Head Coach John Harbaugh didn't shoot down a report Tuesday that there is a possibility of trading defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan.
"Trade talks always go on," Harbaugh said at the NFL league meetings in Phoenix Tuesday morning.
"People are interested in Timmy because I'm sure they feel like, with our defensive line situation – we have a lot of good, young players – that he might be available. So people are going to ask about him."
Jernigan, 24, is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and it could be difficult for Baltimore to retain him beyond 2017 considering the Ravens just paid Brandon Williams $52.5 million for the next five years, per Spotrac.
The question is what the Ravens could get in return. If a team doesn't come forward with a high enough offer (likely in draft pick currency), Baltimore could keep Jernigan and get a compensatory pick in the 2019 NFL Draft if he signs elsewhere next season.
"Everybody is up for trade. I'm sure that if the Ravens got enough, they'd trade me in a second," Harbaugh joked. "[Trading players is] part of the conversation in the NFL."
Jernigan is a very talented player. The 2014 second-round pick started 15 of 16 games last season and registered 31 tackles, a career-high five sacks, three passes defensed and an interception. He has 13 career sacks in three seasons.
The Florida State product started hot last season with three sacks in the Ravens' first three games. Over the second half of the season, however, he notched one sack and seven tackles.
"To me, Timmy is going to have the best year of his career, without question," Harbaugh said.
"Timmy, I'm sure he's training hard. I know how passionate he is, I know how much he wants to be great. He's another guy that gives me big squeezes and tells me everything is going to be OK. He wants to be a great player."
As Harbaugh pointed out, the Ravens have depth at defensive tackle.
Along with Williams, the Ravens are returning rising sophomore Michael Pierce, who was highly impressive as an undrafted rookie last season. Pierce logged 35 tackles and two sacks, and could be in line for a bigger role.
The Ravens also have Carl Davis and Willie Henry. Davis, a third-round pick in 2015, spent last season on injured reserve (leg), but played in 13 games and made 11 tackles as a rookie. Henry, a fourth-round pick last season, didn't see any game action and finished the season on injured reserve.
After the loss of Lawrence Guy (New England Patriots) in free agency, Baltimore currently has 2016 third-round pick Bronson Kaufusi and 2014 fourth-round pick Brent Urban at defensive end. Kaufusi (broken ankle) missed his entire rookie season. Urban was finally healthy last season and logged 10 tackles and two sacks in 16 games.
