Jason Babin to Ravens: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

The Baltimore Ravens will be without their heart and soul, defensive leader Terrell Suggs, for the rest of the season, but they found a former All-Pro as a serviceable replacement Tuesday.

The Ravens are signing linebacker Jason Babin, announced the team. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun pointed out the move was for a one-year deal to give the team “some pass-rushing depth with Suggs going down.” Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed the signing on Wednesday. 

Babin was selected by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2004 draft and played for the Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets.

He is a two-time Pro Bowler with 55.5 career sacks on his resume. At his peak, Babin notched an astounding 18 sacks in 2011 with Philadelphia and 12.5 in 2010 with Tennessee. He most recently appeared in all 16 games for the Jets in 2014 and tallied two sacks.

This move comes as no surprise considering Suggs will miss the rest of the 2015 campaign after tearing his Achilles tendon in Baltimore’s 19-13 season-opening loss to the Denver Broncos, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. The Ravens have Super Bowl aspirations and needed to find a replacement quickly before a four-game stretch against all AFC opponents, and they did just that.

Baltimore finished second in the league in 2014 with 49 sacks and establishes its identity on the defensive side of the ball. Its best chance to win in the AFC is by attacking quarterbacks such as Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers, and Babin provides another pass-rushing weapon. 

He is 35 years old and well past his prime, but the deal is only for one year for a team that has its eyes on the Lombardi Trophy this season.   

*Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.