OWINGS MILLS – The Baltimore Ravens are in the market for a new special-teams ace, and Isaiah Ekejiuba is a player they’ve targeted.
The St. Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys are also interested in Ekejiuba.
No deal has been finalized with Baltimore, but interest is believed to be mutual.
Former Ravens Pro Bowl special-teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo is an unrestricted free agent and Ekejiuba could operate as a potential replacement for him.
Ekejiuba is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound linebacker who was a Pro Bowl alternate three years ago when he was with the Oakland Raiders.
A former undrafted free agent from the University of Virginia, Ekejiuba is coming off shoulder surgery after his season last year with the Detroit Lions ended after three games.
Ekejiuba had 10 special-teams tackles two seasons ago and has 60 tackles for his career and two forced fumbles.
Ekejuiba signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a rookie.
Ekejiuba was born in Nigeria and lived in Africa, China and London before attending high school at a boarding school in Connecticut.
He walked on at Virginia as a wide receiver, later switching to linebacker and was awarded a scholarship for how he excelled on special teams on the punt, punt return, kickoff and kickoff return units.
