The Ravens are set to sign linebacker Jason Babin, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Babin is scheduled to practice with Baltimore tomorrow. With Terrell Suggs sidelined, the Ravens are hoping that Babin can help bolster their pass rush.
Babin, 35, signed a two-year, $3.25MM deal with the Jets in the 2014 offseason, but his time with the club ended earlier this month when he was cut. Cutting Babin saved the organization $1.5MM, with $125K in dead money. Just weeks ago, the Western Michigan product was competing with Trevor Reilly and Lorenzo Mauldin to be Quinton Coples’ primary backup.
A first-round pick in 2004, Babin has played with seven teams during his 12-year career. The two-time Pro Bowler made 16 appearances (four starts) with the Jets last season, compiling 25 tackles and two sacks. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) actually rated Babin as the third-most valuable defender on the Jets, and he was ranked as the league’s ninth-best 3-4 outside linebacker.
Babin played in all 16 games in 2013 for the Jaguars, racking up 31 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two passes defended. Those are solid numbers, albeit a far cry from the ones he was posting just three years prior — in 2011 for the Eagles, Babin set a career high with 18 sacks, earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth. The veteran’s days of ranking among the NFL’s league leaders in sacks may be over, but he could still have plenty of football left in him.