agents

(These are players with two or fewer accrued seasons and own no negotiating rights.)

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