John Harbaugh shoots down idea of bringing in Aldon Smith and Greg Hardy; hints at Dwight Freeney signing

The Ravens have made a few big moves in free agency this offseason, but that doesn't mean they're finished yet. Despite landing tight end Benjamin Watson, safety Eric Weddle, and wide receiver Mike Wallace, the Ravens still have some money to work with. There are still a few good names without a team right now, and Head Coach John Harbaugh was asked about some of those players and if they had a future with the Ravens.

Addressing the media at today's AFC Coaches' Breakfast, Harbaugh took some Q&A from media members. The conversation took a turn towards the Ravens' apparent need for a pass rusher and if there were any of those players even left in free agency. When Harbaugh open-endedly asked "Who's still out there?," he received the names of Greg Hardy and Aldon Smith in response. To Hardy he said, "He won't be a Raven, I can tell you that." In response to Smith, Harbaugh also showed little interest, saying "He'd be a tough one, too."

This really isn't all that surprising, considering the Ravens are usually pretty cautious about bringing in players with questionable histories or egos that could damage the locker room morale. But what was surprising was Harbaugh's unprompted mention of veteran Dwight Freeney.

"Is Dwight Freeney still out there?," said Harbaugh. "Is he still out there?"

It's not too far-fetched to interpret this as meaning that the Ravens have some interest in Freeney. After all, Baltimore was interested in the 36-year-old pass rusher last year after Terrell Suggs tore his Achilles in the season opener. But the two sides couldn't work out a deal, and Freeney signed with the Arizona Cardinals on a one-year contract for $870,000. Freeney's eight sacks in eleven games also triggered a sack bonus, giving him an extra $600,000. With the Ravens still needing a rotational rusher alongside Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs, Freeney could be a quality signing. It would certainly be a prototypical Ravens' signing, a once-great veteran in the twilight of his career who is brought in on the cheap and performs exceptionally well for the team.

I for one, am not opposed to it.