Maybe this won’t be Marshal Yanda‘s final season after all. On Thursday, the Ravens reached agreement on a one-year extension with the seven-time Pro Bowl guard that will keep him under club control through the 2020 season, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
A seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro, Yanda has long been one of the best offensive lineman in the league. The Ravens have some uncertainty at left guard and center in advance of this month’s draft, so Yanda is especially important to the club moving forward.
Yanda has dealt with some health concerns in recent years, including a broken ankle that ended his 2017 season after just two games. He is owed $7MM this year, a relative bargain. Financial terms of his new year are not yet known.
Prior to the deal, the 34-year-old (35 in September) was set to enter the final year of his four-year, $32MM contract. With the new deal, Yanda will likely finish out his career in Baltimore, unless he wants to push into his late 30s.
Recently, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta indicated that he wanted Yanda in the fold beyond 2019. With the new deal, they’ve likely accomplished that goal.
“In regards to Marshal, we love Marshal, and we’d love Marshal to continue to play for us for years,” DeCosta said earlier this month. “He’s a great player. He’s still playing at a high level. He’s a Raven. You can define a Raven and put a picture of Marshal Yanda up there, and that’s him.”
Thanks in part to Yanda, the Ravens managed 141.9 per game, good for second in the league. The Ravens hope to hit a similar mark this year as quarterback Lamar Jackson continues to make plays with his legs.
New deals for kicker Justin Tucker, outside linebacker Matthew Judon, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, inside linebacker Patrick Onwuasor, and defensive tackle Michael Pierce could be on deck for the Ravens, as ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley writes.
Hall of Famer! Go Hawks!