Defensive tackle Michael Pierce is returning for his second stint with the Ravens.
The Ravens and Pierce agreed to terms on a three-year contract Thursday, bringing him back to the team he played with for four seasons (2016-19). The deal is worth $16.5 million according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Pierce made the Ravens' roster as an undrafted rookie out of Samford in 2016 and developed into one of their most dependable run-stoppers. He played at least 14 games for four straight seasons and had 151 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits in his first tenure with Baltimore before signing with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent.
Pierce sat out the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, but returned last season and had 20 tackles and 3.0 sacks in eight games with Minnesota. His presence will add depth to Baltimore's defensive line rotation that is still taking shape for next season. Veteran defensive linemen Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams and Justin Ellis are all free agents, while Derek Wolfe is recovering from hip surgery in January.
