RAVENS SIGN DT BRODERICK WASHINGTON TO THREE YEAR, $16.5 MILLION EXTENSION
The Baltimore Ravens have signed defensive tackle Broderick Washington to a new contract extension, the team announced on Wednesday.
Washington’s new deal is a three-year deal worth up to a maximum of $16.5 million. As per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, the 2020 fifth-round pick will earn $15.75 million in new money from 2024 through to 2026. Washington could also earn an extra $750,000 in additional incentives. The 26-year-old was headed into the final year of his rookie deal this year and is set to earn $1.01 million in 2023.
“One, I was very excited,” said Washington on signing his new deal. “I’m just blessed to even be in the position [I’m in]. I’m glad my mom wasn’t here. I would have cried. I’m kind of, supposedly a tough guy here, so that wouldn’t have looked good on me.”
“I’m just excited. I’m filled with emotion. I’m happy to be able to be home for the next three years and I’m glad it’s here. I don’t have to go anywhere different. I don’t have to learn a new scheme. I know everything already. I’m comfortable and I’m just really excited for the opportunity to grow each and every year.”
Going into the new season, 2022 third-round DT Travis Jones was the lone defensive lineman on the Ravens under contract beyond 2023. The second-year player will now be joined by Washington on the long-term D-linemen list. Washington, a former Texas Tech alumni, led all Ravens linemen in run stops last year, had 6 passes defended – one of the best at his position – and has shown steady improvement year after year in his time in the league.
Washington has played a total of 39 career games for the Ravens, suiting up for every game in 2022 and recording a career-high 49 tackles with 4 quarterback hits, 2 tackles for loss and a sack.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Washington revealed that he didn’t anticipate signing a new deal so soon. The Longview, Texas native revealed that head coach John Harbaugh had mentioned a new contract extension during OTAs in May but Washington didn’t pay much attention to it, choosing instead to focus on football and improving as a pass rusher.
“I didn’t want to let it get to my head because at the end of the day, I’m still trying to get better,” said Washington. “I have barely scratched the surface of what I could really be and I just look forward to the opportunity to be able to do that here. I’m just blessed.”
Ravens assistant head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver said of Washington this week, “I don’t know there’s a person in this building that works harder than Broderick Washington. If you even look [at] his body from when he got [here] to how it is now, he looks completely different. You talk about a guy that’s taken every bit of coaching and then some – it’s him. So I’m not surprised by any of his success, and I would expect more.”
The Ravens added pass rush guru Chuck Smith as the team’s new outside linebacker coach this offseason and Smith revealed last week that he has also worked with the interior rushers on the defensive line like Washington and Justin Madubuike. The Ravens expect their young players to contribute this year, and are confident in a unit that includes Justin Madubuike, veteran Michael Pierce and Broderick Washington. With the exit of veteran DE Calais Campbell, the Ravens front three should look very different this season.
The Ravens will test out their young defense this weekend as the team plays its first preseason game on Saturday against Super Bowl runners up, the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
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