Owen Daniels made his way around the locker room to hug, shake hands and talk with as many teammates and coaches as possible after Saturday's divisional-round loss to the Patriots.
The veteran tight end understands the business aspect of the NFL, and he knows that the Ravens will have a much different makeup next season. The question for him is whether he'll be part of the group that returns to Baltimore, as he's set to become an unrestricted free agent after his first season with the team.
Daniels, 32, has no plans to retire this year and would like to continue his run in Baltimore.
"I think I got a couple more [years] in me, at least," he said. "I finished out the year as strong as I could. At my age, that's not easy to do. But they did a great job taking care of me throughout the season. I train my butt off during the offseason, so I'll be ready to go and hopefully I'll be back."
Daniels had a strong year for the Ravens, and finished with 48 catches for 527 yards and four touchdowns.
He was a critical piece of the offense, especially after the season-ending hip injury to tight end Dennis Pitta in Week 3. When Pitta went down, Daniels was quickly elevated to starter and became a reliable target for quarterback Joe Flacco.
Daniels will be heading into his 10th NFL season next year, but he showed that he still has life left in his legs. He could be an ideal fit to return because the Ravens have a need at tight end. Pitta's status is in question as he's rehabbing from his second major hip surgery in as many years, and Baltimore has a need for a pass-catching tight end.
"It was a lot of fun playing here this year," Daniels said. "I got to build some good relationships. It was my first time on another team. Being a part of this organization has been awesome. It's been an honor. Hopefully I can be back."
