Eric Weddle took to the podium for the first time as a Raven as the team officially announced his signing Wednesday at the Under Armour Performance Center in Owings Mills.
Weddle, a surprise free agent signing for many fans spent nine years roaming the secondary for the San Diego Chargers before his release earlier this offseason.
The three-time Pro Bowl safety was ready for a change and highly regarded the Ravens’ winning ways, a main reason the 10-year vet wanted to sign with Baltimore.
“I’ve played in San Diego for nine years and gone against my new team a bunch of times, and I’ve always envied their success,” remarked a clean-shaven (for him) Weddle. “I’ve always envied the way they play, the way they go about business. And for me personally, I’m a simple guy. I live and breathe football. It’s my family away from my family, and I sacrifice a lot of time with my kids and my wife to give everything I can to my team.
“The things I felt Baltimore would give me is that – a team that gives everything for each other, a team that wants to win, wants to go back [to the playoffs], has the goal to win a Super Bowl every year. The culture, the business-like atmosphere, the working, the toughness, the defense – it’s just football. You think of Baltimore, you think of football. You don’t think of anything else – obviously the Orioles.
“But this is what I want, and I’ve always wanted it. It’s just an honor and a privilege that coach Harbaugh and the front office decided that they wanted me just as much. And when it comes down to it, coming from a place that didn’t want me, to now coming to a place that would do anything to get it, it means the world, and I’m forever indebted to this organization of playing my best and doing whatever I can to help win.”
One of the NFL’s best safeties over the past several seasons, Weddle could have opted to sign elsewhere for more money, but it wasn’t about that for 31 year ballhawk.
“Obviously, this is an unbelievable place and an unbelievable contract, and I’m grateful. But it’s about being appreciated,” stated Weddle. “It’s about being wanted. Last year was hard. It was hard for me. For Baltimore to come, for Mr. DeCosta and the hard work he did and just the interactions with him, explaining what it’s like to be here, what it’s like to be a Raven … I slept, went to bed Sunday night, with a hard decision for my family.
“It’s not easy to just wake up and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to move our family, our four kids, across the country for the next four years, I can only hope,’ and be happy. And that’s the right decision. Honestly, when I went to bed Sunday night and going through everything in my mind, I kept waking up in the middle of the night thinking Baltimore, thinking this is my fit, this is where I want to be, and they want me.
“I couldn’t be [happier]. I know it’s the right decision. I know it’s going to be a special journey for us, and I can’t wait to be a part of it. I really can’t.”
The feeling is mutual for the Ravens.
It’s certainly no secret that the secondary was abysmal in 2015. Lead after lead was blown on the back end of the defense, forcing the Ravens to miss the playoffs for the second time in three years.
GM Ozzie Newsome vowed the Ravens would/could be active in March in an effort to make his football team better and the Weddle signing, on paper, makes the team, particularly the defense, instantly better.
“Eric is going to make our team better in so many different ways as a player and as a person,” John Harbaugh said in his welcoming of Weddle. “[He will be] great for the community, and we’re pleased to have him here, so welcome.”
Ravens Nation is also very pleased.
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