OWINGS MILLS — Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh has already made it abundantly clear that retaining offensive tackle Marshal Yanda is a major priority for the organization.
And that desire coincides with what Yanda wants as long as a fair deal can be struck.
"Both Marshal and I are very aware that if Baltimore isn’t the best organization in pro football, it’s certainly in the top couple," agent Neil Cornrich told 105.7 FM in a radio interview. "Having said that, there’s 31 other clubs and a lot of them are great. We’ll just have to see what happens."
A former third-round draft pick from Iowa, Yanda’s gritty blocking and versatility as an offensive tackle and offensive guard is highly valued by the AFC North club. It seems highly unlikely that he’ll leave the Ravens, but free agency can be a tricky matter when a player is in demand.
Cornrich didn’t say that another team would have to outbid the Ravens for Yanda to leave, though.
"Not necessarily," Cornrich said. "It’s a question of what is the right fit. And it’s clearly a good fit here. I think it’s a question of staying focused and getting it done. It’s not a decision that Marshal or I are taking lightly."
The Ravens have already held preliminary discussions with Yanda and made some headway with parameters and particulars broached.
It looks like there’s a deal to be made here.
"Maybe it will still lead to a deal," Cornrich said. "Time will tell."
