After reportedly signing free agent wide receiver Ryan Grant to a four-year, $29M deal, the contract has fallen through due to medical concerns.
It’s been an interesting start to free agency for the Baltimore Ravens. After agreeing to contracts with wide receivers John Brown and Ryan Grant, only one will officially go through.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens failed Grant on his physical over an ankle injury dating back to Week 17 of the 2017 season. His reported four-year, $29M deal is void.
Baltimore failed former Washington WR Ryan Grant on his physical over an ankle injury that dated back to the Redskins' final regular-season game, per source. Grant's time in Baltimore is over before it began. He remains a free agent.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2018
It’s an interesting turn of events for the purple and black. Many thought the Ravens initially overpaid on Grant’s deal after missing out on top free agent receivers. Paying $14.5M seemed like a hefty price for a relatively unproven receiver. Grant now hits the free agent market and is free to sign with any team.
Grant’s departure sure seems like a coincidence considering the recent release of Michael Crabtree from the Raiders.
Crabtree’s first visit? In Baltimore tomorrow.
Former Raiders' WR Michael Crabtree is scheduled to visit Friday with the Baltimore Ravens, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2018
We might not ever know how real the “hold up” from Grant’s physical was but this ultimately seems like a best-case scenario.
Crabtree fits the mold of a free agent receiver the Ravens want to target. He’s a veteran who’s caught at least eight touchdowns the last three season and his 6-2, 215-pound provides a huge target for Joe Flacco. Most importantly of all, signing Crabtree won’t count against the compensatory formula.
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If any team should know about Crabtree’s success it’s the Ravens. He’s burned their secondary for 281 receiving yards and five touchdowns over the past three seasons. If you can’t stop him, you might as well sign him. I feel a lot more comfortable paying a proven commodity like Crabtree more than Grant.
Once he lands in Baltimore, Ozzie better not let him leave without a deal.