Baltimore Ravens discussing trading DL Timmy Jernigan
By Ben Palmer
The Baltimore Ravens are reportedly looking into trading defensive lineman Timmy Jernigan. Jernigan currently has one year left on his contract.
The Baltimore Ravens are reportedly looking into possibly trading defensive lineman Timmy Jernigan, according to Michael Lombardi on “The NFL Show”.
Here’s what Lombardi said on the show: “I think you’ve got to look at this like the Malcolm Butler situation in New England. They give [Stephon] Gilmore all that money. Okay is Butler is available? I think Timmy Jernigan is the next guy.”
“Jernigan’s going to command a huge salary and is really one of their better defensive linemen. Does Ozzie Newsome want to trade him or does Ozzie Newsome feel like he can sign him? If he can’t get him signed, does he trade him for say a third- or fourth-round pick as opposed to waiting for the compensatory or does he just hold on to him and play him for one year.”
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“I hear they’re talking about moving Jernigan. I think Jernigan is a fabulous player but they can’t afford to sign him. If you’re a team like Jacksonville, and you know you can afford him, why not give up a third- or fourth-round pick for Jernigan and get another defensive lineman and do it before free agency and keep the kid.”
The Ravens recently re-signed defensive lineman Brandon Williams to a gigantic five-year, $52.5M contract that comes with $24.5M guaranteed, so it wouldn’t be too crazy for the team to look to dump off some salary elsewhere, and Jernigan might fit that bill.
Jernigan is 24-years-old, entering his fourth season in the NFL, and the Florida State product has just one year left on his four-year, $4.4M contract with the Baltimore Ravens. If the Ravens are able to end up trading him, it would save the team $1.02M in cap room while creating just under $377,000 in dead money.
Jernigan is, without a doubt, one of the better interior defenders in the NFL. He played in all 16 games for the Baltimore Ravens last season and ended the year with 31 tackles, five sacks, three deflected passes, and one interception. He was rated by Pro Football Focus as the 42nd best interior defender in the league.
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If the Ravens are able to trade Jernigan for what would likely be a draft pick (assuming they don’t think they can re-sign him), it might be a smart move. It doesn’t save them tons of money, but creating $1.02M in cap space is no small thing, and they might as well get something for him if they can’t re-sign him than nothing.