REPORT: Ravens officially sign Orlando Brown and Mark Andrews
By Joe Schiller
As the Baltimore Ravens begin OTAs next week, tackle Orlando Brown and tight end Mark Andrews are expected to sign their rookie contracts today.
The offseason overhaul has been more than noticeable for the Baltimore Ravens. Ozzie Newsome came away with a 12 player draft class, tying a franchise record for the most since 1997. Naturally, that creates a ton of objectives on the offseason checklist, including signing rookies to their first contracts.
The Ravens came into today with eight of their 12 picks officially signed. That number has increased by two.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, third-round offensive tackle Orlando Brown signed a $3.491 million contract.
Ravens signed Orlando Brown to a $3.491 million contract
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 16, 2018
Jeff Zrebiec followed up the report that fellow third-round pick Mark Andrews is expected to sign his rookie contract today as well.
Both of the Ravens' third-round picks - Oklahoma's OT Orlando Brown Jr and TE Mark Andrews - are planning to sign today. That would leave the Ravens with two unsigned picks: 1st rounders Hayden Hurst and Lamar Jackson.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) May 16, 2018
The two Sooners are secured, leaving first-round picks Lamar Jackson and Hayden Hurst as the only two unsigned players in the current draft class. As mentioned before, this isn’t surprising and first-round picks are usually the last ones to be signed. The Ravens are also one of three teams with two first-round picks, making the negotiating process more extensive than most.
As far as we know, it’s business as usual and there have been no hiccups in the process.
Newsome utilized trades throughout the draft and acquired 12 total picks. The hope is that the Ravens will see a significant contribution from the rookies, specifically on the front-end. The first four picks alone have the potential to start from Day 1, with Lamar Jackson being the ultimate wild card.
Nevertheless, in a playoff-or-bust year, it’s one of the more crucial years for the franchise. After missing the postseason for three straight seasons, they sit at a crossroads between contention and a rebuild. How that plays out will be evident over the course of the 16-game season.
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The Ravens begin OTAs next Monday, May 21st and we’ll have another chance to see the rookies take the field. This time, with the rest of the 90-man roster.