The Ravens have sent a clear message, from the top of the organization, that they want to sign free agent defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.
Owner Steve Bisciotti said he hoped McCoy would become a Raven, after the 31-year-old defensive tackle visited the team Tuesday and Wednesday.
"I think that everybody out there has seen what he can do," Bisciotti said during a conference call with PSL holders Wednesday evening.
"I think he's a bit of a game-wrecker, and I think in this day and age, you need that kind of pressure on the inside. We've got some guys on the edge that are going to have to prove themselves. We've got two nose tackles, when you look at (Michael Pierce) and Brandon (Williams). He's clearly a three technique. He brings something to the table that we don't have."
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, McCoy will meet with the Carolina Panthers on Thursday and Friday. Once McCoy concludes his meeting with the Panthers, he is expected to reach an agreement with one of three teams – the Ravens, Panthers, or Cleveland Browns, who he met with late last week.
Bisciotti expressed confidence that the Ravens had enough talent on defense to offset losing talented veteran defenders C.J. Mosley, Terrell Suggs, Eric Weddle and Za'Darius Smith. However, the possibility of acquiring a six-time Pro Bowler with 54 ½ career sacks remained very intriguing.
Before ending his visit with Baltimore, McCoy attended Wednesday's press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center, where Haloti Ngata made his official NFL retirement as a Raven.
Bisciotti met with McCoy before the press conference and came away impressed.
"I'm pretty excited to have a guy like Gerald McCoy potentially adding to our defense," Bisciotti said. "He came in, I had a nice opportunity to meet him in the hallway before we started our press conference today. Wonderful, well-mannered young man. Good family man, five children, was very excited about our facility, very excited about our defense. I hope McCoy wants us. That need goes both ways. I hope Gerald McCoy goes home and tells his wife that he needs to play for the Ravens. I think we could welcome him with open arms, and I think he could do some damage in the backfield this year."
Ngata, who spent nine seasons with the Ravens, also met with McCoy on Wednesday as part of the team's recruiting process.
"We definitely got together and talked and did our little thing," Ngata said. "He'd be an amazing, amazing, amazing player to have here, and as you guys know he's done a lot of amazing things in Tampa. I just wished him the best in wherever he decides to go, and if it's here, that's even better."
